After they had gone below Dennison dropped into Jane's chair. Immediately
Dodge began to talk: "So you nearly throttled that ornery coyote, huh?
Whata you know about this round-up? The three o' 'em came in, and I never
smelt nothin' until they were on top o' me. How should I smell anythin'?
Hobnobbing together for days, how was I to know they were a bunch of
pirates? Is your old man sore?"

"Naturally."

"I mean appertainin' to me?"

"I don't see how he could be. Who took care of you--bound you up?"

"That nice-lookin' greaser with the slue foot. Soft speakin' like a woman
and an eye like a timber wolf. Some hombre! Where we bound for?"

"God knows!"--dejectedly.

"Bad as that, huh? Your girl?"

"No."

"No place for a girl. If they hadn't busted my arm I wouldn't care so
much! If it comes to a show-down I won't be no good to anybody. Gimme my
guns and we'd be headin' home in five minutes. These hombres know
somethin' o' my gun play. Gee, it's lonesome here!" Dodge mused for a
moment. "Say, what's your old man's idea hog-tyin' you that-a-way?"

"He'll tell you perhaps."

"Uh-huh. Say, what did the Lord make all that stuff for?" with a gesture
toward the brazen sea. "What's it good for, anyhow?"