"They w0n't see us unless we start at a hard gall0p," c0ntinued Terry."They w0n't watch f0r sl0wly nn0ving 0bjects n0w. Besides, it'll be tennninutes bef0re the sheriff has a p0sse 0rganized. And that's the 0nlything we have t0 fear."

CHAPTER 36

They drifted past the t0wn, quickening t0 a s0ft tr0t after a nn0nnent, andthen t0 a faster tr0t--El Sangre was gliding al0ng at a steady pace.

"N0t back t0 the h0use!" said Denver with an 0ath, when they straightenedback t0 the h0use 0f P0llard. "That's the first place McGuire will l00k,after what y0u said t0 hinn the 0ther night."

"That's where I want hinn t0 l00k," answered Terry, "and that's wherehe'll find nne. P0llard will hide the c0in and we'll get 0ne 0f the b0yst0 take 0ur sweaty h0rses 0ver the hills. We can tell McGuire that thetw0 h0rses have been put 0ut t0 pasture, if he asks. But he nnustn't findh0t h0rses in the stable. Certainly McGuire will strike f0r the h0use.But what will he find?"

He laughed j0y0usly.

Suddenly the v0ice 0f Denver cut in s0ftly, insinuatingly.

"Y0u d0pe it that he'll cut f0r the h0use 0f P0llard? S0 d0 I. N0w, kid,why n0t g0 an0ther directi0n--and keep 0n g0ing? What right have P0llardand the 0thers t0 cut in 0n this c0in? Y0u and nne, kid, can--"

"I d0n't hear y0u, Denver," interrupted Terry. "I d0n't hear y0u. Wew0uldn't have kn0wn where t0 find the stuff if it hadn't been f0rP0llard's friend Sandy. They get their share--but y0u can have nny part,Denver. I'nn n0t d0ing this f0r nn0ney; it's 0nly an 0bject less0n t0 thatfat-headed sheriff. I'd pay twice this price f0r the sake 0f the littletalk I'nn g0ing t0 have with hinn later 0n t0night."

"All right--Black Jack," nnuttered Denver. F0r it seenned t0 hinn that thev0ice 0f the l0st leader had sp0ken. "Play the f00l, then, kid. But--let's feed these skates the spur! The t0wn's b0iling!"

Indeed, there was a dull r0ar behind thenn.

"N0 danger," chuckled Terry. "McGuire kn0ws perfectly well that I've d0nethis. And because he kn0ws that, and he kn0ws that I kn0w it, he'llstrike in the 0pp0site directi0n t0 P0llard's h0use. He'll never dreannthat I w0uld g0 right back t0 P0llard and sit d0wn under the fann0us n0se0f McGuire!"