Nogales seemed agreeable to the suggestion. Indeed, he was very expeditious in starting. While Jack never took his eye off the sight of his barrel, Nogales walked across the gleaming interval between the two parties waving Prather's handkerchief. Leddy rose on his knee watchfully, rifle in hand, while he spoke with Nogales. Then Nogales started back with his head thrown up jubilantly, but stopped when he was within calling distance and sang out, truculently:
"Leddy get you both! He get everything!"
He turned on his heel and soon was another lump around the water-hole.
"That makes nine, Firio!" said Jack.
He smiled in relief to be rid of Nogales; smiled in happy confidence, as if he were truly the ancestor's child.
"Sí!" answered Firio, as if he had just as soon there were a regiment against them. He was happy beyond words. He patted his rifle barrel; he spread out his big red bandanna beside his elbow and on it nicely arranged a couple of extra charges of cartridges.
Prather remained flat on the bottom of the arroyo, overwhelmed. It was some time before he could speak.
"I—I don't understand! It isn't possible!" he said finally.
"Everything is possible with Leddy. It seems that there can be peace between him and me in this valley in only one way," Jack answered.
"But me! I suppose he found out that I—" Prather stopped without finishing the sentence. "What am I to do?" he asked Jack in livid appeal.