Cribbens, looking back, saw him standing motionless in his tracks.
"What's up ?" asked Cribbens a second time.
McTeague slowly turned his head and looked over one shoulder, then over the other.

Suddenly he wheeled sharply about, cocking the Winchester and tossing it to his shoulder.

Cribbens ran back to his side, whipping out his revolver.
"What is it ?" he cried.

"See anybody ?" He peered on ahead through the gathering twilight.
"No, no." "Hear anything ?" "No, didn't hear anything." "What is it then?
What's up ?" "I don' know, I don' know," muttered the dentist, lowering the rifle.
"There was something." "What ?" "Something--didn't you notice ?" "Notice what ?" "I don' know.

Something--something or other." "Who?
What?
Notice what?
What did you see ?" The dentist let down the hammer of the rifle.
"I guess it wasn't anything," he said rather foolishly.
"What d'you think you saw--anybody on the claim ?" "I didn't see anything.