"He's paying us for our time."
"What if he is, pard? The old boy won't find any fault if we take this little run down the river. There's a point, too, that you don't seem to have thought of."
"What is it?"
"Why, Grattan has quit trailing Tsan Ti and gone to trailing you. By taking this trip down the river we may be able to throw Grattan off the track."
"That's so," answered Matt, struck with the idea.
"If the tinhorn is laying any more of his plans," chuckled the cowboy, "we'll fool him."
"I'll leave word with the clerk," said Matt, "to tell Tsan Ti where we've gone, and when we'll return; then, if he does happen to get here before we do, he'll know we're intending to come back and meet him."
"That's the talk!"
Matt immediately went into the hotel and stepped to the clerk's desk.
"Are you acquainted with Mr. Pardo?" he asked.