This formidable troop had left the city scarcely an hour after the robbers had started.  The direction they took and the nature of the country pointed to Swanson’s ranche as the point for which the outlaws were making.

All night long the posse rode, and had they not taken a wrong trail, would have caught up to the robbers at their first camp.

Retracing their path, a short halt only was made, saddle girths were tightened, the rifles closely inspected, and Chip, giving the cry of “Forward,” led the company on the hot scent.

Like a good general, Chip spread his men to the right and left of the trail, so that in moving forward a wide swath of country was swept.

The first camp which the outlaws had made was discovered by the scout on the left flank.  Raising the Texan yell, the rank closed in and gathered around the spot.

One of the men, an old Indian hunter, burnt by the sun to living bronze, and scarred by the many hand-to-hand conflicts he had had with the red savages, leaped from his horse, his keen eyes fastened to the ground, read the signs which the outlaws had left as if they were printed words.

Pointing to the fire and the remnants of the burnt meat and bones near it, he said: 

“They ain’t more’n three hours ahead of us, and there’s more than the two.  Three fellars ate their grub here this morning.”

“How do you make that out?” said Chip.

“Well, Cap’n, I’ve fit Ingins and herded cattle more’n twenty year, off an’ on, and if there ain’t been three men here not over three hour ago, I lose my reckonin’.  See here, in this soft place where the sun has melted the ground a bit, is hoof-marks, and they belong to three different horses.”

“Perhaps they stole a horse?”

“Mebbe so, and mebben’t so.  I reckon it mebben’t so.  Cause why?  The fellar as walked over this patch wore boots and spurs, long rowels on ’em, too.  See where they cut the mud.  Here is another one, a derned sight smaller foot, and here is one that had a sharp heel.  No, Cap’n, they picked up a man somewhar along the road.”

To this the others who had come out with the detectives gave their unqualified assent, and Chip cried: 

“Three hours ahead is a good lead on us, boys.  We must climb along.”

The command was again given, and, rendered more eager and enthusiastic by the knowledge that only thirty miles was between them and their game, the men moved forward with a cheer.

Another short halt was made for supper and the trail was again covered just as the robbers had about commenced to sleep.  A sharp lookout was maintained and the bright light of the full moon turned night into day and made the task so much the easier.

As they rode around the edge of the timber in which Cummings and his companions were secreted they had no suspicion that they had gained so rapidly on the flying renegades, so that the sudden appearance of the men for whom they were searching somewhat surprised them.  Giving their peculiar yell they pressed forward with a great burst of speed, not even checking the gait when the ball which Moriarity sent whistled over them.