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And he felt for his horse-pistol. "No, they were men, or boys," answered Dave. "They ran off the bridge the minute we came in sight." "Huh! I wonder if it's possible them hoss-thieves is around again." "Have you horse-thieves in this territory?" "We sure have. Lost two hosses last spring and two last summer. I'll have to tell the boss about seeing them fellows. But maybe say, hold on, Dave."
Said he wasn't well-known round Pitt, 'cept he could handle a knife some." "What is your opinion?" asked Sheppard, as the teamster paused. "Wal, the valley below Pitt is full of renegades, outlaws an' hoss-thieves. The redskins ain't so bad as they used to be, but these white fellers are wusser'n ever. This guide Jenks might be in with them, that's all. Mebbe I'm wrong. I hope so.
"That's the joke of it," said the farmer, with a laugh. "It don't lead nowhere 'cept inter my wood-lot, an' that's what made me notice ther team so perticularly, 'cause I couldn't make out what they wanted up there. I tell you what it is, boys, you've got your hoss-thieves in a trap, an' you kin pull 'em out whenever you want to." "Are you sure that there isn't any way out of that?
Outstretched upon the stable floor lay Blake, ghastly white dead one hand clutching a gun and the other twisted in his bloody blouse. "Whoever the thieves were, whether your people or rustlers Blake killed some of them!" said Lassiter. "Thieves?" whispered Jane. "I reckon. Hoss-thieves!... Look!" Lassiter waved his hand toward the stalls. The first stall Bells's stall was empty.
I could hear de clappetty, clappetty ob de hosses a good piece behin' me, an' one place whar de road stretched middlin' straight for nigh a half mile along de bluffs I see 'em, as many as five men, a-ridin' like mad an' a-shakin' carbines in de arr. Den I knowed dat dey was eder after John Brown or Challenger; an', hoss-thieves or kidnappers, I knew it would far' jus' about de same wid me.
We'll go on with the hosses, an' then strike across country to find his trail." "It 'pears to me, Lew, that we've taken a long time in makin' a show against these hoss-thieves," said Jonathan. "I ain't sayin' much; but I've felt it," replied Wetzel. "All summer, an' nothin' done. It was more luck than sense that we run into those Injuns with the hosses.
They ought to be hung for it, too!" answered the cowboy, wrathfully. "But what for to cripple our horses?" "Either that, or to cripple us. Dave, we've got to be on our guard. If those hoss-thieves are watching us " "I don't think they were horse-thieves, Todd." "You don't? Then " The cowboy broke off into a low whistle. "Do you mean to say Link Merwell would play such a dirty trick?" "Yes, I do.
"Reckon it did," said Pete Williamson, thrusting his head forward; "there's some kind of an animal hid behind that wagon, an' it don't enjoy bein' led along, for it's kickin' mighty lively shouldn't wonder if 'twas Mansell's own pony." "Hoss-thieves too, then?" inquired Braymer; "then mebbe there'll be two rewards!"
He keeps her handy." "For stingin' lizards, eh?" "For 'most anything. Stingin' lizards, Injuns, or hoss-thieves, or anything that we kin shoot. We ain't takin' no chances on this here trip." Big Jim gestured toward the table and pulled up his chair. Little Jim was too heartily interested in the meal to notice that his father gazed curiously at him from time to time.
"You you " stammered the former teacher, and for the moment knew not what to say. "Don't you call us hoss-thieves!" burst out Sol Blugg, savagely. "I can and I will," replied Dave, firmly. "Your crowd tried to take our horses, and the fellow called Staver got shot doing it. I guess that is why he isn't with you now." "Bah! I won't talk with you," growled Sol Blugg. He knew not what else to say.
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