"But I hardly reckon them people would ever think 'bout guardin' thet way out, an' a good rider could make it easy afore daylight, an' catch the train East." "How do you get down ?" "Through a long, twistin' ravine; it's a mean place fer travellin', an' you have ter lead the hoss till yer strike the sand." "Ever cross there yourself ?" "Wal, no," stroking his beard; "but Stutter come back thet way onct, from a hunt or something.

He never said nothin' when he struck in, but yer could 'a' scraped alkali off him with a hoe, an' he drunk a whole bucket o' water without takin' breath.

So I reckon it wa'n't no pleasure jaunt." "Then it's got to be Stutter," decided Winston, rising to his feet, "for we must get word to San Juan.

I 'm going inside to see how Hayes is feeling." "I reckon thet's the ticket," agreed Hicks, gloomily, "but I 'm blamed if I like losin' him.

He 's a fightin' man, thet Stutter, after he onct gits his blood stirred up, an' I 'm sorter expectin' a lively time yere when it gits dark.