rral together with hay. He unsaddled Sunfish and turned
him there, himself returning to the bank before those other night-riders
had more than reached the first straggling suburbs of the town.

On the porch of the court-house, behind a jutting corner pillar that
seemed especially designed for the concealment of a man in Bud's
situation, he rolled cigarette which he meant to smoke later on when the
way was clear, and waited for the horsemen to appear.

Presently they came, rode to a point opposite the court-house and bank
with no more than a careless glance that way, and halted in front of an
uninviting hotel across the street. Two remained on their horses while
the third pounded on the door and shook it by the knob and finally
raised the landlord from his sleep. There was a conference which Bud
witnessed with much interest. A lamp had been lighted in the bare
office, and against the yellow glow Bud distinctly saw the landlord nod
his head twice--which plainly betokened some sort of understanding.

He was glad that he had not stopped at the hotel. He felt much more
comfortable on the court-house porch. "Mother's guardian angels must be
riding 'point' to-night," he mused.

The horsemen rode back to a livery stable which Bud had observed but had
not entered. There they also sought for news of him, it would appear.
You will recall, however, that Bud had ridden slowly into the business
district of Crater, and his passing had been unmarked except by the
barking of dogs that spent their nights in yammering at every sound
and so were never taken seriously. The three horsemen were plainly
nonplussed and conferred together in low tones before they rode on. It
was evident that they meant to find Bud if they could. What they meant
to do with him Bud did not attempt to conjecture. He did not intend to
be found.

After a while the horsemen rode back to the hotel, got the landlord out
with less difficulty than before and had another talk with him.

"He stole a horse from Dave Truman," Bud heard one of the three say
distinctly. "That there running horse Dave had."

The landlord tucked in his shirt and exclaimed at the news, and Bud
heard him mention the sheriff. But nothing came of that evidently. They
talked further and reined their horses to ride back whence they came.

"He likely's give us the slip outside of town, some place," one man
concluded. "We'll ride back and see. If he shows up, he'll likely want
to eat... And send