They ate their supper with cowboys beside a little campfire, and shortly after that started homeward, accompanied by Mr. Bindloss and two of the men. Two-gun Pete was one of the party.
All were pleased to learn, on their arrival at the ranch, that Hippy had been sitting up and was coming along. Pop Skinner too, Elfreda said, was out of danger. Even the ranch-house had improved under the repairs that had been made that day.
Sam Conifer they found pacing about restlessly. He was full of eager questions about Jim, and seemed disturbed when they told him that his partner probably had found a trail and was following it.
On the following morning, with no tidings of the old guide, Sam asked permission to go in search of Jim. Permission was readily granted, and Sam was soon galloping away.
Conifer did not return until the late afternoon of the next day. He was riding hard when the Overlanders discovered him, and reeled in his saddle as he rode up to the ranch-house.
“Somethin’s happened to Jim!” he cried. “I found whar it happened, and then I lost the trail. They’ve got him! They’ve got him, folks!”
“Sam! Sam! You have been hurt!” cried Nora. There was blood on Sam Conifer’s face, and the left arm hung limp at his side. Before they could assist him, Sam essayed to dismount and pitched to the ground in a dead faint.
CHAPTER XV
CLEWS THAT WERE LOADED
It was found that a bullet had hit the fleshy part of the old guide’s left arm, and that there was considerable laceration. First aid was administered and the patient restored to consciousness.
“Quite a hospital we have here, Mr. Bindloss,” observed J. Elfreda after she had done all she could for Sam.