"You're apt to be up against it here and if there should be anything doing I want to be on hand."
"I've got two good men already. The three of us can handle anything that pops here, old man. Besides it's absolutely necessary that I send a man to Carruthers immediately."
"What for?" asked Hurley again, belligerently.
"He'll give you your orders." Steele put out his hand suddenly, gripping Hurley's hard. "Good luck, Eddie. The best of luck!"
"But …" demurred Hurley.
Steele laughed his big, happy laugh, swept up his roll of blankets, pitched his grey hat to Hurley, snatched his friend's inconspicuous black one and went out, crying over his shoulder, "You can ask your questions of Carruthers."
The young moon went its serene, silvery way and was hanging somewhere over the distant expanse of the Pacific; the sky filled with brightening stars which palely lighted the mountain tops and left thick shadows in the canons; Boom Town had long ago grown noisy, and had danced and drunk and gone to sleep. Steele, sitting with his back to a rock, his pipe bowl guarded by his cupped hand, heard Turk's snoring at last joined by Bill Rice's. He had almost begun to believe that he had overestimated Joe Embry's implacability or his nerve, when his taut senses informed him of the near presence of others than himself and companions. Above the rushing sound of the river water through the great flume between him and the Goblet he had
