"His hide is his own and he can do what he wants with it," said Lee.
"I warned him before."

"Shut up," murmured Bill, "Here's Jim now, and Hal Purvis with him!"

Through the door strode a great figure before whom the throng at the
bar gave way as water rolls back from the tall prow of a ship. In his
wake went a little man with a face dried and withered by the sun and
small bright eyes which moved continually from side to side. Lee and
Bill discovered their thirst at the same time and made towards the
newcomers.

They had no difficulty in reaching them. The large man stood with his
back to the bar, his elbows spread out on it, so that there was a
little space left on either side of him. No one cared to press too
close to this sombre-faced giant. Purvis stood before him and Bill and
Lee were instantly at his side. The two leaned on the bar, facing him,
yet the four did not seem to make a group set apart from the rest.

"Well?" asked Lee.

"I'll tell you what it is when we're on the road," said Jim Silent.
"Plenty of time, Haines."

"Who'll start first?" asked Bill.

"You can, Kilduff," said the other. "Go straight north, and go slow.
Then Haines will follow you. Purvis next. I come last because I got
here last. There ain't any hurry--What's this here?"