now: After we started back here we sighted a dust comin' 'way up
north. We went over, and 'twas Hargis, the Major's buckaroo, throwin'
in a bunch from the round-up. He didn't know nothin' and was not right
sure of that--till I mentioned your reward. Soon as ever I mentioned
twenty-five hundred, he loosened up right smart."

"Well? Did he know where Foy was?"

"No; but he knew of the place where I judge Foy is, this very yet.
Gosh!" said Nueces River in deep disgust, "it beats hell what men will
do for a little dirty money! Seems there's a cave near the top of the
least of them two buttes--the roughest one--a cave with two mouths,
one right on the big top. Nobody much knows where it is, only the V H
outfit."

Pringle had edged across the room. He now plucked at Bell Applegate's
sleeve.

"Say, is that right about that reward--twenty-five hundred?" he
whispered. His eyes glistened.

"Forty-five," said Bell behind his hand. "The Masons, they put up a
thousand, and Dick's old uncle--that would have let Dick starve or
work--he tacked on a thousand more. Dead or alive!" He looked down
at Pringle's face, at Pringle's working fingers, opening and shutting
avariciously; he sneered. "Don't you wish you may get it? S-sh! Hear
what the old man's saying."

During the whispered colloquy the old ranger had kept on: