After the lad had joined them, the two ranchers entered the store, the proprietor taking them to the back of the store and lighting a lantern, which he placed behind a cracker barrel, so that the light might not be observed from the outside.
"Now, what is it?" he demanded. Luke told him briefly of the battle with the cowboys, of which Cavanagh had already heard. Then he related the story of the mysterious disappearance of the two boys.
"What do you want of me?" asked the storekeeper, when the story had been finished.
"To know whether you had heard any of the boys say anything that might lead you to believe they knew anything about the matter?"
"No," answered Cavanagh after a moment's thought. "Hain't heard a word. Don't believe they know anything about it. They'd a said something if they'd heard of it."
"Don't you know anything about the boys yourself?"
"No, don't know nothing about them."
"Sure?"
"Surest thing, you know."
"Very well. I believe you. One of my reasons for coming over here, however, was to tell you to keep your eyes and ears open to-morrow."