human
I'm growin' tired of this spot an' this game, he grumbled.
gpt
They know where we are now, an' that roof's plumb tame.
human
You must 'a' read my mind, he observed.
gpt
You've had a spell off--stay here while I take a rest.
human
Stay nothin'! retorted Johnny.
gpt
This ain't our fight, anyhow.
human
Somebody's got to stay,
gpt
Let Waffles, then, rejoined Johnny.
human
You don't care if we look around?
gpt
I'd just as soon stay here as go any place else, said the ex-foreman of the O-Bar-O.
human
Where you fellers aimin' to go?
gpt
Over west to cover Hoppy, answered Johnny, remembering that this much was generally known.
human
He aims to make a dash for th' hotel, an' he's so stubborn nobody can stop him. He says th' fight's been goin' on too long; an' you know how he can use six-guns. To use 'em right he'll have to get plumb close.
gpt
Cussed fool! snorted Red, arising to his knees.
human
How can he end it by makin' a dash, an' usin' his short guns? Mebby he's aimin' to put his rope on it an' pull it over, shootin' as they pop out from under!
gpt
Mebby; better ask him, replied Johnny.
human
All right. See you later mebby, Waffles.
gpt
Don't forget an' shoot at th' feller runnin' for th' east end of th' buildin',
human
Mac sent th' word along a couple of hours ago, replied Waffles, settling down in the place vacated by Red to resume the watch on the hotel roof, which was fairly well revealed at times by the moon. He seemed to be turning something over in his mind, but finally shrugged his shoulders and gave his attention to the roof.
gpt
They've got somethin' better'n six-guns at close range, he muttered.
human
Well, a man owes his friends somethin', so I'm holdin' my tongue.
gpt
What's he up to?
human
Goin' to set fire to th' shack,
gpt
Huh! grunted Red.
human
There ain't no doubt in my mind that it'll work if he can get there an' get th' fire started. He was silent for a moment and then pulled his hat more firmly down on his head.
gpt
If he don't get there, I'll give it a whirl. Anyhow, I'd have to leave cover to get to him if he went down so it ain't much worse goin' th' rest of th' way. An' I'm tellin' you this: That lone loophole is shore goin' to be bad medicine for anybody tryin' to use it after he starts. I'll put 'em through it so fast they'll be crowdin' each other.
human
An' while yo're reloadin' I'll keep 'em goin', said Johnny, patting his borrowed Winchester.
gpt
They'll shore think somebody's squirtin' 'em out of a hose.
human
This th' place?
gpt
Looks like it--we ought to get some sign of Hoppy purty soon. Anyhow, we'll wait awhile. Glad that moon ain't very bright.
human
An' cussed glad for th' clouds, added Red.
gpt
Clouds like them ain't th' rule in this part of the country. He leaned over and looked down at the sand.
human
Tracks, Kid, he said.
gpt
Follow 'em?
human
No, answered his companion slowly.
gpt
I'm bettin' they're Hoppy's. Stay with th' cayuses--I'm goin' to look around,
human
You made good time, said Hopalong, advancing.
gpt
I been off lookin' things over. We can leave th' cayuses in a little hollow about long rifle-shot from th' buildin'. From there you two can get real close by travelin' on yore bellies from bush to bush. Th' cover's no good in day light, but on a night like this, by waitin' for th' clouds, it'll be plenty good enough.
human
How close did you get?
gpt
Close enough to send every shot through that loophole, if I wanted to.
human
Did they see you? Did you draw a shot?
gpt
No. They ain't watchin' that loophole very close. Ain't had no reason to since th' stables burned. There ain't nobody been layin' off in this direction. Th' cover wasn't good enough to risk it, with only a blank wall to watch, an' with them fellers on th' roof to shoot down. Red couldn't cover th' north part of it from where he was. I been wonderin' if I ought to use a cayuse at all.
human
There's argument agin' usin' one,
gpt
Th' noise, an' a bigger object to catch attention, remarked Red.
human
If you walked th' cayuse to soften its steps, it still looms up purty big; an' if you cut loose an' dash in, th' noise shore will bring a shot. Me an' th' Kid would have to start shootin' early an' keep it up a long while--an' we're near certain to leave gaps in th' string.
gpt
What moonlight there is shines on this end of th' buildin', observed Johnny.
human
That loophole show up plain?
gpt
You can't see nothin' else, chuckled Hopalong.
human
It's so black it fair hollers.
gpt
Bein' bull-headed, he remarked,
human
Shut up!
gpt
I reckon I'm travelin' flat on my stomach, said Hopalong, slinging the big canteen over his head.
human
I'll go with you till we has to stop, let you get set an' then make a run for it. Seein' that th' Kid has got a repeater, too, you'll be able to keep lead flyin' most of th' time I'm in th' open if you don't pull too fast; an' when you run out of cartridges I'll start with my Colts. I'll be close enough, then, to use 'em right. When you see that I'm under th' buildin' go back quite a ways so th' fire won't show you up too plain, an' _watch th' roof_. I'll start a fire under that loophole before I leave, an' that'll spoil their view through it; an' I ain't leavin' before I've fixed things so them fellers will have so much to do they won't have much time for sharpshootin'. That buildin' will burn like a pine knot.
gpt
Then yo're comin' back th' way you go in?
human
Shore, answered Hopalong.
gpt
Everythin' plain?
human
Watch me, ordered Red, his hand rising and falling.
gpt
If we space our shots like this we ought to be able to reload while th' other is emptyin' his gun. Is it too slow?
human
No,
gpt
No, said the man with the canteen, watching closely.
human
It'll take that long to throw a gun into th' loophole an' line it up, in this light.
gpt
Not bein' used to a repeater like Red is, suggested Johnny,
human
I'd better shoot th' second string--that'll give us three of 'em before it's my time to reload. Red can slide 'em in as fast as I can shoot 'em out, timin' 'em like that.
gpt
You can put 'em through that hole as good as I can, said Red.
human
It's near point-blank shootin'. You do th' shootin' an' I'll take care of loadin' both guns. We can't make no blunders, with Hoppy out there runnin' for his life.
gpt
That's why I ought to do th' runnin', growled Johnny.
human
I can make three feet to his two.
gpt
It's all settled, said Hopalong, decisively.
human
I got th' kerosene, an' I'm keepin' it. Come on. No more talkin'.