d lie. We're a heap better off jest doin' our own trailin'
same as we been doin. That bunch come by here; the tracks show that. If
they went on, the tracks'll show where they headed fur. 'N' my idee is
that they'll take their time from now on. They don't know we're trailin'
'em up. I'll bet they never throwed back any scout t' watch the back
trail, In' they're in Navvy country now--whar they're purty tol'ble safe
if they stand in with the Injuns. 'N' I'm tellin' yuh right now, Luck,
I wisht I could say as much fer us!" Applehead lifted his hat and rubbed
his palm over his bald pate that was covered thickly with beads of
perspiration, as if his head were a stone jar filled with cold water.
"If we have to sep'rate, Luck, you take a fool's advice and keep yore
dang eyes open. The boys, they think I been stringin' 'em along. Mebby
you think so too, but I kin tell ye right now 't we gotta keep our dang
eyes in our haids!"

"I'm taking your word for it, Applehead," Luck told him, lowering his
voice a little because they were nearing the others. "Besides, I've
heard a lot about these tricky boys with the Dutch-cut on their hair.
I'm keeping it all in mind don't worry. But I sure am going to overhaul
Ramon, if we have to follow him to salt water."

"Well, now, I ain't never turned back on a trail yit, fer want uh nerve
to foller it," Applehead stated offendedly. "When I was shurf--"

The enlivened jumble of voices, each proclaiming the owner's hopes or
desires or disbelief to ears that were not listening, quite submerged
Applehead's remarks upon the subject of his wellknown prowess when he
was "shurf." The Happy Family were sprawled in unwonted luxury on the
shady side of an outcropping of rock from under which a little spring
seeped and made a small oasis in the general barrenness. They had shade,
they Had water and food, and through the thin aromatic smoke of their
cigarettes they could watch their horses cropping avidly the green grass
that meant so much to them. The knowledge that an hour later they would
be traveling again in the blazing heat of midday but emphasized their
present comfort. They were enjoying every minute to its full sixty
seconds. Laughter came easily and the hardships of the trail were pushed
into the background of their minds.

They were not particularly anxious over the success or failure of
Luck's trip to the hogans. They were on Ramon's trail (or so they firmly
believed) and sooner or later they wo