Then he stopped and listened.
He heard the three ride up to the other side of the shack and shout to Patsy.

He heard Patsy moving about inside, and after a brief delay open the door.

He heard the constable ask Patsy if he knew anything about Irish, and where he could be found; and he heard Patsy declare that he had enough to do without keeping track of that boneheaded cowpuncher who was good for nothing but to fight and get into schrapes.
After that he heard Patsy ask the constable if they had had any breakfast before leaving town.

He heard certain saddle-sounds which told of their dismounting in response to the tacit invitation.

And then, pulling his hat firmly down upon his head, Irish led his horse quietly down into a hollow behind the shack, and so out of sight and hearing of those three who sought him.
He did not believe that he was wanted for anything very serious; they meant to arrest him, probably, for laying out those two gamblers with a chair and a bottle of whisky respectively.