Tony grinned again.
“Mebbe those man what brought eet back to you, señor. He say the man what own eet be sure recognize heem by that snake.”
“What’s that? What—what man?” Aaron babbled.
“Those man what keel himself, señor. Johnny Dice mebbe dead; but me—Tony Madeiras—ees steel here! You go now.”
Aaron was in no position to dispute this.
Bent over, muttering strange words to himself, Gallup moved away, in his ears the mocking laughter of the Basque.
Tony kept his word with Johnny. As soon as the moon came up he set the débris in motion again. Tons and tons of small rock cascaded down upon the mass already piled in the choked cañon, but it failed to uncover the body of the boy.
It occurred to Madeiras, then, that Johnny might have crawled away some distance and be lying helpless further down the cañon. He called for the better part of ten minutes, but received no answer.
Johnny Dice was not to be found.
Hours later Gallup stumbled into Kent’s camp. Only Roddy and Tobias and one or two others remained.