“Well! you shouldn’t have such a temptin’ outfit,” and Tony chuckled. He had stopped at a distance, however, for Chet had loosened the six-shooter in his belt and the man respected the hint. “What do you want to borrow, Tony?” asked Chet quietly. “Why, I tell ye frank an’ open, boys,” he said, “we want meat an’ we want it bad. If you shoot one o’ them buffalo you’ll give us some, won’t ye?” “All you want,” replied Chet shortly. “We had to leave most of the other carcass to the wolves.” “Well, that’s han’some of ye,” agreed Tony. “I don’t suppose ye have more than ye want right now, have ye?” he added sheepishly. “Ter tell ye the truth—” “Which must be hard telling for you, Tony!” broke in Dig. “Ter tell ye the truth,” went on the big man, without noticing Dig’s remark, “we ain’t got a smitch o’ meat left.” “Say! we’ve given him enough,” growled Dig, looking at Chet. “We don’t need both these brace of birds,” said Chet, who was skinning the grouse. “Let’s not be piggish.” “Piggish! by the last hoptoad that was chased out of Ireland!” gasped his chum. “Are you going to support these lazy thieves all the rest of the way to Grub Stake?” Tony came nearer and put a hand beside his mouth, as he whispered: “Mebbe we ain’t goin’ right away to Grub Stake. You want to watch us close’t if ye expect to keep in our company.” “What do you mean, Tony?” demanded Chet, as he tossed the man a pair of the plump birds. But the fellow would say no more. He only looked sly and grinned in his silly way. When he wanted to be obstinate, as Dig said, Tony Traddles was the equal of any mule. CHAPTER XXVII—DIG’S GREAT IDEA “What do you reckon that nuisance meant?” demanded Digby Fordham the minute Tony Traddles was out of hearing. “He was hinting at something. Whether he meant to help us, or confuse us, I do not know,” confessed Chet. “He said they were not going to Grub Stake.” “Not at once.” “Well! where the dickens are they going, then?” demanded the disgusted Dig. “I don’t know. Unless the story of that Steve’s having lost the deeds is true, and he means to try to slip us and go back to the place where he thinks he dropped them.” “He’ll have a hot time slipping us,” the other boy said boastfully. “I don’t know. He evidently knows this country better than we do.” “That’s easy, for we don’t know it at all!” exclaimed Dig. “Well, there may be a chance for them to fool us in these rocky hills. Maybe this proposal for a buffalo hunt is just for that purpose.” “Not if they need meat so badly as they seem to,” remarked the other boy, with more thoughtfulness than he usually displayed. “I see!” exclaimed Chet quickly. “You think they’ll wait to provision themselves before they take the back trail?” “Yes.” “I’d just like to know,” Chet murmured.