Then, after he had been lying there for some thirty minutes the soft sound of hoofs striking the ground reached his eager ears.
"He's coming," he thought.
Nearer and nearer came the hoof beats and soon it was plain that the rider was urging his horse at a fast pace. The sound was coming from the direction of the hills and for a time Jack was afraid that he was in the line and was about to crawl to one side when the rider evidently changed his course a bit to the right and he kept his place. Almost at the same time a flash of light came from Los as a signal to the unknown rider. The man must have seen it at once for he again changed his course and once more the boy was in line. Quickly he crawled to one side and had covered but a few feet when the horse dashed past.
"Pretty close shave that," he thought as he again stretched out at full length.
"Your late, Gramp," he heard Los say a moment later.
"Couldn't help it," was the answer which Jack barely caught.
Then they lowered their voices to such an extent that he was unable to catch a word. So he crept softly, careful to make no sound, until he could see their forms. He was now not more than twenty feet away and he dared not go nearer. But, to his great disappointment, they were talking hardly above a whisper and he could only catch a word now and then, not enough to get the drift of the conversation. He heard Los mention the name of Royce but in what connection he could not tell.
It was maddening to be so near and yet he told himself, he might just as well be a thousand miles away for all he was learning. So intent was he in trying to hear them that he failed to note that a rift in the clouds was rapidly widening and, to his consternation, the full moon suddenly burst through, throwing a flood of light over the prairie. It seemed to the fear-stricken boy almost as light as day. He could see the two men so plainly that he could easily distinguish their features and he saw that Los was talking with a large black bearded man who was well past middle age.
What was he to do? He asked himself the question several times. Should he keep perfectly still where he was and trust to luck that they would not see him or should he try to creep away? Neither plan seemed to promise much hope of escaping detection. Carefully turning his head he saw Bob and the two horses and was amazed that they loomed up so plainly. He fancied that Bob was beckoning to him but was not sure.
"Then yer understand?"