“Right!” agreed Dig.
The boys had only enough water in their canteens for breakfast—none for the horses, or for their own ablutions. “We’ll wait till we reach the first water-hole,” Chet advised. “Cinch on the saddles, Dig.”
They had time to eat a good breakfast, however. But Dig grumbled over one thing.
“I’d give a dollar for a hunk of bread!” he declared.
“We’ll appreciate white-flour bread all the more when we get it again,” his chum told him.
Suddenly the boys saw the two men clamber into their saddles. They started back for the edge of the timber. Chet and Dig were ready and quickly fastened their blanket-rolls upon their saddles. They led their mounts to the open plain.
There they saw Steve and Tony cantering away in an easterly direction, taking the back track.
“They’re going back to that camp of theirs where Steve says he lost the deeds, Dig,” Chet declared eagerly. “Come on!”
“I’m with you,” agreed his chum and spurred the black horse after the bay.
They had not gone a mile when the men looked back and saw that they were pursued. The boys did not draw near to them but they showed a dogged intention of keeping on their trail.