or this," he said
crisply. "The scenes I took the other day made this play possible
for Ramon and his bunch. What you'd better do right now is to swear
Applehead and me in as deputies--and any of the boys that want to come
along and help round up that bunch. We'll do it, if it's to be done at
all. I feel I kind of owe it to that poor simp in there to get the money
back--sabe? And I owe it to myself to bring in Ramon and Bill Holmes,
and whoever else is with 'em on this; young Rojas we know is for one."

"Where do you aim to look for 'em, if you don't mind telling?" Hank
Miller was staring doubtfully down at Luck.

"Where? Miguel here says they went toward Atrisco. That means they're
hitting for the Navajo reservation. There's three hundred miles of
country straight west, and not so much as a telegraph pole! Mighty few
service stations for the machine, too, when you think of it--and rough
country to travel over. If they try to go by automobile, we'll overhaul
them, most likely, before they get far. Also, we can trace 'em easy
enough."

The sheriff pulled at his stubby mustache and looked the bunch over.
"You know that country?" he asked, still doubtfully. "Them Navvies are
plumb snaky, lemme tell yuh. Ain't like the Pueblos--you're taking a
risk when yuh ride into the Navvy country. They'll get yuh if they get
a chancet; run off your horses, head yuh away from water--they're plumb
MEAN!"

"Well, now, I calc'late I know them Navvies putty tol'ble well,"
Applehead cut in. "I've fit 'em comin' and goin'. Why, my shucks! Ef I
notched my gun for the Navvies I've got off an' on in the course uh my
travels, she'd shore look like a saw-blade, now I'm tellin' yuh!"

"Yes, an' yuh got a couple too many fer to go monkeyin' around on their
groun' agin," the sheriff informed him bluntly. "They ain't forgot the
trip you made over there after Jose Martinez. Best fer you to keep off'n
that reservation, Applehead--and I'm speakin' as a friend."

"As a friend you kin shet up," Applehead retorted pettishly. "Ef
Luck hits fer the Navvy country after them skunks, I calc'late ole
Applehead'll be somers close handy by--"

"Hurry up and swear us in," Luck interrupted. "We've got to get to the
ranch and back with an outfit, yet tonight, so we can hit the trail as
soon as possible. No use for you to take the oath, Andy--what you better
do is to stay at the ranch with the women folks."

"Aleck will be there, and Pete and Tommy and the coo