"Whar's Buck Bellew?"
The red-headed one gazed about him. From the shadows stepped
Peggy's "romantic brigand."
"Buck, you put a couple of half hitches about them kids."
"The gal, too?" hesitated the silver-spurred one addressed as
"Buck."
"Sure. Didn't I tell yer to."
"Wa-al, I won't. That's flat. I ain't never persecuted women folks an' I ain't goin' ter start now."
Red Bill Summers paused and then grumbled out:
"All right, then. She kin ride the greaser's horse. Juan, you yellow-skinned bronco, go git ther ponies."
Juan flitted off and presently reappeared, leading half a dozen wiry little ponies. In the meantime the remainder of the band had gathered about Roy and Peggy, regarding them with frank curiosity. Except that their weapons were taken away from them no harm was offered them however, and Roy had not, so far, even been tied up.
"This isn't a bit like the story-book hold-ups", thought Peggy. "If it wasn't for their rough clothes and fierce looks these men wouldn't be so very different from anyone else."