Both of them joined the boys, leaving their horses to stand with the
bridles thrown over their heads, cowboy fashion.

Frank meanwhile had picked up some small fuel, and thrown it on the
still smouldering fire. It immediately started up into a blaze that
continued to increase.

They could now see that their visitors were two keen-eyed men. The
evidence of their calling lay in the stars that decorated their left
breasts. Both looked as though they could hold their own against odds.
And of course they were armed as became their dangerous profession.

Bob was especially interested. He had never really had anything to do
with an officer of the law; and surveyed the pair with all the ardor of
boyish curiosity.

To see one sheriff was a treat; but to have two drop down upon them
after this fashion must be an event worth remembering.

"We had the good luck to knock over a young antelope just before dark,"
Frank remarked, after each of the men had insisted in gravely shaking
hands with both himself and Bob. "Perhaps you haven't had any supper,
and wouldn't mind taking pot luck with us?"

"How about that, Hand?" questioned the taller man, turning with a laugh
to the second sheriff.

"Just suits me," came the reply, as the speaker threw himself down on
the hard ground. "Half an hour's rest will do the hosses some good,
too."

"Thank you, boys, we accept, and with pleasure," Mr. Stanwix went on,
turning again toward Frank.

Bob immediately got busy, and started to cut further bits from the
carcase of his small antelope. There would be plenty for even the
healthy appetites of the two officers, and then leave enough for the
boys' breakfast.

"We're in something of a hurry to get on to Flagstaff ourselves, boys,"
the Yavapai sheriff remarked, as he sniffed the cooking venison with
relish; "but the temptation to hold over a bit is too strong. You see,
Hand and myself have just made up our minds to bag our birds this trip,
no matter where it takes us, or how long we're on the job."

"Then you're after some cattle rustlers or bad men, I reckon," Frank
remarked.

"A couple of the worst scoundrels ever known around these diggings,"
replied the officer. "They've been jumping from one county into another,
when pushed; and in the end Hand, here, and myself concluded we'd just
join our forces. We've got a posse to the south, and another working to
the north; but we happened to strike the trail of our birds just before
dusk,