“I was bettin’ on ye frum the fust jump. Whenever I hear a feller hollerin’ and pawin’ round, tearin’ up the ground like a mad bull, wantin’ to fight, I allus knows thet thar’s more wind in him than courage; and so I knowed you’d do him up. And I’m congratulatin’ ye on it.”
Molloy lifted himself on his elbow and shot a malignant glance at the old trapper.
“Is it your cut in?” he snapped. “Shut yer head, and keep it shut, or I’ll feed bullets into yer mouth.”
“I’m thet hungry I could eat anything,” said the old trapper, “even bullets.”
The answer brought a laugh from the outlaws, and seemed to lessen the tension.
Pool Clayton had dropped down near the old trapper, but he did not now look at him. But soon he heard the trapper say, and knew that the words were intended for him, even though they might be overheard by the other outlaws:
“My old pard, Buffler Bill, has been sighted in this section of kentry, yer friends has told me, and the boss has gone out ter investigate reports about him; and he says if Buffler is caught, then you’ll have the fun of shootin’ both him and me. I’m cal’lating that there will be things doin’ some when they catches Buffler! He ain’t sich a fool as me.”
CHAPTER VIII.
CLOSING IN.
Snaky Pete had in his band some of the finest trailers of the West, some being men who had made their mark as scouts in earlier and better days.
These men had “gone wrong” at last, and were now outlaws; but they had not lost their skill in scouting and trailing; and on them Snaky Pete relied for information concerning Buffalo Bill, if the latter was really in the country.