I shall be very willing to start home with you to-morrow morning.

What do you think of it, Hank ?" "I'm blamed sorry this bus'ness has to wind up as it does, but there's no help fur it, and we'll leave fur the ranch after breakfast." "Will you keep your appointment with Tozer ?" "I've been thinking of that; yes, I'll meet him." There was a peculiar intonation in these words that caused both boys to look into that bearded face, but they could not be sure of his meaning.
It was Fred who spoke: "Hank, there is one matter as to which I cannot feel certain; I want your opinion of it." "Wal, I'm listening." "After Motoza forced me into the cavern at the side of the canyon he went off and has not returned yet, unless he did so after I left.

Now, why didn't he go back ?" "Why should he go back?
He felt sartin there was no way fur you to git out, and if I'd been told that your only chance was to climb the wall I'd 'greed with him, though you struck the spot where I done it myself." "He must have known I hadn't a mouthful of food ?" "He couldn't help knowing it." "The question in my mind is this: what he said to me, as well as what you have told, proves that he understood the whole scheme of my being ransomed.

Tozer must have known where I was; he knew that to bring the ransom business to a head would require several days, even with the use of the telegraph; they expected me to stay in the cavern all the time.
How long would they have left me there without bringing me anything to eat ?" "They'd never brought you anything." "Then when the time came to surrender me to my friends I should have been dead." The cowman nodded his head.
"There ain't no doubt of that." "And they couldn't have carried out their part of the agreement." "Which the same they knowed." "But it seems unreasonable.

It would have placed both in peril, from which I cannot see how it was possible for them to escape.