frightened man around, thundered, "Keep quiet an' get `em some grub."

When rifles and ammunition had been secured they mounted and
followed him at a hard gallop along the back trail. No words were
spoken, for none were necessary. All knew that they would not return
until they had found the man for whom they were looking, even if the
chase led to Canada. They did not ask Buck for any of the particulars,
for the foreman was not in the humor to talk, and all, save Hopalong,
whose curiosity was always on edge, recognized only two facts and
cared for nothing else: Johnny had been ambushed and they were going
to get the one who was responsible.

They did not even conjecture as to who it might be, because the trail
would lead them to the man himself, and it mattered nothing who
or what he was- there was only one course to take with an assassin.
So they said nothing, but rode on with squared jaws and set lips, the
seven ponies breast to breast in a close arc.

Soon they came to an arroyo which they took at a leap. As they
approached it they saw signs in the dust which told them that a body
had lain there huddled up; and there were brown spots on the baked
alkali. The trail they followed was now single, Buck having ridden
along the bank of the arroyo when hunting for Johnny, for whom he had
orders. This trail was very irregular, as if the horse had wandered at
will. Suddenly they came upon five tracks, all pointing one way, and
four of these turned abruptly and disappeared in the northwest. Half a
mile beyond the point of separation was a chaparral, which was an
important factor to them.

Each man knew just what had taken place as if he had been an