“Yes, that might be so,” admitted the other scout.
“Meaning to try and get us loose all by himself,” added Harry, huskily, as if the very thought of such a thing caused him to tremble with eagerness.
“It would be a great feat if Jack could manage it,” admitted Ned, longingly, “and I’ve got a lot of faith in our chum; but somehow I hope he’s chosen to make for the ranch and get the boys started this way.”
“Queer they didn’t bother doing much hunting for Jack, did they?” pursued Harry.
“Oh! you heard what the leader said, that it was too smoky and unpleasant down in the canyon, and that they’d come back in the morning to look him up. Little do they care whether he’s living or dead. They’re a heartless bunch; and I’d like to see them caught in a net. You can see they’ve got some of their women folks along, and that this is like a regular border village. There’s a pack of dogs, and over in that cabin I’ve counted as many as four children—all with hair that looks like it had never known a comb and clothes that would shame an Indian squaw. But the men are a tough lot, and all they seem to care for is playing cards, drinking, smoking and stealing cattle.”
The night had settled down by now. It was dark at first, because the moon would not rise until a little later, being now past its full.
Greatly to the relief of Jimmy one of the women brought them over some supper, such as it was. They were hungry enough to forget its shortcomings, though Jimmy did complain a little that they saw the bottom of the kettle too soon to suit him, and that he just knew he’d wake up feeling starved long before dawn. But then Ned and Harry were so used to hearing their comrade let out this sort of a wail that they let it pass by, without extending him any sympathy.
“Now for a night of it!” Harry said, later on, after they had been sitting there, watching the strange scene until they began to feel sleepy.
“But how are we goin’ to sleep without our blankets?” Jimmy wanted to know.
“We might ask for some,” Ned told him, “but honest now, I’d feel a little queer about snuggling down in some of the coverings I’ve noticed around here.”