The men seemed satisfied with the plan and broke up into parties of two. Eddie Shorter paired off with Billy Byrne. “Spread out,” said the latter to his companions. “Eddie an' I'll ride straight ahead--the rest of you can fan out a few miles on either side of us. S'long an' good luck,” and he started off toward the hills, Eddie Shorter at his side. Back at the ranch the Mexican vaqueros lounged about, grumbling. With no foreman there was nothing to do except talk about their troubles. They had not been paid since the looting of the bank at Cuivaca, for Mr. Harding had been unable to get any silver from elsewhere until a few days since. He now had assurances that it was on the way to him; but whether or not it would reach El Orobo was a question. “Why should we stay here when we are not paid?” asked one of them. “Yes, why?” chorused several others. “There is nothing to do here,” said another. “We will go to Cuivaca. I, for one, am tired of working for the gringos.” This met with the unqualified approval of all, and a few moments later the men had saddled their ponies and were galloping away in the direction of sun-baked Cuivaca. They sang now, and were happy, for they were as little boys playing hooky from school--not bad men; but rather irresponsible children. Once in Cuivaca they swooped down upon the drinking-place, where, with what little money a few of them had left they proceeded to get drunk. Later in the day an old, dried-up Indian entered. He was hot and dusty from a long ride. “Hey, Jose!” cried one of the vaqueros from El Orobo Rancho; “you old rascal, what are you doing here?” Jose looked around upon them. He knew them all--they represented the Mexican contingent of the riders of El Orobo. Jose wondered what they were all doing here in Cuivaca at one time. Even upon a pay day it never had been the rule of El Orobo to allow more than four men at a time to come to town. “Oh, Jose come to buy coffee and tobacco,” he replied. He looked about searchingly. “Where are the others?” he asked, “--the gringos?” “They have ridden after Esteban,” explained one of the vaqueros. “He has run off with Senorita Harding.” Jose raised his eyebrows as though this was all news. “And Senor Grayson has gone with them?” he asked. “He was very fond of the senorita.” “Senor Grayson has run away,” went on the other speaker. “The other gringos wished to hang him, for it is said he has bribed Esteban to do this thing.” Again Jose raised his eyebrows. “Impossible!” he ejaculated. “And who then guards the ranch?” he asked presently. “Senor Harding, two Mexican house servants, and a Chinaman,” and the vaquero laughed. “I must be going,” Jose announced after a moment. “It is a long ride for an old man from my poor home to Cuivaca, and back again.”