He wanted twenty men proved beyond the shadow of question for courage, endurance, speed, and surety in action.
"And," concluded the store-keeper, fixing his eye upon Lee Haines, "if you want a long ride free of charge, and ten bucks a day with chow thrown in--some of you gents ought to go to Rickett and chin with Pete." Haines waited to hear no more.

He even forgot to ask for the Barry mail, swung into his saddle, and rode with red spurs back to the cabin in the mountains.

There he drew Buck Daniels aside, and they walked among the rocks while Haines told his story.

When it was ended they sat on adjoining boulders and chucked pebbles aimlessly into the emptiness beyond the cliff.
"Maybe," said Buck suddenly, "it wasn't Dan at all.

He sure wouldn't be ridin' with no crowd of gents like that." "A fool like that store-keeper could make a crowd of Indians out of one papoose," answered Haines.