e?"

Yeager shrugged. "It will happen in the usual Mexican way--killed by
accident while trying to escape, or else ambushed by Federals on the
desert while coming home, according to the story that will be dished up
to the papers. He will be full of regrets and apologies to our
Government, but that won't help Threewit or Frank any."

"Don't you think he's bluffing? Pasquale hasn't a thing against either
of them. He surely wouldn't murder them in cold blood."

"I don't know whether he is or not. But it's up to me to sit in and take
cards. They went down to Noche Buena on my account. I'm going down on
theirs."

Lennox stared incredulously at him. "You don't mean you're going to give
yourself up. Pasquale would hang up your hide to dry."

"That's just what he would do, after he had boiled me in oil or given me
some other pleasant diversion. No, I reckon I'll not give myself up.
I'll join his army again."

"I give it up, Steve. Tell me the answer."

"As a private this time."

"Fat chance you'll have, with Friend Harrison there to spot you, not to
mention the old boy himself and Culvera."

"It won't be Steve Yeager that joins. It will be a poor peon from the
hills named Pedro or Juan or Pablo."

"You're going to rig up as a Mexican?"

"Some guesser, Lennox."

"You can't put it over, not with your face looking like a pounded
beefsteak. I judge you don't know what an Exhibit A you are at present.
The first time Chad looked at you, he would recognize the result of his
uppercuts and swings."

"So he would. I'll have to wait a week or so. Send Juan back to Pasquale
and tell him you hear I'm in the Lone Star country where I used to
punch. Say you've sent for me with an offer to take Harrison's place in
the company, and that if I come you'll arrange with him to have me taken
by his men while we're doing a set near the line. He'll fall for that
because he'll be so keen to get me that any chance will look good to
him. You'll have to give Juan a tip not to let it out I'm here."

"What can you do if you get into Pasquale's camp as one of his men?"

"I don't know. Something will turn up."

"You're taking a big chance, Steve."

"Not because I want to. But I've got to do what I can for the boys. This
ain't just the time for a 'watchful waiting' policy, seems to me. If
you've got anything better to offer, I'm agreeable to listen."

"The only thing I can think of is to appeal to Uncle Sam."

"That won't get us much. B