'Are you awake, Tom?' inquired Mosely.

 

'I should say so,' answered his friend.

 

Bill Mosely raised himself on his elbow and surveyed Ben and Bradley. Their deep, tranquil breathing showed that they were sound asleep.

 

Mosely next glanced at the mustangs which were tethered near-by.

 

'Tom,' said he, 'I wish we had them mustangs. It's a deal easier ridin' than walkin'.'

 

'I should say so.'

 

'When I struck this party last night I meant to have 'em; but this man is such a bloody ruffian that I don't know as it would be safe.'

 

Hadley said nothing. His customary phrase would not apply, and he was a man of few words, besides.

 

'What did he say he would do if a fellow stole his horses, Tom?'

 

'Said he'd die within a week,' answered Had-ley, with unfailing memory.

 

Bill Mosely looked discouraged. He privately thought Bradley was just the man to keep his word, and he did not fancy getting into difficulty with him.

 

'That depends on whether he caught him,' he said, after a while, hopefully.

 

'I should say so, Bill.'

 

'Now,' said Mosely, lowering his voice, 'if we could get away while they are asleep, there wouldn't be much chance of their knowin' where we were.'

 

'That's so, Bill.'

 

'Anyway, if we don't take 'em we may be overtaken by the party that we borrowed some gold-dust from.'

 

Tom Hadley responded in his customary manner.

 

'And that would be mighty bad luck,' continued Mosely, with a shudder.

 

'I should say so, Bill.'

 

In fact, Mosely felt that their situation was not likely to be made worse by a new theft. Only thirty miles away was a party of miners with whom they had worked in company, but without much success, till, emboldened by temptation and opportunity, they had stolen a bag of gold-dust............