couldn't get a peep out of you. I was in favour of leavin' you lay
myself. This yere butte seemed like a first-rate imposing tomb; and I
was willing myself to carve a few choice sentiments on some selected
rock. Sure I can carve! But Jed here allowed that you owed him ten
dollars and maybe had some money in your pocket----"

"Shut up, Windy," I broke in. "Can't you see the young lady----"

Windy whirled all contrition and apologies.

"Don't you mind me, ma'am," he begged. "They call me Windy Bill, and I
reckon that's about right. I don't mean nothing. And we'd have dug all
through this butte before----"

"I know that. It isn't your talk," interrupted Miss Emory, "but the sun
is hot--and--haven't you anything at all to eat?"

"Suffering giraffes!" cried Windy above the chorus of dismay.
"Lunkheads! chumps! Of all the idiot plays ever made in this territory!"
He turned to the dismayed group. "Ain't any one of you boys had sense
enough to bring any grub?"

But nobody had. The old-fashioned Arizona cowboy ate only twice a day.
It would never occur to him to carry a lunch for noon. Still, they might
have considered a rescue party's probable needs.

We mounted and started for the Box Springs ranch. They had at least
known enough to bring extra horses.

"Old Hooper knows the cat is out of the bag now," I suggested as we rode