"I thought so," he exclaimed. "Even in the little I saw of them
this evening I thought there was something in the wind. I guess
that accounts for the whole thing. What do you say, skipper?"

The big man nodded.

"I should think so," he admitted, with a look of relief. "I think
it's a mare's nest, Coburn. I don't believe we need worry."

"I'm not so sure," Coburn answered slowly. "I don't think we need
worry about Merriman, but I'm hanged if I know what to think about
Hilliard. He's pretty observant, and there's not much about this
place that he hasn't seen at one time or another."

"All the better for us, isn't it?" Bulla queried.

"So far as it goes, yes," the manager agreed, "and I've stuffed him
with yarns about costs and about giving up the props and going in
for paving blocks and so on which I think he swallowed. But why
should he want to know what we are doing? What possible interest
can the place have for him - unless he suspects?"

"They haven't done anything suspicious themselves?"

"Not that I have seen."

"Never caught them trying to pump any of the men?"

"Never."