“You hold the gun on him while I take a look,” Bob ordered.
Somewhat to his surprise Nip offered no objection to being searched. On the contrary, he appeared to welcome it.
“Didn’t I tell yer I didn’t have no deed?” he grinned, after Bob had gone through all his pockets without finding the paper.
“I guess you told the truth for once in your life,” Bob said as he stepped back. “But, just the same, I’ll bet you know where it is all right.”
“Mebby I do and mebby I don’t,” the man grinned. “But if I do it’s where yer can’t never find it.”
At that moment a lucky thought struck Jack. “I say Bob,” he cried, “how about his pack? He must have one somewhere around here.”
Bob’s heart jumped as he saw the look of anger which swept the man’s face as Jack made the suggestion. He no longer doubted but that he had the deed stowed away in his pack.
“You hold him and I’ll have a look,” he said, starting toward the clump of bushes where he had been hiding.
After a short search he found a fair sized pack rolled in a heavy blanket strapped at either end. He carried it out to where Jack had the man cowering under the threat of the revolver.
“Now then, Nip, it’ll expedite matters a bit if you’ll find the deed and hand it over,” he said as he threw the pack down at the man’s feet.