"No finding something out. Boys, Jim Bell's in our power."

"In our power," laughed the other, a laugh in which Bellew chimed
in. "I reckon you don't know him yet."

"Don't eh?" snarled Red Bill, stung into acrimonious retort. "I
reckon your brain works just a bit too quick, Buck."

"Waal, ef you know so much, let's hear it?"

The red-sashed, silver-spurred Buck Bellew reined in closer to his
companions, rowelling his little active "paint" horse as he did so,
till it jumped and curvetted.

"It's just this," said Red Bill Summers, unconsciously lowering his
tone although there was no one about to hear but his companions, a
few, blasted-looking yuccas and, far overhead, a wheeling buzzard.

"Jim Bell ain't never filed no location of ther mine with ther
guv'ment."

If he had expected to produce a sensation, he must have felt
justified by the results of this announcement. Buck Bellew
whistled. The black-mustached man gave a low, long-drawn-out
exclamation of:

"Wo-o-o-w!"

"Thought you'd sit up and take notice," grinned their leader.