hey'll see where four shod horses came up the road. I'll claim one of
them was a horse I was leading--that'll be that bald-faced roan out in
the corral. We all want to stick to that."

"But he's bigger than any of our horses," objected Pringle. "They'll
know better by the tracks."

"Exactly! So they'll find a fresh-shod track going east--a track
matching the fourth track we left on the road. They'll reason that
we're trying to keep them from following that track. So they'll follow
it up; they'll find Kit's give-out horse and then they'll know they're
right."

"It seems to me," said Pringle reflectively, "that friend Cowan may
have an interesting time if they get him."

The Major permitted himself a grin.

"He yanked the shoes off his horse before he left. Once he mixes his
tracks up with a bunch of wild mares he'll be all right. They may
think, but they can't prove anything. And Foy'll be all right--if only
the posse follows the plain trail."

"It's too much to hope," said Stella. "They'll split up. Some of them
will hunt out the hills anyway--to-morrow, if not to-day."

"That's my idea of it," said Pringle.

"They won't find the cave if they do," said Vorhis hopefully. "If he
can get to the Bar Cross they'll see him through, once they hear his
story. Not telling about that clean-up you and Kit made last night is
a dead give-away."

"Any chance of Foy slipping out afoot?"

"Too far. But he could stand a siege till we could get word to his
friends if, by any chance, the posse should find his cave. He took
my rifle. He can see them coming; he'll have every advantage against
attack; and there's another way out of the cave, up on top of the
hill. There's just one thing against him. There wasn't even a canteen
here. He took some jerky and canned stuff--but only one measly beer
bottle of water. When that's used up it's going to be a dull time for
him. We can't get water to him very handy without leaving some sign.
We mustn't get hostile with the posse. Take it easy--you especially,
Pringle. Stella and me, they know where we stand. But you're a
stranger. Maybe they'll let you go on. If you once get away--bring the
Bar Cross boys and they'll take Foy out of here in broad day."

"Very pretty--but there's four men in Las Uvas that know me--and
three of them are police. Maybe they'll stay in the city though--being
police?"

"No, they won't," said the Major gloomily. "They'll be
along--deputized, of course. Maybe th