is, supposing these to be on the road now, what ought we to do,
think you?"

"Neery use thinkin', Cap, since thar's no choice left us. 'Tain't die
dog, or eet the hatchet; and this chile goes for chawin' the steel.
Whativer they be, we're bound to stick to 'em, an' oughter be glad o'
the chance, seein' we haint the shadder o' another. If tuk agin' we'd
be strung up or shot sure. Highwaymen or lowwaymen, they're the only
ones about these diggin's that kin gie us purtekshun, an' I reck'n we
may rely on them for that--so far's they're able."

For a time Kearney was silent, though not thinking over what the Texan
had said, much of which had passed through his mind before. The train
of his reflections was carried further back, to the point where he was
first brought into contact with Rivas, by their legs getting linked
together. Then forward throughout the hours and incidents that came
after, recalling everything that had occurred, in act as in
conversation--mentally reviewing all, in an endeavour to solve the
problem that was puzzling them.

Seeing him so occupied, and with a suspicion of how his thoughts were
working, the Texan forebore further speech, and awaited the result.

"If we've fallen among banditti," Kearney at length said, "it will be
awkward to get away from them. They'll want us to take a hand at their
trade, and that wouldn't be nice."

"Sartinly not, Cap; anything but agreeable to eyther o' us. It goes
agin the grit o' a honest man to think o' belongin' to a band o'
robbers. But forced to jine 'em, that 'ud be different. Besides, the
thing ain't the same in Mexico as 'twud be in Texas and the States.
Hyar 'tisn't looked on as beein' so much o' a disgrace, s'long's they
don't practice cruelty. An' I've heern Mexikins say 'tain't wuss, nor
yet so bad, as the way some our own poltishuns an' lawyers plunder the
people. I guess it be 'bout the same, when one gits used to it."

To this quaint rigmarole of reasoning--not without reason in it,
however,--Kearney only replied with a smile, allowing the Texan to
continue; which he did, saying--

"After all, I don't think they're robbers any more than monks; if they
be, they're wonderfully well-behaved. A perliter set o' fellers or
better kump'ny this chile niver war in durin' the hull coorse of his
experience in Texas, or otherwhars. They ain't like to lead us into
anythin' very bad, in the way o' cruelty or killin'. So I say, let's
freeze to 'em,