big fellow, very upright--his back was the only straight thing about him. He had red hair, like all the Devers, an' a fiend of a temper, the sort of man to make more foes than friends.'
'We oughta be ready to set out on the word,' Bundy put in. 'How many will you want?'
'We three, with Flint, Rattray, an' another should be sufficient. We'll need plenty of supplies, an' a small tent for my niece.'
'Takin' her?' Bundy asked in surprise. 'It ain't a job for a dame.'
'Nonsense,' the rancher said. 'Just a little trip into the mountains; she'll enjoy it. We shall avoid trouble, an' probably not encounter the other party at all.'
The foreman was not satisfied, but Garstone did not support him, and after the earlier rebuff he was taking no more risks; this thing was too good to miss.
Garstone had not objected because the presence of Miss Trenton fitted in with his plans, already partly formed, but which were now beginning to expand more widely than either of his companions suspected, even Bundy, who was having thoughts of his own.
That same evening, at the Circle Dot, a very similar conversation was taking place. Dan, who had been to Rainbow earlier in the day, broached the subject.
'I had a talk with Maitland an' there ain't any possibility o' the bank givin' us an extension,' he began. 'Told me his people wouldn't hear of it, an' that--as a business man--he agreed with 'em. So that's that.'
'An' there's no other way o' raisin' the wind?' Burke asked. 'On'y one,' the rancher replied. 'We gotta find the Cache.' The foreman's face was anything but optimistic. 'It's one hell of a chance,' he muttered.
'Bill, if yu were in a poker game, with the cards runnin' badly, an' had just one stake left, what would yu do?' Sudden said.
'Bet it, o' course,' was the prompt reply.
'Shore yu would,' the other grinned. 'Well, that's our position. So what?'
'I ain't baulkin', Jim,' the foreman returned. 'I've bin up agin the iron before. Whatever Dan sez, goes, with me.'
'I know that, ol'-timer,' Dover said. 'An' because I do, I'm goin' to ask a favour: I want you to stay here an' look after the ranch; I'll feel easier in my mind with you in charge.'
Burke made a brave effort to conceal his disappointment; he would have dearly loved to make one of the search party, but he recognized that his employer was right--it would be more than unwise for both of them to be absent; the Wagon-wheel might seize the opportunity to try something.
'Very well, Dan,' he agreed. 'Who you takin'?'
'No call for a crowd,' Dan told him. 'I figure that myself, Jim, Tiny, Blister, an' Hunch oughta be plenty.''Hunch?' Bill said in surprise.
'Yeah, he knows the Cloudy district probably better than anybody around here, is a good woodsman, an' can cook an' make camp. We might take Yorky along to help--just as well for him to be outa the way till Bundy's bruises lose some o' their sting.'
'When do you aim to start?'
'Soon as we can arrange things,' Dan replied. 'We'll want some stores, which I'll get in town to- morrow.'
'An, no one must know a word about it, not even the rest o' the outfit,' Sudden supplemented. 'Also, we'll slide out in the middle o' the night.'
The other two looked at him in astonishment. 'What's on yore mind, Jim?' Dan questioned.
'Just this: the possessor o' the second part o' the directions don't know where to begin searchin', but he's on'y gotta trail us to find out.'
'Holy Moses, he's right, Bill,' the rancher cried. 'We're a couple o' sheep-heads. Trenton may have this place picketed, an' be waitin' for us to move.'
'We'll try to keep him waitin',' Burke grinned. 'How long d'you expect to be away?'
'Can't say,' Dan told him. 'If we have any luck--but there's no sense in guessin'.'
'Yorky'll be tickled to death over this trip,' Sudden remarked. 'How'd he get on with his new mount this mornin'?' They had not had their usual jaunt.
