They were very
brave by this time. A small boy was telling them he had seen the
fugitive about dinner-time "right where you fellers are standin' now."
"Did he have any blood on him?" demanded Anderson Crow.
"No, sir; not 'less it was under his clothes."
"Did he say anythin' to you?"
"He ast me where this path went to."
"See that, gentlemen!" cried Anderson. "I knew I was right. He wanted--"
"Well, where did he go?" demanded Harry Squires.
"I said it went to the top of the clift. An' then he said, 'How do you
git to the river?' I tole him to go down this side path here an' 'round
the bottom of the hill."
"Didn't he go up the cliff?" demanded the marshal.
"No, sir."
"Well, what in thunder did he ask me where the cliff was if he--"
"So he went to the river, eh?" interrupted Squires. "Come on, men; he
went down through this brush and bottomland."
"He got lost, I guess," volunteered the boy.
"What!"
"'Cause he yelled at me after he'd gone in a-ways an' ast--an' ast--"
The boy paused irresolutely.
"Asked what?"
"He ast me where in h---- the path was."
"By ginger, that's him, right out an' out!" exclaimed Mr. Crow
excitedly.
"'Nen he said he'd give me a quarter if I'd show him the way; so I--"
"Did he give you the quarter?" questioned one of the men.
"Yep. He'd a roll of bills as big as my leg.
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