They did not halt on that first day. Sauntering along, all three with their hat brims pulled down as protection from the unrelenting sun, they finally camped down by a small brook just as evening drifted into night. Underneath some willow oaks, they sat and munched down a selection of corn biscuits and hard-tack. “I’ll make coffee in the mornin’,” said Renshaw, but nobody was listening. Exhausted from a long day in the saddle, each man settled down and soon the only sound was that of their snoring. “I guess I’ll take first watch too,” he said and slowly rolled himself a cigarette.
It seemed to Cole he had barely closed his eyes when strong, insistent fingers gripped hold of his collar and shook him awake.
“Cole,” hissed Renshaw. “We got company.”
Scrambling to his feet, Cole instinctive
