The other looked at him both in anger and perplexity. "Suppose you'd object to tellin' what that one thing is," he said savagely. "Well, it may be that I feel sorry for you," said Rathburn as if to himself. "An' it may be that I want credit for bringing you in without the help of any posse an' without them knowing it!" CHAPTER VI THE REAL LOW-DOWN They rode on in silence. When they reached the north end of the ridge the man in the lead turned west on a slope studded with large boulders and rock outcroppings. There was considerable shale here, too, and they had to proceed cautiously in spots, both for fear of sliding down the shale and to prevent making much noise. "If they follow us up here, we can hear 'em before they get to us," said the man who called himself Percy, with a shrug and a frowning look at his companion. Rathburn did not reply. They continued across the slope and descended into a large bowl or pocket, guarded by huge boulders and scattering trees on the slope above. "Guess it's safe to rest our horses here," said Percy. "We can hear 'em coming either way; but I don't think they'll get up here." However, neither he nor Rathburn knew how many men Brown had at his command, nor did they know that the sheriff of the county, with two deputies, had raced to Dry Lake by automobile, procured horses, and hastened to join Brown on the east trail, which seemed the most likely route of escape for the outlaw. There was a spring in the pocket surrounded by a small meadow of good grass. The pair watered their horses, loosened their saddle-cinches, and permitted the animals to graze with reins dangling. Rathburn took his slicker pack from the rear of his saddle and spread it open on the ground. "Reckon it's safe to build a small fire here?" he asked cheerfully. "I'm powerful hungry, an' I've got some emergency provisions--being trail-broke." Percy, too, was hungry, as his eager look toward the pack testified. "I'll climb up to the top on the lower side an' keep an eye out while you fix some grub," he volunteered. "You needn't be scared of me jumping over the other side. There's a drop of about five hundred feet over there." "Go ahead and jump if you want," said Rathburn. "Me--I'd rather live. That's why I want to eat." While the other climbed to his lookout position Rathburn made a fire. Then he took a small frying pan and coffeepot, minus its handle, from the pack, removed the packages stuffed in them, and soon was making coffee, frying bacon, and warming up beans. This, with some hard biscuits and some sirup out of a bottle, constituted their meal, which Rathburn soon had ready. Again he looked closely at Percy's face as the latter scrambled down from his perch to appease his hunger. Suddenly he burst out laughing; but it was a belittling laugh, half sneering, which brought the blood to the face of the captive while Rathburn watched him closely.