he same as myself, but we could get others at the ranch, and no
doubt meet with plenty more enjoyable adventures, but not as you are. I
shall be very willing to start home with you to-morrow morning. What do
you think of it, Hank?"

"I'm blamed sorry this bus'ness has to wind up as it does, but there's
no help fur it, and we'll leave fur the ranch after breakfast."

"Will you keep your appointment with Tozer?"

"I've been thinking of that; yes, I'll meet him."

There was a peculiar intonation in these words that caused both boys to
look into that bearded face, but they could not be sure of his meaning.

It was Fred who spoke:

"Hank, there is one matter as to which I cannot feel certain; I want
your opinion of it."

"Wal, I'm listening."

"After Motoza forced me into the cavern at the side of the canyon he
went off and has not returned yet, unless he did so after I left. Now,
why didn't he go back?"

"Why should he go back? He felt sartin there was no way fur you to git
out, and if I'd been told that your only chance was to climb the wall
I'd 'greed with him, though you struck the spot where I done it myself."

"He must have known I hadn't a mouthful of food?"

"He couldn't help knowing it."

"The question in my mind is this: what he said to me, as well as what
you have told, proves that he understood the whole scheme of my being
ransomed. Tozer must have known where I was; he knew that to bring the
ransom business to a head would require several days, even with the use
of the telegraph; they expected me to stay in the cavern all the time.
How long would they have left me there without bringing me anything to
eat?"

"They'd never brought you anything."

"Then when the time came to surrender me to my friends I should have
been dead."

The cowman nodded his head.

"There ain't no doubt of that."

"And they couldn't have carried out their part of the agreement."

"Which the same they knowed."

"But it seems unreasonable. It would have placed both in peril, from
which I cannot see how it was possible for them to escape. If they gave
me up after receiving the money they would be safe against punishment.
Why, then, should they place themselves in such great danger when they
had nothing to gain and all to lose by doing so? That is what I can't
understand, and I am sure my brain has become clearer."

It was the same view of the question that had puzzled Jack Dudley, and
the two boys listened with inter