They looked off at the party of rustlers, and several expressed the wish that the captain would stay and fight them; but he replied that they were quite certain to get enough of fighting before they were many days older, and he followed Hawkridge.
At sight of the flight, the rustlers uttered tantalizing shouts and discharged their Winchesters in the air.

At the same time they increased the speed of their animals; but, as they were no better mounted than the stockmen, there was little chance of overtaking them.
The surface was undulating, the ground being well covered with verdure even thus early in the spring.

Sometimes pursuers and fugitives were out of sight of each other for a minute or two, but not long enough to affect the situation.
The course was northwest, and Hawkridge was hopeful that they would reach his ranch in an hour or a little more.

And this they probably would have done had they not been interrupted, or rather checked, by the unexpected appearance of a third company of horsemen, almost directly in front of the stockmen.
"It may be they are friends," said Capt.

Asbury, instantly bringing his horse down to a walk, as did the others.
But the hope was delusive.