r! We're gettin' close,
and it ain't so far to the Cache now. It wouldn't do 'em no good to get
there with us right behind. They might make a stand and take a chance."

"Or bushwhack us," the deputy suggested. "Us ridin' along single file in
some bad place and them shootin' from cover--hell! we'd be down and
kickin' before we could draw a gun."

"That's so," Rennie replied thoughtfully. "We'd better go careful. Well,
I s'pose we better try to bury these dead folks while we're here."

"The Injun, anyway," said Bush. "Give him the best of it."

They did the best they could, and built above with stones. Then they
went back and took up the pursuit, holding on till darkness hid the
trail. By daylight they were away, and even earlier than before they
came upon the deserted camp.

And now the old trail began to ascend. It led into a country wild and
rugged, the jagged vertebrae of a mountain range seamed and scarred with
gulch and canon. It was very bad for horses and very hard work for
everybody. But signs showed that they were very near their quarry.

"We're darn near on top of 'em," said Rennie, and thereafter he rode
with gun in hand.

But it was late in the afternoon when they got their first glimpse of
the fugitives, who were rounding a bare shoulder ahead and above them.
Two were riding and one was leading his horse. They themselves were not
seen for a growth of brush at that point of the trail intervened. They
looked to Bush for instructions.

"There ain't much sun left and they'll be goin' into camp soon," the
deputy said. "We'll leave the horses here with one man, and the rest of
us go ahead. While they're makin' camp we'll stand 'em up. What say,
Dave?"

"Who stays with the horses?"

"Turkey," Bush decided. "He's the youngest."

"I'm damned if I do," Turkey rebelled. "Stay yourself. You're the
oldest."

Bush grinned. "Can't, sonny, though I'd love to." He drew a dilapidated
pack of cards from his pocket and spread them fanwise. "Draw one. Low
stays. Deuce is low."

Drury drew low, cursed his luck. McClintock on one knee lacing a
shoepack grinned at him.

"I wisht you'd sponge off my cayuse's back, Joe. He's gettin' sore.
While you're about it, with nothin' else to do, you might go over the
whole lot."

Drury's retort put his first outburst in the shade. Laughter stirred him
to fresh efforts.

"Now, boys!" said Bush.

He took the lead, Rennie behind him, then Angus.

Angus was glad to be out