“Yes.”
“An’ they hevn’t tried ter come across?”
“Oh, yes, they’ve tried three times; but I’m pretty well barricaded here, and they’re afraid of my bullets.”
“Blazes ter blazes an’ kerry one!” breathed Banks.
“How’s this fer a layout?” muttered Hendricks. “An’ all done by one man.”
“Buffalo Bill,” added Banks. “No use tryin’ ter pull off a deal when he butts inter it. We was lame, Hendricks, in agreein’ ter help Bascomb an’ Bernritter when we knowed the king of scouts was agin’ us.”
“But Bascomb said that hevin’ possession o’ the girl would knock the scout galley-west, an’ that he couldn’t do a thing.”
“Waal, what’s he done?” queried Banks satirically. “Here’s us, an’ where’s Bascomb, an’ Bernritter, an’ Giles? We’re down an’ out, the hull kit an’ caboodle o’ us.”
“Nary, Banks,” said Hendricks. “We’ve saved our own bacon onless the scout goes back on his word. How is it, Buffalo Bill?”
“I’ll keep my promise to you,” answered the scout, “but I don’t want to turn you adrift until the sheriff comes.”