But because he was Casey Ryan, and Irish, and because he was always on the hunt for trouble without recognizing it when he met it in the trail, it never occurred to him to follow Barney down to safer country.
"That there Joshuay tree meant a lot more'n what it let on, pointin' up this way!" Casey muttered, staring down upon a somnolent wilderness blanketed with hushed midnight.

"If it thinks it's got Casey whipped, it better think agin and think quick.

I'll give it somethin' to point at, 'fore I leave this here butte.
"Funny, the way it kept pointin' up this way.

I've saw Joshuays before--miles of 'em.

But I never seen one that looked so kinda human and so kinda like it was tryin' to talk.