“Some one is coming,” said the scout, drawing Black John’s attention to the horseman. “Who is he?”
Black John looked at the man.
“That’s Toby Sam,” he said; “one of my men.”
“Why Toby Sam?” said the scout.
“Just the name we call him by, that’s all; I dunno what his real name is.”
Toby Sam was the rascal who had been under the tree at Gordon’s and had fled when spoken to by Buffalo Bill. He was one of the mustangers! It was a fact so suspicious that the scout decided to watch the mustang catchers a while longer, and to find out more about Toby Sam.
When Toby Sam arrived, and discovered that Buffalo Bill and his friends were there, he showed much confusion, but tried to cover it up.
Old Nick Nomad rode up to him.
“Stranger,” he said bluntly, “I’m glad ter know ye, but I has seen yer before, when you was ridin’ at sech a lickety-clip toward this valley, from the direction of Gordon’s cabin, over on ther stage trail. Thet war this mornin’.”
“You’re mistaken,” said Toby Sam. “I wasn’t over there this mornin’.”