gon; or we can pick you up as
we come back. Come on, boys!"

"But your mine?" said Carr. He pointed to a slow dust streak that passed
along the north. "I saw you coming--two bunches. Ain't those fellows
after your mine? 'Cause if they are, they'll sure find it. You've been
riding straight for them little hills out there all alone in the big
middle of the plain."

"Damn the mine!" said Pete. "We've been playing. We've got man's work to
do now. No; there's no use splitting up and sending one or two to the
mine. That mine is a four-man job. So is this; and a better one. We're
all needed here. To hell with the mine! Come on!"

* * * * *

They found Bobby, far along in the afternoon, in the sandhills. His lips
were cracked and bleeding; his tongue was beginning to blacken and swell;
his eyes were swollen nearly shut from alkali dust, and there was an ugly
gash in the hair's edge above his left ear; he was caked with blood and
mire, and he clung to the saddle horn with both hands--but he drove six
horses before him.

They gave him, a little at a time, the heated water from their canteens.
A few small drinks cheered him up amazingly. After a big soapweed was
touched off for a signal fire, he was able to tell his story.

"Naw, I ain't hurt none to speak of; but I'm some tired. I hit a high
lope and catched up with them in the aidge of the sandhills," he said.
"I got 'em all unhobbled but old Heck; and then that ornery Nig horse
kicked me in the head--damn him! Knocked me out quite a spell. Sun was
middlin' high when I come to--horses gone, and the cussed pony trailed
along after them. It was an hour or two before I caught sight of 'em
again. I was spitting cotton a heap. Dad always told me to carry water
with me, and I sure was wishing I'd minded him. Well, I went 'way round
and headed 'em off--and, dog-gone, they up and run round me. That Zip
horse was the ringleader. Every time, just as I was about to get 'em
turned, he'd make a break and the rest would follow, hellity-larrup! Old
Heck has cut his feet all to pieces with the hobbles--old fool! I headed
'em four or five times--five, I guess--and they kept getting away, and
running farther every time before they stopped and went to grazing. After
a while the pony snagged his bridle in a bush and I got him. Then I
dropped my twine on old Heck and unhobbled him, and come on back. Give me
another drink, Pete."

They rode back very slowly to t