"That's what we've got to find out," answered Bud in a low voice.

"Could it have been either Snake or Yellin' Kid, riding back and
breaking that bottle over our heads, to show what good shots they
were?" asked Dick.

"No, I hardly think so," replied his cousin. "They're both good
shots, all right, and they could have broken that flask from the
distance it was broken. But they wouldn't throw a scare into us
this way. Besides, they haven't any time to fool around. They
have an all-night ride ahead of them."

"What makes you think the bottle was busted from some distance,
Bud!" Dick wanted to know.

"The way the bullet sounded," was the answer. "It was almost
spent when it got here, but it had force enough to break the
glass, and would have damaged us if it hit us. I thought whoever
played that fool trick might try another shot, so I yanked you
down, Nort."

"Glad you did! I might not have thought of it. But whoever it was
doesn't seem to be going to shoot again."

"No," agreed Bud, after a little period of silence, during which
no other menacing crack of a weapon was heard. "But we'll wait a
little longer."

Through the fast-gathering darkness the boys looked out from