‘Anything eatin’ you?’

‘No—’

‘You ain’t figurin’—’

‘No, I won’t tell Frost-face, or any of the fellows—’

Cal chuckled: ‘It ain’t that. Slim and me sort of forgot ourselves. Bein’ married a long time, it works that way. Can’t be you’re honin’ to perforate the Border like Slim?’

‘Wouldn’t I slow you up?’

‘We thought of that, but concluded we could do with a balancer—’

‘I think it would be fine—’

‘It’ll be a blow to Frost-face, if we do break out. Speak Mexican?’

‘I’ve been studying it lately a little. I had some Latin which helps—’