By George,
we must get away from this fire, too!" He set the example, dragging the
bedding with him to the shelter of a big rock. "He could pick us off too
slick here in the light. How're you going to get him? There's a heap of
country in that Basin, all rough and broken, full o' boulders--mighty
good cover."

"Starve him out!" said Griffith. This was base deceit. Deep in his heart
he believed that the quarry sat beside him, well fed and contented. Yet
the unthinkable insolence of it--if this were indeed Bransford--dulled
his belief.

Long laughed as he spread down the bed. "He'll shoot a deer. Maybe, if
he had it all planned out, he may have grub cached in there somewhere.
There's watertanks in the rocks. Say, what are your pardners at the
other side going to do for grub?"

"Oh, they brought out cheese and crackers and stuff," said Gurd.

"I'll tell you what, boys, you've bit off more than you can chaw," said
Jeff--Tobe, that is. "He can't get out without a fight--but, then, you
can't go in there to hunt for him without weakening your guard; and he'd
be under shelter and have all the best of it. He'd shoot you so dead
you'd never know what happened. I don't want none of it! I'd as lief put
on boxing gloves and crawl into a hole after a bear! Look here, now,
this is your show; but I'm a heap older'n you boys. Want to know what I
think?"

"Certainly," said Rex.

"Goin' to talk turkey to me?" An avaricious light came into Long's eyes.

"Of course; you're in on the reward," said Rex diffidently and rather
stiffly. "We are not in this for the money."

"I can use the money--whatever share you want to give me," said Long
dryly; "but if you take my advice my share won't be but a little. I
think you ought to keep under shelter at the mouth of this canyon--one of
you--and let the other one go to Escondido and send for help, quick, and
a lot of it."

"What's the matter with you going?" asked Griffith disingenuously. He
wanted Long to show his hand. It would never do to abandon the siege of
Double Mountain to arrest this _soi-disant_ Long on mere suspicion. On
the other hand, Mr. Rex Griffith had no idea of letting Long escape his
clutches until his identity was established, one way or the other,
beyond all question.

That was why Long declined the offer. His honest gaze shifted. "I ain't
much of a rider," he said evasively. Young Griffith read correctly the
thought which the excuse concealed. Evidently Long considere