he can. It's his job. And he's honest. We've got to say that of
Cassidy."

The Ridge loomed up at the edge of the level plain, and for a few
moments Jolly Roger paused, while he looked off through the
eastward gloom. A mile in that direction, beyond the cleft that
ran like a great furrow through the Ridge, was Jed Hawkins' cabin,
still and dark under the faint glow of the stars. And in that
cabin was Nada. He felt that she was sitting at her little window,
looking out into the night, thinking of him--and a great desire
gripped at his heart, tugging him in its direction. But he turned
toward the west.

"We can't let her know what has happened, boy," he said, feeling
the urge of caution. "For a little while we must let her think we
have left the country. If Cassidy sees her, and talks with her,
something in those blue-flower eyes of hers might give us away if
she knew we were hiding up among the rocks of the Stew-Kettle. But
I'm hopin' God A'mighty won't let her see Cassidy. And I'm
thinking He won't, Pied-Bot, because I've a pretty good hunch He
wants us to settle with Jed Hawkins before we go."

It was a habit of his years of aloneness, this talking to a
creature that could make no answer. But even in the darkness he
sensed the understanding of Peter.

Rocks grew thicker and heavier under their feet, and they went
more slowly, and occasionally stumbled in the gloom. But, after a
fashion, they knew their way even in darkness. More than once
Peter had wondered why his master had so carefully explored this