Matt went down to the foot of the hill to turn around. When they had toiled up the bank to a level stretch, he let the roadster out, and they went through Frog Tanks like a red streak.
Jem, who had driven the car, and the other man who had left Phœnix with him, were sitting on the steps of the tienda. They made no move to stop the car, but watched moodily as it passed them.
Matt could not see Clip's face, but he knew his chum must have been thunderstruck. Matt himself had begun to take all these surprises as a matter of course.
"You thought I was running away from you, I reckon?" said Bascomb.
Matt nodded.
"Well," went on Bascomb, "I didn't have time to explain. I was afraid the roadster would get away before I could reach the tienda."
"Did you have any trouble getting it?" Matt asked.
There was a bitter undernote in the laugh Bascomb flung back.
"Why should I have any trouble?" he returned. "Those two men are not in the gang, but they're friendly toward Dangerfield. When I told them it was Dangerfield's business that was taking me to Phœnix, they were willing I should have the machine. Who's your friend, Matt?"
"My name's Tom Clipperton," said Clip, answering for himself.