SINGLE TREE 15

as single approached the water hole he was going to lay over at he realized some one else was camped there. a single plume of smoke arose from a camp site to one side of the water hole. he drove up next to the hole and stopped. a couple of men sat at the camp fire drinking coffee. their horses were staked in the brush to one side. when he had un hitched single led his horses to the water and stood by while they drank. one of the men at the camp walked over and joined him. he stuck his hand out and said " ime cliff richards, thats my brother brad yonder." " they call me single tree. ime on the way to tucson with this load. hows the road from here on?"he shook cliffs hand. " we just came from there. its ok i guess. what ya hauling?"cliff broke ettiquit by asking a mans business. " oh just some stuff for my bosses i guess. " single was instantly alert. while this guy was friendly enough you just didnt start asking questions when you first met some one. " we are heading south , thought maybe find some work down that way. you know of anything?" cliff asked. " well the town of ajo is down that way, and the folks i work for got a mine a little farther on. theyare looking for some help you might ask there."singles horses had raised their heads, not drinking any more. he turned and led them back to the wagon and started hitching them. " no need to leave , you can spend the night here with us." cliff invited. " i gotta move along. its a full moon tonite i just might keep going. i need to deliver this load and pick up some supplys but thank you." single kept buckling the harness. as he drove awayhe glanced back. cliff and his brother were standing together watching him. even tho they seemed friendly they had made single nervous by asking the wrong questions. he decided he needed to put some miles between them he hadnt taken his rifle off the wagon so maybe they didnt know he was armed. he rested his hand on the stock of the rifle for some assurence. he didnt push his team but he did keep them moveing along. he kept watching his back trail.