Shore I reckon he'd be careful, though.

Bland's no fool, an' he loves his hide.

I reckon any of the other gangs would be better fer you when you ain't goin' it alone." Apparently that exhausted the fund of information and advice Stevens had been eager to impart.

He lapsed into silence and lay with closed eyes.
Meanwhile the sun rose warm; the breeze waved the mesquites; the birds came down to splash in the shallow stream; Duane dozed in a comfortable seat.

By and by something roused him.