Let's take our own side.'
Out we got; and we hadn't ran a quarter of a mile before we heard a
tramping of horses coming along by the stream. We stopped to
listen, for we knew if they had the dog with them, and if he was on
our side of the river, we were as good as dead.
'If they take the trail, Seth,' Rube said, 'it's all up with us.
Don't let's run any more. We are men enough to shoot the four first
who come up, and I only hope one of them may be El Zeres; that'll
leave us a pistol each, and we will keep them for ourselves. Better
do that, by a long way, than be pulled to pieces with hot pincers.'
'A long way, Rube,' I said. 'That's agreed, then. When I give the
word, put the barrel against your eye and fire; that's a pretty
safe shot.'
As the Mexicans got to the place where we had got out, we stopped
and held our breath. There was no pause--on they went; another
minute, and we felt certain they had passed the spot.
'Saved, by thunder!' Rube said; and we turned and went off at a
steady trot that we could keep up for hours. 'How long shall we
get, do you think, Seth?'
'That all depends how long they follow down stream. They can't tell
how far we are ahead. I should think they will go two miles down;
then they will cross the stream and come back; and if they don't
happen to be on the right side of the stream as they pass where we
got out, they will go up another two or three miles, and near as
much down, before they strike the trail.
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