Then Slone slipped off the saddle and knelt to scrutinize the horse tracks.

A little sand had blown into the depressions, and some of it was wet and some of it was dry.

He took his time about examining it, and he even tried gently blowing other sand into the tracks, to compare that with what was already there.

Finally he stood up and addressed Nagger.
"Reckon we won't have to argue with Abe an' Bill this mornin'," he said, with satisfaction.

"Wildfire made that track yesterday, before sun-up." Thereupon Slone remounted and put Nagger to a trot.