Being out of hearing of the argument, the squad on the prairie seemed to be growing restless. One of them called out to Tucker as though soliciting an order to charge on us: "_Cap, don't you want us up there to settle that matter? Ef you do, jes' say the word!_" Tucker hesitated before answering and looked about our camp as though calculating the chances. The notion--if he entertained it--was quickly dispelled by Tom, who growled out: "You give 'em the order to advance an' it'll be the last one you'll ever give. We've got the deadwood on you two fellers an' we'll give a good account of them others, too, ef they attempt to come on." Tucker acknowledged the situation by shouting to his men in the offing: "_No! No! Stay where you are!_" Then, turning to Tom, he continued: "Now, pardner, I've got one more last proposition to make you, to save you trouble, an' that is this: We'll take them mules over to our camp an'----" "That'll do," interrupted Tom. "I've heard enough of that. You'll never take them mules to your camp, or anywhere else, while I'm alive. You know that neither you nor this other feller has any more right to them mules than I have to the horses you're ridin'. I don't want to hear any more of your nonsense. The best thing you two can do is to git away from here. If I see one of you in range of our rifles again he's liable to git a hole in his hide. Five minutes to get out of range! Now, git!" Tucker turned his horse and, calling, "Come on, Bill," they started to join their waiting comrades. After a few steps the captain turned in his saddle and, with a threatening nod to Tom, said: "I'll see you later." "Ef you do it won't be good for you," retorted Tom. Tucker and Sawyer joined the others, and without further demonstration they moved off sullenly back along the road toward the store and soon disappeared in the timber. [Illustration: "Five minutes to get out of range! Now, git!"] "They ain't done with us yet," said Tom musingly. "'Tain't likely that they'll make an open attack on us while we're in this camp because they can't well get the drop on us here. The most natural thing would be fer 'em to slip past us to-night, or go 'round an' get ahead of us, an' lay for us in the timber at the crossing of some creek on the road ahead. I think that one of you men might as well slip over into the timber yonder, near the store, an' by keeping out of sight an' watchin' them you may be able to guess what they're going to do. They'll be certain to stop awhile at the store an' fire up on the ol' man's whiskey, an' then's the time they'll be apt to be careless about talking their plans over, an' after they've settled on what they intend to do they'll go on to camp to get their suppers. After they go on to camp, ef you'd slip into the store an' have a talk with the old man maybe he could tell you what they're up to."