"Fishy—very!" he agreed.
"Of course," Dan continued deprecatingly, as if even to question this were an impertinence on his part, "you'll search that young man's pack?"
The sheriff nodded glumly.
"It's my sworn duty to do jest that."
Dan sauntered away, well content. He went out of the hotel, and stood unobtrusively among the other idlers, watching while Jack and Nell, restored to the best of spirits by the completion of their unpleasant duty, were now laughing and chatting together as they busied themselves about the sled.
Presently appeared the sheriff. He approached the sled, and spoke with a harshness he had not hitherto displayed.
"Young feller, I'll jest take a look through your pack."
Jack and Nell glanced up in amazement at the tone no less than at the words.
"But what—what the devil do you mean?" Jack demanded, wrathfully.
"Never you mind what I mean, young feller," was the offended retort. The sheriff threw back the lapel of the heavy outer coat he wore, and showed a silver shield. "There's my authority," he sternly announced. "I'll jest take a squint through your belongin's."