"Not without a flying machine," said Long. "No way out that I know of, except where the wagonroad goes. What's he done?"
"Robbery! Murder! We'll see that he don't get out by the wagonroad," asserted the youth confidently. "Watch the gaps and starve him out!"
"Oh, speaking of starving," said Tobe, "go into the tent and I'll bring you some supper while you tell me about it. Baked up another batch of bread on the chance you'd come back."
"Mr. Long. My name is Gurdon Steele. Glad to meet you. Why, if you will be so kind--that is what I came up to see you about. If you can let us have what we need; of course we will pay you for it."
"Of course you won't!" It had not needed the offer to place Mr. Gurdon Steele quite accurately. He was a handsome lad, fresh-complexioned, dressed in the Western manner as practised on the Boardwalk. "You're welcome to what I got, sure; but I ain't got much variety. Gwin, the old liar, said he was coming out the twentieth--and sure enough he didn't; so the grub's running low. Table in the tent--come on!"
"Oh, no, I couldn't, you know! Rex--that's my partner--is quite as hungry as I am, you see; but if you could give me something--anything you have--to take down there? I really couldn't, you know!" The admirable doctrine of _noblesse oblige_ in its delicate application by this politeness, was easier for its practitioner than to put it into words suited to the comprehension of his hearer; he concluded lamely: "I'll take it down there and we will eat it together."
"See here," said Tobe, "I'm as hungry to hear about your outlaw as you are to eat. I'll just throw my bedding and a lot of chuck on your saddle. We'll carry the coffee-pot and frying-pan in our hands--and the sugar-can and things like that. You can tank up and give me the news in small chunks at the same time. Afterward two of us can sleep while one stands guard."
This was done. It was growing dark when they reached the bottom of the hill. The third guardsman had built a fire.
"Rex, this is Mr. Long, who has been kind enough to grubstake us and share our watch with us."
Mr. Steele, you have observed, had accepted Mr. Long without question; but his first impression of Mr. Long had been gained under circumstances highly favorable to the designs of the latter gentleman. Mr. Steele had come upon him unexpectedly, finding him as it were _in medias res_, with all his skillfully arranged scenery to aid the illusion. The case was now otherwise--the thousand-tongued vouching of his background lacked to him; Mr. Long had naught save his own unthinkable audacity to belie his face withal. From the first instant Mr. Rex Griffith was the prey of suspicions--acute, bigoted, churlish, deep, dark, distrustful, damnable, and so on down to zealous. He had a sharp eye; he wore no puttees; and Mr. Long had a vaguely uncomfortable memory, holding over from some previous incarnation, of having seen that long, shrewd face in a courtroom.