“Hardly,” replied Juarez. “That’s a long steep climb up there. They will have to go slow if any of ’em are hurt.”
The boys waited a few minutes with eyes intent upon the trail. Then they saw a man on horseback ride into view, then another and another, until seven had gone round the shoulder of the mountain.
“That isn’t all,” said Jim, “there’s three missing.”
“Maybe that Gus Gols is knocked out,” said Juarez.
“It begins to look like it,” said Jim.
“There they come,” cried Juarez. “He is hurt some, for it takes two of his men to hold him on his horse.”
“They are not likely to bother us now then,” said Jim, “but all the same I am going to see if we cannot find a safe way around.”
“All right, Jim,” agreed Juarez. “I will go back to camp and look after things.”
So they separated. Towards evening Jim came riding into camp, with Caliente showing the effects of a hard climb. Jim dismounted rather wearily.
“Well, what luck?” inquired the boys.