“Lead Pete around the corner,” he urged Jessup sharply. “Get out of sight as quick as you can.”
Bud obeyed without question, and Stratton hastily took out his field-glasses and focused them on the three figures he had glimpsed riding along the northern extremity of the Shoe-Bar pasture. He recognized them instantly, pausing only long enough to make out that they did not seem to be in haste, and that so far as he could tell they were not looking in the direction of the trail. Then he thrust the glasses back into the case, and slipping around the buttress rejoined his companion.
“Lynch, with McCabe and Kreeger,” he explained curtly, gathering up the reins and swinging himself into the saddle.
“Did they see yuh?”
“I don’t think so. They seemed to be taking things easy, and weren’t looking this way at all. I wonder what they’re up to?” 244
“Couldn’t we stick around here for a while and watch them?” Bud asked eagerly.
Buck hesitated an instant. “I guess we’d better not take a chance,” he replied at length. “Such a whale of a lot depends on his not knowing that I’m alive and kicking; I’d hate like the devil to spoil everything now by his getting a glimpse of me. Besides, for all we know they may be coming through here to meet somebody—the rest of the gang, perhaps, or—”
“That’s right,” interrupted Bud hastily. “Let’s go. Sooner we’re off this here trail the better.”
Without further delay they rode on down the slope, paused for a moment or two at the spring in the hollow to water the horses, and then pushed on again. Passing the entrance to the gulch, Jessup glanced that way curiously.
“Mebbe they’re on their way to dispose of yore corpse, Buck,” he chuckled.