'Well, he got on, an' off in quicker time,' the foreman twinkled. 'Shore, it's a good little hoss, no vice in him, just a mite fresh. The boy warn't hurt, 'cept in his feelin's mebbe, an' he comes up smilin'. `That's first t'row to you, partner,' he sez. `Let's roll 'em agin.' He climbs on, an' gits piled, which makes him scratch his head some. But he's game. `Third time lucky,' he grins, an' by cripes, it was; we seen daylight between him an' the saddle pretty offen, but he hung on, an' it was the hoss got tired first. When the fun was over, Slow asked which o' the names Yorky'd called the animile he was goin' to choose. 'I'm namin' him 'Dancer'--he's so damn lively on his toes,' the kid sez.'
Sudden laughed. 'Yorky's all right; he's goin' to bring good luck to the Circle Dot, mark my words. Yu do well to take him with us, Dan.'
In the morning Dover journeyed again to Rainbow, and to the youngster's extreme satisfaction, took Yorky with him. Arrived there, they separated, the rancher to deal with various business matters, and Yorky to do as he pleased. His first visit was to the post office, where he mailed a letter, with many furtive glances around to make sure he was not observed. Then he went to finish his 'shoppin'.' This actually meant displaying himself in all his glory to young Evans, who was now assisting his father in the store. Yorky hung about outside the place until he saw that the boy was alone, and then, hat pulled over his eyes, and regretful that he had not brought his rifle, he swaggered in.
'Got any feed for a Winchester forty-four?' he enquired, making his voice as gruff as he could.
'Yessir,' the youth behind the counter replied, diving into a drawer.
Yorky choked down a chuckle; he was not recognized. Casually he examined the packet of cartridges, tossed down a bill, and received his change. The young salesman noticed that the customer did not appear to be wearing a pistol, and, anxious to do business, ventured to ask solicitously:
'C'd I int'rest you in a second-hand six-shooter, sir?' yorky squirmed with delight--this was better than his dreams. 'Dunno as I care fer other folks' leavin's,' he replied carelessly. 'I'll take a peep at her.'
The gun was reached from a shelf and the customer revolved the cylinder, cocked and pressed the trigger, tried the grin, and hefted the weapon as he had seen cowboys do when examining a new one.
'What yer askin'?'
'Twenty dollars--the price is on the ticket.'--- Yorky was aware of the fact. 'I'd say fifteen's a-plenty,' he said disparagingly.
'I'll see if Dad will take that,' the salesman replied, and disappeared into the rear of the shop.
Yorky looked disconcerted; he had been showing off, and much as he would have liked to possess the weapon, had nointention of buying it. He was seeking a means of backing out without loss of dignity when Dover came in, and brought an inspiration.
'Say, Boss, c'n you let me have an advance?' he asked anxiously. 'I've offered fifteen bucks fer that gun an' I'm shy th' coin.'
Dan picked up the six-shooter. 'She's good an' cheap at the figure,' he said. 'Here's the necessary.'
'Thanks a lot, Boss,' Yorky replied with great relief. 'I didn't want ter eat dirt afore this kid. He don't know me; ain't it a scream?'
The 'kid' returned and, after a very respectful greeting to the owner of the Circle Dot, addressed his other customer: 'I can accept yore offer, sir. Will you be needin' any cartridges?'
'Them I got will do--she's a forty-four, same as my rifle,' Yorky said, and paid over the price. 'Yer needn't to wrap her up, an' yer can't int'rest me no more, neither.'
He thrust the gun under his belt, pushed his hat back, and stood rocking on his heels. Goggle-eyed, the beefy boy on the other side of the counter gawped at him, remembered and suffered. The ragged, sick little tramp he had fought and beaten--as he maintained--had now beaten him, by becoming what he would have given his ears to be--a cowboy. He could strut into the store, and he--Evans--would have to serve and be polite to him; only a lad could plumb the bitterness of this. His job, of which he had been so proud, became as dust and ashes in his mouth. And then, unable to bear those triumphant eyes any longer, he bolted.
'I guess that levels up some with him,' Yorky said. 'I'll be outside.'
'The durn li'l monkey,' Dover muttered. 'Fancy him thinkin' up a game like that.'
