Reaching the main valley, Johnny rode at a lope, and when he believed himself to be well past the quicksands, he entered the river, following it close to the bank. Leaving the water at the main trail, he dismounted, removed the saddle and bridle and, slapping the horse on its rump, sent it homeward. Picking up the saddle and seeing that the stirrups did not drag, he stepped only on rock as he went up the mountain, where he stopped at the base of a great pine. When he came down again to go to his own horse he had left behind him everything belonging to Squint, the saddle in the brush, and the weapons and gloves well-wrapped in the slicker and buried in a sand drift. Some time later, in Gunsight, Two-Spot heard a rider and, waiting a few minutes, slipped into the horse shed, where he spoke softly to Pepper before running his hand over her. "Huh! What made Dave say he went to Juniper?" he muttered. "She's warm, but not much; her back is near dry. Juniper?" he scoffed. "Thirty mile there, an' thirty mile back, since noon? He was _some_ place; but I'll bet my jewels he ain't been to Juniper. There's deviltry afoot--but I ain't talkin', little hoss." CHAPTER VI INFORMATION WANTED Two-Spot rested on the broom. "Wonder what happened to Nelson?" he queried. "Ain't seen since you went on th' prod yesterday." Dave held up the glass he was polishing and looked at it. "What you mean, on th' prod?" "When you chased me, at noon." Dave picked up another glass, breathed on it and rubbed it vigorously. "He stuck his head in th' door an' said he was goin' to Juniper. Ain't he got back yet?" "Don't know," grunted Two-Spot, going to work again. "Ain't his hoss back?" "Don't know." He listened. "Mebby this is him, now, comin' up th' trail." He looked out and shook his head. "Nope, it's only that d--d pill-roller from the flats. What's _he_ comin' here for? He's got more liquor in his shack than we've got. I don't like no man that swizzles it secret. As I was sayin', it ain't every--why, hello, Doc! What brings you up here so early in th' mornin'?" "My horse," grunted the Doc, passing him without a glance. "Hello, Dave! How are things?" "Smoother'n h--l, as th' old lady said when she slipped on th' ice. What'll yours be?" "Cigar apiece," said the Doc; "for you an' me," he amended. Two-Spot turned back and resumed his sweeping.