SER

"You are certainly a great chap for collecting knives," said Jim
admiringly to his brother Jo. "Somebody is always giving you one or
throwing it at you. Remember that Indian friend of yours who crept
up on you that night in Kansas and threw the bowie at you?"

"I'm not likely to forget that souvenir," grinned Jo. "But this fellow
certainly was going to give me the best surprise of all. Was it not
so, Senor Manuello Greasero?" and Jo gave the fellow a contemptuous
stir with his foot and the Mexican responded with an open-mouthed
snarl for all the world like a wild cat when you poke a stick at him.

"It was a dirty, treacherous piece of business," said Jim, his face
growing dark with anger. "I'm going to put this fellow to the
question."

But they made no headway with the prisoner, as he maintained a
stubborn silence about himself and his associates. Finally Jim, tired
and disgusted, rose to his feet and looked down at the Mexican.

"Give me that dagger, Jo," he said. Jo handed over the silver-handled
weapon, while the Mexican watched Jim with eyes of concentrated hate.
He believed his last hour had come.

"Have you got anything to say for yourself?" inquired Jim savagely, as
he felt the edge of the knife with his thumb.

"I want to see a priest," croaked the Mexican in a hoarse voice.

"I can furnish you with a philosopher," said Jim. "Here, Jeems, can
you offer any advice to this cutthroat or consolation either?"

"I haven't any license to talk to the likes of him," said Jeems
gravely. "He wants a guarantee for the next life and I won't give it
to him. But I can tell him one thing, if he don't hang now, he will
later."

When the Mexican saw that his life was going to be spared, he may have
been surprised, but he showed no sign of gratitude. It was now time
for the boys to turn in, but of course the camp was not left without a
guard. The night was divided up into watches. Tom was to watch until
eleven; then Jeems Howell was to have the watch until one; Jim to
three; Juarez to five, and Jo the hour until six.

It was necessary to keep up a moderate fire, for the hours toward
midnight were very cold. Tom kept moving around briskly when the
others had turned into the tent.

The boys did not lay awake a minute, for they were wholesomely tired
and the clear, cold air, touched with the fragrance of the pines,
caused them to sleep sound and hard. The light from the fire shone
into the tent where the boys w