"Wotinell?" ejaculated Billy Byrne. "What's doin'?"
"We seem to have been made prisoners," suggested Bridge;
"but whether by Villistas or Carranzistas I do not know."
Their host understood his words and turned toward the
two Americans.
"These are Pesita's men," he said.
"Yes," spoke up one of the bandits, "we are Pesita's men,
and Pesita will be delighted, Miguel, to greet you, especially
when he sees the sort of company you have been keeping.
You know how much Pesita loves the gringos!"
"But this man does not even know us," spoke up Bridge.
"We stopped here to get a meal. He never saw us before. We
are on our way to the El Orobo Rancho in search of work.
We have no money and have broken no laws. Let us go our
way in peace. You can gain nothing by detaining us, and as
for Miguel here--that is what you called him, I believe--I
think from what he said to us that he loves a gringo about as
much as your revered chief seems to."
Miguel looked his appreciation of Bridge's defense of him;
but it was evident that he did not expect it to bear fruit. Nor
did it. The brigand spokesman only grinned sardonically.
"You may tell all this to Pesita himself, senor," he said.
"Now come--get a move on--beat it!" The fellow had once
worked in El Paso and took great pride in his "higher
English" education.
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