“Because you helped me?” asked Wild Bill.
“Nary,” said Hawkins, a faint smile hovering around his lips, “the White Caps hadn’t found that out yit. This was done bekase I tried ter help Perry.”
“Perry?” gasped Nate Dunbar.
“Yes, Perry,” went on Hawkins. “I got ter be muy pronto if I git you fellers headed right. Remember when I left ye, Wild Bill?”
“Yes.”
“Well, the White Caps rode ter the Star-A ranch. I was afeared we might see ye thar, but we didn’t. A trick was played on Perry.”
“Trick?” echoed the scout. “What sort of a trick?”
“Why, Red Steve had Shorty Dobbs take off his white fixin’s an’ ride up ter the ranch house. Shorty asked for Perry. When Perry come out, Shorty told him that Nate Dunbar had been arrested in Hackamore for stealin’ dimings from Isaacs, that Buffler Bill had gone to town, and that Buffler had sent him—Shorty—arter Perry. Perry wasn’t ter tell anybody what had happened ’r whar he was goin’. He sneaked out ter the c’ral, got onter his hoss, an’ started with Shorty. When them two come ter whar the rest of us was waitin’ fer ’em, in the timber, Perry was nabbed. I tried ter help Perry, an’ then’s when Red Steve let me have it. I knowed right off I’d got my whatfer, but I wanted ter make Hackamore an’ tell the facts ter Buffler Bill.”
Hawkins’ strength failed at this point, and the doctor had to give him a stimulant to enable him to rally. Presently he went on.
“They chased me, Red Steve, Shorty, an’ the rest, but the little hoss was too fast fer ’em. I tell ye what, that buckskin kin go! I was afeared, though, that I’d play out afore we reached town, an’ that the hoss would kerry me back ter the Circle-B. But he didn’t. He brung me hyer.”