He had faults, as most of us have, but breaking promises, or what he considered as promises, was not among them.
So that afternoon, as Injun and Whitey could not be with the shipment of ore, they did the next best thing.

They rode off into the foothills.
And on a grassy hill that commanded a widespread view of the plains, they looked far off over the prairie.

And winding across it, clear off near the horizon, they saw tiny specks which represented mules and horses, laden with the sacks of precious ore, and its escort of cowpunchers.
That evening it was lonely at the ranch, Bill Jordan and the other men being at the Junction.

String Beans nursed his sore foot, and Ham prepared dinner, which Injun had with Whitey in the ranch house.

Time passed and still the men did not return.