“Think there’ll be any trouble?” Rex whispered, stepping close to Bob.
“I guess not. There’s usually a good bit of bluff to these fellows. That sled is probably loaded with booze and they’re probably trying to get away from some deputy,” Bob replied in a low whisper.
“How about making a run for it?” Rex whispered.
“No use. They’d catch us in no time. Some of these breeds are like a streak of lightning,” Bob replied. “Leave it to me and I guess it’ll be all right.”
In another minute the big leader came back to them.
“Not particularly.” Bob again shrugged his shoulders as though it did not much matter.
He was, however, much more concerned than his manner showed. He saw, by the looks of the man’s face, that he meant business, and he was racking his brains to think of some way out. He had no doubt but that they had guns, although none were in sight, and he was just as certain that they would not hesitate to use them provided they thought the occasion demanded it.
“Why do you want us to go with you?” he temporized.
“Yes, we will—not,” Bob snapped, exasperated by the man’s insolent manner.
“I tink mebby you change mind, oui,” the man sneered, as he, with a move so quick that the eye could hardly follow it, pulled from an inner pocket an ugly looking revolver.
Bob’s heart sank, as he had been relying on the fact that they all three had revolvers as a last resort. But now it was too late, as he knew the man would shoot if they made the least movement toward drawing them.
“Well, I guess that does put a slightly different light on the proposition,” and he turned to the others with a look which told them that it was useless to resist.
“See here,” he began, addressing the big breed. “If it’s money you want——”
“You got money, eh,” the breed interrupted, and instantly Rex realized that he had made a bad blunder. “We get der money after while. You come now,” he ordered, motioning to one of his companions to start the dogs.
“We’ll have to take our medicine,” Bob whispered. “Don’t do anything to make them mad. It won’t do any good and most of these fellows have ungovernable tempers.”
But at that moment, just as the driver swung his long lash over the backs of the dogs and gave the order “mush,” a startling interruption came.