So why concern himself over their senseless patter?
It occurred to him, just before he went to sleep, that the unmistakable, southern drawl of Tex was missing from the jumble of voices.

Tex, he remembered, had been unusually silent at supper, also, and twice Johnny had caught Tex watching him somberly.

But he could think of no possible reason why Tex should want him to go down to Sinkhole Camp, and he could not see how either of them could effect the change even if Johnny had cared to go.

Sudden Selmer did not ask his men what was their desire.
Sudden gave orders; his men could obey or they could quit.

And if Pete left, as Tex had hinted, Sudden would send some one down there, and that would be an end of it.