“That you consent to let the sheriff take those irons off my pard’s wrists. In other words, he must be a free man before I hook-up with you.”
“That’s hardly according to Hoyle,” demurred McGowan, visibly worried.
“It’s according to Buffalo Bill. You have my proposition. Take it or leave it.”
“Why, if your pard is left in this jail and brought to trial, you’ll have to work for me in order to prove his innocence, won’t you?”
“I’ll not work for you, McGowan, but I’ll work for him. You’d find that to be vastly different.”
“You’d better do as the scout says, McGowan,” put in Rising. “If he’s going to help you, you’d better let him do it in his own way. Catching a man with the goods on doesn’t always prove him a thief.”
“I don’t know who to suspect,” said McGowan, “if we don’t suspect the Dutchman.”
“I do,” said the scout.
“Who?” demanded McGowan.
“Never mind that. What’s your last word?”