Bart's" face when he should discover the flight of his intended victims.
But there was no time to lose; every moment gained, added to their chance
of safety.

"Are those horses tied there by the blacksmith's shop?" he asked,
pointing.

The negro stared in the direction indicated, confused by the shadows
thrown by the dim lights.

"I reck'n dey am, Massa Jack; I done make out fo'."

"Then two of them must belong to us; come on, boy."

He ran forward, crouching behind every chance cover, and keeping well back
behind the line of shacks. A slight depression in the prairie helped
conceal their movements, and neither spoke until they were crouching
together beside the wall of the shop. Then Neb, teeth chattering, managed
to blurt forth:

"Fo' de Lawd's sake, yer don't actually mean ter steal dem hosses?"

Keith glanced about at the other's dim, black shadow.

"Sure not; just borrow 'em."

"But dat's a hangin' job in dis yere country, Massa Jack."

"Sure it is if they catch us. But we'd be strung up anyway, and we can't
be hung twice. Besides there is a chance for us with the ponies, and none