Wilson felt of his pocket where they were tightly pinned in.
“Couldn’t lose those without losing my coat.”
“Might lose yer coat in this here city. Next, how ’bout weapins?”
Wilson drew out the revolver which he had managed to keep through all the confusion. In addition to that he had some fifty cartridges loose in his pocket.
“Good!” commented Stubbs. Then he took an inventory of his own resources.
“In th’ fust place, I has some three hundred dollars in gold in this here leather belt ’bout my waist. Never had less in it since a ’sperience I had forty year ago. Fer weapins we is ’bout equal. Now I figgers this way; it will take us ’bout a week to learn what we has gotter learn ’bout the coast beyond those hills afore we takes chances on crossin’ ’em. We can git this information at th’ same time we is doin’ what we can to locate th’ girl, though I ain’t reckonin’ on seein’ her till we reaches th’ lake. We can pick up our outfit and our grub at th’ same time.” 221
Wilson broke in.
“I don’t like the scheme, Stubbs. I want to get to work and find the girl before she gets over the hills. It’s too hard a trip for her––it might kill her. She’s weak now, but that brute wouldn’t care. If–––”
“Slow! Slow, m’ son. Yer blood is hot, but sometimes th’ short course is th’ longest. If we wastes a week doin’ nothin’ but thet, we wastes another perhaps arter we had found they has started. If we makes ourselves sure of our course to th’ treasure, we makes sure of our course to th’ girl. Thet is th’ only sure thing, an’ when ye’ve gut big things at stake it’s better ter be sure than quick.”
“I suppose you are right.”