"There's where he is, a twenty-to-one shot! He'll lay quiet, likely, thinkin' we'll miss him. Brush growin' over both the cave mouths, Hargis says, so you might pass right by if you didn't know where to look. These short nights he couldn't never get clear on foot. Thirty mile to the next water--we'd find his tracks and catch him. But he might make a break to get away, at that. Never can tell about a he-man like that. We can't take no chances. We'll pick a bite of supper and then we surround that hill, quiet as mice, and close up on him. He can't see us to shoot if we're fool enough to make any noise. Come daylight, we'll have him cornered, every man behind a bowlder. If he shows up he's our meat; if he don't we'll starve him out." "And suppose he isn't there?" said Creagan. "What would we look like, watching an empty cave two or three days?" "What do we look like now? Give you three guesses," retorted Nueces. "And how'd we look rushin' that empty cave if it didn't happen to be empty? Excuse me! I'd druther get three grand heehaws and a tiger for bein' ridiculous than to have folks tiptoe by a-whisperin': 'How natural he looks!' I been a pretty tough old bird in my day--but goin' up a tunnel after Kitty Foy ain't my idea of foresight." "Some man--some good man, too--will have to stay here and stand guard on the Major and this fresh guy, Pringle," said the sheriff thoughtfully. "He'll get his slice of the money, of course." "You'll find a many glad to take that end of the job; for," said Nueces River, "it is in my wise old noddle some of us are going to be festerin' in Abraham's bosom before we earn that reward money. Leave Applegate--he's in bad shape for climbing anyway; bruise on his belly big as a washpan." "Bronc' bucked me over on the saddle horn," explained Applegate. "Sure, I'll stay. And the Pringle person will be right here when you get back, too." "Let the Major take some supper in to Miss Vorhis," suggested Breslin. "I'll keep an eye on him. He can eat with her and cheer her up a little. This is hard lines for a girl." Lisner shrugged his shoulders. "We have to keep her here till Foy's caught. She might bring a sight of trouble down on us." "Say, what's the matter with me going out and eating a few?" asked Pringle. "You stay here! You talk too much with your mouth," replied the sheriff. "I'll send in a snack for you and Bell. Come on, boys." They filed out to the cook's fire in the walled courtyard. "George, dear," said Pringle when the two were left alone, "is that right about the reward? 'Cause I sure want to get in on it." "Damn likely. You knew where Foy was. You know where he is now. Why didn't you tell us, if you wanted in on the reward?" "Why, George, I didn't know there was any reward. Besides, him and me split up as soon as we got clear of town." "You're a damn liar!"