“Hey, you fellows, bring horses for Sam and me and then we’ll ride over to the corral and inspect the fences.”
“Then you don’t care about getting that spook?” inquired Deadshot. “Last night, you remember, Sam, you was all for chasing the lifters, notwithstanding the fact you didn’t have the slightest idea in which direction they had ridden, and letting the cattle go. Now, when you have the biggest sort of a chance to run down the cuss, you are all for patrolling the corral.
“If I was running this business, and a man had driven off a bunch of my steers, and then set the buildings, belonging to the man I was getting to join the trail with me, afire, and I saw the man who turned the tricks a-watching what I was going to do, I’d want to pump his good-for-nothing carcass so full of lead it wouldn’t stay on his horse. That would make sure of at least one of ’em—and I’m inclined to agree with Ki Yi that when we get that one, we’ve got the gang.”
“You’re the great little talker, Deadshot; the only trouble is you talk too much. A person can’t tell when you’re saying things just for the sake of hearing yourself saying them, or whether you’re talking facts,” retorted the owner of the Double Cross.
“It’s my judgment there are more of the devils in amongst the cattle, and for that reason, I’m for inspecting the corral fence. By being on the spot, we’ll be able to get the whole crowd instead of only one—like we would if we set sail after that fiend out yonder.”
“To the corral it is,” exclaimed Hawks. “So let’s get over there and not stand arguing here. First thing we know, they’ll rush out and we’ll lose the whole kit and boodle, as Sam says.”
“Which we’ll do anyhow!” growled Ki Yi to Deadshot.
But the cowboys were too wise to press the argument any harder and, declaring one to another that the blame would not be on their shoulders, they cantered over to the corral.
Bitterly, indeed, were the ranch owners to rue their decision!
“How long do you intend to patrol the fences?” asked Dude, as the eight men drew close to the corral.