at stood dull-eyed, its head bent, pink foam roping
from its muzzle as it breathed in heavy gasps.

"I said--get!" Drew advanced, and Hilders gave ground again, towing the
trembling horse.

"Now, we don't want no trouble," Cambridge said hurriedly. "It woulda
bin a fair trade.... Sonny, heah, ain't got place in the company
anyhow----"

"Get!" Drew's weapon raised a fraction of an inch. Cambridge's protest
thickened into a mumble and he went. When both men had disappeared, Drew
turned to Boyd.

"Put that away--" he flicked a finger at the other's Colt--"and mount
up. We'll have to push to get back to the troop."

He watched the other lead the bay away from the stream side. Kirby was
right, the horse was in better condition than most of the others in the
company, and sooner or later someone might again try to rank Boyd out of
it. There were a good many in that hunted column who would see that in
the same light as Hilders and Cambridge did and would say so, with the
weight of public opinion to back them. Campbell had set their course for
Calhoun--and in that town Boyd and the raiders must definitely part
company.

6

_Horse Trade_

"What's this heah Calhoun like?" Kirby watched Drew loosen the saddle
blanket, lifting it from the gelding as gently as he could.

"Not much--" Drew was beginning, then he sucked in his breath and stood
staring at the nasty sight he had just uncovered. He slung the blanket
to the ground as Boyd came up, leading the bay. It was the younger boy
who spoke first.

"You ain't goin' to try to ride him now, Drew!" That protest came
spontaneously. Drew thought that Shawnee's end had put the last bit of
steel over his feelings, but he had to agree with Boyd now: no one with
any humanity could make the gelding carry so much as a blanket over that
back, let alone saddle and rider.

"Here!" Roughly, his face flushed, Boyd jerked on the reins of his own
mount, bringing the bay sidling toward Drew. "You can take Bruce...."

He stooped, reaching for Drew's saddlebags. "You have to ride scout.
I'll walk this one a while. Maybe he can carry me later. I ride light."

Drew shook his head. "Not that light," he commented dryly. "No, I guess
this is where I do some tradin'--"

"House-smoke yonder ..." Kirby pointed. They could see the thin trail of
smoke rising steadily this windless morning. "Best make it fast--the
cap'n is already thinkin' about pointin' up an' headin' out."

Drew loosen