"None of that!" commanded Kern. "No crooked work, Arizona. I'm giving you a fighting chance for your lives."
Here he tossed a gun and belt to Sinclair. The latter without a word buckled it on.
"Now, quick work, boys," said the sheriff. "It's going to be the second time in my life that prisoners have got away and tied me up. Understand? They ain't going to be no massacre if I can help it. Gents like Sinclair don't come in pairs, and he's going to have a fighting chance. Boys, tie me up fast and throw me in the corner. I'll tell 'em that you slugged me through the bars and got the keys away. You hear?"
As he spoke he threw Arizona a gun and belt, and the latter imitated Sinclair in buckling it on. But the fat man then made for the door of the cell. Outside the rush reached the entrance to the jail and split on it. The voices leaped into a tumult.
"By thunder," demanded Arizona, "are you going to wait for that?"
"You want Kern to get into trouble?" asked Sinclair. "Grab this end and tie his ankles, while I fix his hands."
Frantically they worked together.
"Are you comfortable, sheriff?"
He lay securely trussed in a corner of the passageway.
"Dead easy, boys. Now what's your plan?"