ke it into his head to ride up here this morning,"
remarked Jessup, glancing apprehensively across the desert wastes toward
the south. "That would spill the beans for fair."

The very possibility made them urge the horses to an even greater speed,
and neither of them really breathed freely until they had gained the
little sheltered depression in the cliffs, from which the trail led over
the shoulder of the mountain.

"I reckon we're safe enough now," commented Stratton, drawing rein. "I
didn't see a sign of anybody as we came along."

Halting for ten minutes to rest the horses, they started up the trail in
single file, Bud going first. For a greater part of the distance the
rocky spurs shielded them from any save a very limited field of
observation. But at the summit there was an almost level stretch of twenty
feet or more from which an extended view could be had, not only of a wide
sweep of desert country, but of a section of the northern end of middle
pasture as well. Reaching this point, Buck glanced back searchingly. An
instant later he was out of the saddle and crouching against the rocky
wall.

"Lead Pete around the corner," he urged Jessup sharply. "Get out of sight
as quick as you can."

Bud obeyed without question, and Stratton hastily took out his
field-glasses and focused them on the three figures he had glimpsed riding
along the northern extremity of the Shoe-Bar pasture. He recognized them
instantly, pausing only long enough to make out that they did not seem to
be in haste, and that so far as he could tell they were not looking in the
direction of the trail. Then he thrust the glasses back into the case, and
slipping around the buttress rejoined his companion.

"Lynch, with McCabe and Kreeger," he explained curtly, gathering up the
reins and swinging himself into the saddle.

"Did they see yuh?"

"I don't think so. They seemed to be taking things easy, and weren't
looking this way at all. I wonder what they're up to?"

"Couldn't we stick around here for a while and watch them?" Bud asked
eagerly.

Buck hesitated an instant. "I guess we'd better not take a chance," he
replied at length. "Such a whale of a lot depends on his not knowing that
I'm alive and kicking; I'd hate like the devil to spoil everything now by
his getting a glimpse of me. Besides, for all we know they may be coming
through here to meet somebody--the rest of the gang, perhaps, or--"

"That's right," interrupted Bud hastily. "