Hippy, now being blindfolded, could make out nothing of his surroundings, but he realized that there were trees all about him, and he could hear the snapping of a campfire, which reminded him of food and that he was nearly famished.
"If they fry bacon near enough for me to smell, I'll break my bonds and run--for the bacon," he added to himself.
Lieutenant Wingate was roughly yanked from the horse.

He landed heavily on the ground in a heap, where he was left to untangle himself as best he could.

By violent winking and twisting his head from side to side he was able, by tilting his head well back, to displace the handkerchief with which he had been blindfolded sufficiently to enable him to look about.
Several men were holding a discussion by the campfire, and that their conversation had to do with him, Hippy Wingate knew from the frequent gestures in his direction, though he was too far away to distinguish what they were saying.
The men finally came over to him and demanded to know who and what he was.
Hippy told them briefly.

One of the men laughed.
"Ye mean ye'r a hoss thief," he jeered.
"I wish I were.

I'd steal a horse and get away from here." "Know anybody in these parts, anybody who'll give ye a character ?" questioned another.
"No.