Nick, who was following Roy, grunted to show that he understood, and cautioned Gus and Bug Eye, who drew up in the rear. Then he called to Teddy:
“Expect to run across yore friend who rides sidesaddle, Ted?”
“Sidesaddle? Oh, you mean the puncher who slouches to the left? I sure do, Nick! I hope to, anyhow. I guess Roy does, also. We’ll ask him for his card and where he got ‘Reltsur’ for a name.”
“You think Richmond and Reltsur are the same man?”
“Yep! Nothing else but! The handwriting on the note that Mrs. Ball showed us and on the note that dad got are identical. We noticed particularly the capital R; didn’t we, Roy? Alike as two peas. I’m sure counting on meeting that waddy personally, Nick!”
“Wish you luck.” Nick rested his hand on the gun which hung from a saddle-holster. “But don’t hog the action, Teddy—don’t hog it! Me an’ Gus an’ Bug Eye are just rustin’ away from peacefulness. When the music starts, Teddy, we’ll be there! Oh, we’ll be there!”
“I’ll tell a maverick!” Roy exclaimed. “We all will, Nick! And if those dirty horse thieves have harmed Belle, or even frightened her, we’ll—”
“Take it easy, boy,” Gus drawled, laying his hand on Roy’s shoulder for a moment. “Belle can take care of herself, and of the two that’s with her, if she has to. I know Belle! Not like you do, of course, but enough to say that she’s one game little lady and that she can hold her own with any sneak-thief that ever ran from a jack-rabbit. Now don’t you start worryin’, you nor Teddy either. So far, yore takin’ it standin’ up. Keep it up, boys; it won’t be long now!
“To-morrow we can head fer Sholo Caves, and then, if Ike is right, we’ll have all three girls safe an’ sound. Then we can settle our accounts with Reltsur an’ his gang.” He paused for a moment, then went on:
“I know I’m talkin’ like a Dutch Uncle, but I want you to know how I feel, an’ how Nick an’ the rest of us feel, too. I’m not sayin’ what we’d do to get Belle back. I guess you know, right enough.”