Had any one drifted along a minute later he would have been torn between duty and discretion: duty to provide a sane guardian in himself for that part of the Government treasury strayed to the wilds of these western mountains, and discretion in facing the two capable-looking highwaymen who sat crossed-legged on the trail with guns on the ground close to their hands. "Um-m-m," murmured Tex, who knew of the size of the joint account. "Schatz is lucky if he ’s got carfare—th’ capital of th’ Peters-McAllister-Schatz combine is spread reckless under our gloatin’ eyes; all except th’ few miserable bills that Dave spent. Come on, you greedy hog—we ’ll let Schatz have his two-bits an’ be glad to get rid of him. I ’d hate to shoot any man as fat as him—no tellin’ what ’d happen. Stick yore roll where it won’t jar loose, load that right-hand gun, an’ see that nobody holds you up." "I ’ve allus been plumb a-scared o’ hold-ups," grinned Hopalong, facetiously. "We all was. Lead costs money, an’ there ain’t no use wastin’ it." The grin disappeared and a hard look focussed in his clear eyes as he thought of what a lovely time any hold-up squad would have when Buck’s money was at stake. They mounted and rode away down the pass. As they came to the first bend, Tex glanced back and saw Big Gray peacefully cropping the scanty vegetation along the trail by the ravine. He was without bridle or saddle and Tex glanced covertly at the happy man at his side who could put five bullets in a falling enemy without a pang, and immediately after release a limping horse so that it could live and grow strong, to roam free among the mountains.