'll
scatter out and surround that lonesome, harmless motte and watch it till
daylight. You bet they won't go projecting round it any till daylight,
either!" He looked up at the sky. "There's the morning star. See it?
'They have ridden the low moon out of the sky'--only there isn't any
moon--'their hoofs drum up the dawn.' Then they'll find our tracks--and
if I only could see the captain's face! 'Oh, my threshings, and the corn
of my floor!'... And by then we'll be in Mexico and asleep.... When
Griffith finds that gun--oh, he'll never show his head in Arcadia
again!... Say, Charley, I hope none of 'em get hurt when they strike
your skip-rope."

"Huh! It's sandy! A heap you cared about me getting hurt when you
dragged me from my horse!" said Gibson, rather snappishly. "You did hurt
me, too. You nearly broke my neck and you cut my arms. And I got full of
mesquite thorns when I set that gun. You don't care! I'm only the man
that came to save your neck. That's the thanks I get! But the men that
are trying to hang you--that's different! You'd better go back. They
might get hurt. You'll be sorry sometime for the way you've treated me.
There--it's too late now!"

A shot rang behind them. There was a brief silence. Then came a sharp
fusillade, followed by scattering shots, dwindling to longer intervals.

Jeff clung to his saddle-horn.

"I guess they ain't hurt much," he laughed. "Wish I could see 'em when
they find out! Slow down, kid. We've got lots of time now."

"We haven't," protested Charley. "Keep moving. It's hard on the horses,
but they'll have a lifetime to rest in. They've telegraphed all over the
country. You want to cross the river before daylight. It would be too
bad for you to be caught now! Is there any ford, do you know?"

"Not this time of year. River's up."

"Cross in a boat then?"

"Guess we'd better. That horse of yours is pretty well used up. Don't
believe he could swim it."

"Oh, I'm not going over. I'll get up to El Paso. I've got friends
there."

"You'll get caught."

"No, I won't. I'm not going across, I tell you, and that's all there is
to it! I guess I'll have something to say about things. I'm going to see
you safely over, and that's the last you'll ever see of Charley Gibson."

"Oh, well!" Jeff reflected a little. "If you're sure you won't come
along, I'd rather swim. My horse is strong yet. You see, it takes time
to find a boat, and a boat means a house and dogs; and I'll need my
hor