he man made a more extraordinary remark:

"You'll excuse us for a few minutes, my young friend; I've some words to
say in private to Hank."

"Certainly," replied Jack, turning on his heel and walking beyond
earshot. He gave the men no further attention, for he did not suspect
the new-comer had anything to impart of interest to him. The boy felt
more like resenting this interference with the momentous business he and
the guide had on hand.

But Jack was mistaken. Hardly was he a hundred feet from the couple when
Hazletine asked:

"What's up, Bill?"

"One of them young tenderfeet is missing, eh?"

"How did you find that out?"

"I reached the camp of Bok-kar-oo last night within a half-hour after
you'd gone; he and two other bucks are out on a hunt, which they haven't
any business to be, but that's nothing to us. Bok-kar-oo told me what
you had told him; it's queer business, isn't it?"

"I should say it was. That Motoza has had a hand in it, and I've set out
to find him and settle the account."

"Why are you so sure about Motoza?"

"'Cause I _know_ him!" said Hank, savagely; "and I've knowed him fur a
good many years; there isn't a worse Injin in Wyoming."

Instead of commenting on this remark, Tozer stood silent a moment, and
then made a flirt with his head as a request for Hank to step aside with
him. The cowman obeyed, and they seated themselves still further from
Jack Dudley.

"What makes you so afeard he'll hear us?" asked Hazletine, impatiently,
noting the suspicious glances which the man cast in the direction of the
youth.

"For the reason that I don't want him to hear us; I've something to say
about him and his friend."

"His father owns half of Bowman's ranch."

Bill Tozer started with an angry exclamation.

"Is that so?" he asked in amazement. "I thought it was the other
fellow's father."

"How should you know anything about it anyway?" demanded Hazletine, who
made no attempt to conceal his dislike of the man. "I'd like to know
where you picked up so much knowledge 'bout these two younkers."

"There's no need of getting huffy about it, Hank; it seemed to me that I
was to be on your heels for the last few days, for I stopped at the
ranch and had a talk with the fellows only a short time after you left
with the tenderfeet for this hunt. I understood Kansas Jim to say that
it was the father of the Greenwood boy that owned half the ranch."

"If Jim told you that, which I don't believe he done