Page:J Allan Dunn--The Girl of Ghost Mountain.djvu/226

208 like he often spoke of doin'. Even if they knowed he was dead an' buried there wouldn't be any rash to subscribe for a wreath. Or even for a doublecross, which u'd be the right decoration."

"Fine, Red. I'll want the boys to keep on being mum. I'm going to give them all a slice of the melon if we cut it."

"They'll do it, 'thout the melon. The on'y one who's any ways dissatisfied is young Jim Lund. He got teased some about Pedro clippin' him over the head the night they came for Quong. Boys kidded him about not gittin' his gun into action. He's on'y a kid himself and he thinks he's got to git Pedro 'fore he can hold up his head an' tell 'em to go to hell about it. Sabe? He's got a tip that Pedro's in Pioche an' he's bin pesterin' me for a day off. It's comin' to him all right, but I figger that he'll use it to go to Pioche an' roundin' up Spigotty Town till he finds Pedro. Then ther'll be shootin,' an' no matter who gits hurt, there'll be talk an' mebbe an arrest. Newspaper stuff. They're gittin' mighty fussy about shootin' in Pioche these days. An' the newspaper likes to git somethin' on Metzal an' play it up. Better you talk to Jim. I'll send him in to you."

"All right. Red. Thanks. Anything you want me to bring back from Pioche? Doughnuts?"

Red grinned.

"I'd like some of Thora's. You aimin' to call up the mountain soon?"

"Day after I get back. I'll ask for their mail and bring back some magazines. Candy for you?"