They tramped on in the blackness that was relieved only by their swaying lanterns. They walked beside the strange, underground stream, and they had progressed farther than along the other branching body of water when Old Billee, who was ahead just then, suddenly halted and uttered a warning.
"Listen!"
"What is it?" asked Yellin' Kid, in his usual tones, but Billee reached back and gave him such a dig in the ribs that Kid subsided with a grunt.
"I hear talkin'!" whispered Billee. "Voices! There's some one else in this place than us! Listen!"
They stopped and strained their sense of hearing. And then, above the slithering murmur of the water, they all distinctly heard a voice say:
"I think we've fixed 'em this time! They won't steal any more water from Pocut River!"
The boy ranchers looked at each other.
"Del Pinzo!" whispered Nort.
"As sure as Zip Foster ever ate ham and eggs!" agreed Bud.
"Hush!" begged Old Billee.