"Maybe some o'the boys got him," Chuck said, hopefully.
"No such luck."
The match went out, and Loudon scratched another, intending to light a lamp.
"Put out that light!" came in a hoarse whisper from the back door. "Somebody's a-comin'."
Loudon crushed the match between his fingers and hurried to the back door. Laguerre and Chuck crowded against him.
"Listen!" commanded Johnny Ramsay.
"Sounds like two horses," said Loudon.
"Comin' the way we come," growled Loudon.
The hoof-beats, at first a mere ripple of distant sound, grew louder rapidly.
"If they're comin' here, they'll come in the ranch house, shore," said Loudon. "They're only two, so they must be a couple o' the 88. We'll take 'em alive. Telescope, you an' Chuck take this door, an' Johnny an' I'll take the front. If they come yore way bend yore guns over their heads. Don't shoot till yuh know who they are for shore. It's just possible they may be friends."