tion!"

The laughter went out of Jolly Roger's voice.

"I believe you, Cassidy. You've played square--always. And now--if I
free your hands--will you swear to give me a two hours' start before you
leave this cabin?"

"I'll give you the start," said Cassidy.

His lean face was growing indistinct in the gloom.

Jolly Roger came up behind him. There was the slash of a knife. Then he
picked up his shoulder-pack. At the door he paused.

"Look at your watch when I'm gone, Cassidy, and be sure you make it a
full two hours."

"I'll make it two hours and five minutes," said Cassidy. "Hittin' north
are you, Jolly Roger?"

"I'm hittin'--bushward," replied the outlaw. "I'm going where it's
plenty thick and hard to travel, Cassidy. Goodby--"

He was gone. He hit straight north, making noise as he went, but once in
the timber he swung southward, and plunged through the creek with Peter
under his arm. Not until they had traveled a good half mile over the
plain did Jolly Roger speak. Then he said, speaking directly at Peter,

"Cassidy thinks I'll sure hit for the North country again, Pied-Bot.
But we're foolin' him. I've sort of planned on something like this
happening, and right now we're hittin' for the tail-end of Cragg's Ridge
where there's a mess of rock that the devil himself can hardly get into.
We've got to do it, boy. We can't leave the girl--just now. We can't
leave--her--"

Jolly Roger's voice choked. Then he paused for a moment, and bent over
to put his hand on Peter.

"If it hadn't been for you, Peter--Cassidy would have got me--sure. And
I'm wondering, Peter--I'm wondering--why did God forget to give a dog
speech?"

Peter whined in answer, and through the darkness of the night they went
on together.

CHAPTER VI

A frosty mist dulled the light of the stars, but this cleared away as
Jolly Roger and Peter crossed the plain between the creek and Cragg's
Ridge.

They did not hurry, for McKay had faith in Cassidy's word. He knew the
red-headed man-hunter would not break his promise--he would wait the
full two hours in Indian Tom's cabin, and another five minutes
after that. In Jolly Roger, as the minutes passed, exultation at
his achievement died away, and there filled him again the old
loneliness--the loneliness which called out against the fate which had
made of Cassidy an enemy instead of a friend. And yet--what an enemy!

He reached down, and touched Peter's bushy head with his hand.

"Why did