Divining the purpose of the boy"s departure, the conspirators had

separated and then sought to hide themselves in the long grass
Divining the purpose of the boy"s departure, the conspirators had
separated and then sought to hide themselves in the long grass. But the
ranchman had kept watch of their general direction, and as his boys rode
up, ordered them to advance abreast toward the spot where the scoundrels
had disappeared.