No doubt they were afflicted with a great curiosity.

They were playing for time in order to discover his errand.
"I reckon we'll get along without mushin'," suggested Calumet.

"What terms are you talkin' about ?" Taggart climbed down from his pony and stood beside it.
"Half-an'-half on the idol," he said.

"That's square, ain't it ?" He looked at Calumet with the beginning of a bland smile, which instantly faded and turned into a grimace of fear as he found himself looking into the gaping muzzles of Calumet's pistols, which had appeared with magic ease and quickness.
"I'm runnin' a little surprise party of my own," declared Calumet.
"Was you thinkin' I was fool enough to go to gassin' with you, trustin' that you wouldn't take your chance to perforate me?
You've got another guess comin'." The disappointed gleam in Taggart's eyes showed that such had been his intention.

"There wasn't to be no shootin' until after we'd held our peace meetin'," he complained.
"Correct," said Calumet.