IN SAN ANTONIO.
NICK and Herbert stopped on the Plaza to inspect a bear, which a
lank Texan had fastened to a staple by a rope, and was waiting thus
late at night for a purchaser. The moment the boys passed, the owner
began urging them to buy, offering the brute for fifteen dollars, and
dwelling with much eloquence on the great bargain it was for anyone.
Our friends, however, had no use for any animals of that species, and,
taking care to keep beyond reach of the beast, who showed a desire for
closer acquaintance, they sauntered toward the hotel.
Just before reaching it, someone touched Nick’s arm in such a timid
manner that he turned, wondering what it could mean.
A lad about twelve years of age, ragged and the picture of distress,
asked in a tremulous voice:
“Please, sir, you’re from the North, aint you?”
“Yes,” replied Nick; “is your home there?”
“Yes, sir,” said the lad, swallowing a lump in his throat, “and I would
give the world, if I had it, if I was back there again.”
“How is it you’re here?”
“Me and Dick Harrison run away from home; we lived in Philadelphia, and
we haven’t had anything to eat since yesterday.”
“Where is Dick?”
“He’s off yonder, on the other side of the Plaza; he’s just dead broke
up, and says he won’t try nothin’ more, but is goin’ to lay down and
die.”
“I don’t believe anyone has ever died of starvation in San Antonio;
can’t you get work?”
“We have been trying for two weeks; we got a job or two that fetched us
a little to eat, but we can’t do nothin’ more.”
“Take us over to where Dick is,” said Herbert, whose heart was touched,
“and let us see him.”
“Come on,” said the boy, so cheerfully that Nick and his friend were
satisfied he was telling the truth. On the way across the Plaza, they
questioned Fred Beekman, as he gave his name, still further.
“What made you run away from home, Fred?”
“Me and Dick started out to kill Injins and grizzly bears.”
“How did you make out,” asked Herbert, who recalled that it was not so
long since he had indulged in similar ambitious ideas.
“We haven’t killed any yet,” replied Fred, in such a doleful voice that
the others could not help smiling.
“How did you get the money to come to Texas?”
“Dick and me stole it from our folks; we bought rifles and pistols, but
when we got to Texarkana we was took up and the guns took away from us;
we managed to sneak off, and had enough money left to come to Santone;
here it give out, and we’ve had it hard since.”
“Had you pleasant homes?” asked Nick.
This question set Fred to crying. His fingers were in his eyes, and he
stumbled along for several paces before he could answer:
“Nobody ever had better homes, but we got it into our heads that it
would be nice to shoot grizzly bears and Injins, and here we are. If we
only had enough money to keep us from starvin’ we could walk home like
reg’lar tramps.”
“You are a good many miles from Philadelphia,” said Nick. “If you could
get there, would you go straight home, or would you start off on some
other wild-goose chase like this?”
“Oh, if I could see father and mother and my brother and two sisters, I
would work and go to school and do anything; I never knowed how good a
home I had till I run away, and Dick feels the same way.”
A few minutes later they reached the spot where Dick had been left, but
he was nowhere in sight. Fred looked around in wonder, and then became
frightened.
“I’ll bet he’s gone and drownded hisself,” he said, in an awed whisper,
“for he felt ’nough like it.”
“Boys like him don’t drown themselves,” replied Nick, who began to
distrust the truthfulness of the lad; “if you want us to give you any
help you must find Dick and bring him——”
“There he is!” broke in Fred, pointing to a figure lurking among the
shadows some distance off, as if afraid to venture closer. “Here, Dick,
come here! you needn’t be scart, they won’t hurt you!”
Seeing the lad approaching, Nick said: “Now, Fred, I don’t want you to
speak a word till I get through with Dick.”
With considerable hesitation Dick ventured nearer, and Nick immediately
took him in hand. After much questioning, he became convinced that the
story told by the two was true. They were equally ragged and wretched
looking, and, despite their coarse language, gave evidence of having
belonged to good families.
Nick and Herbert provided them with an excellent supper. They were
as ravenous as wild animals, and left no doubt that they were half
famishing. Then, having made sure that they had a place to sleep
during the night, Nick told them to call at the hotel in the morning,
and he would see whether he and his friend could do anything for them.
During the interview, Nick managed to get the addresses of their
parents in Philadelphia, without either suspecting his purpose. On
reaching the Menger, he at once telegraphed to each father, asking
whether a son whose name he gave was missing. He hardly doubted their
story, but it was well that he took means to make sure, before acting
upon that belief.
In the course of the evening, a reply came to each message, saying that
the boys had been missing for six weeks, begging Nick to send both
home without delay, and pledging that the expense would be paid by the
senders of the telegrams, or, if desired, funds would be telegraphed.
Nick notified the parents that the boys would start northward in the
morning, and a statement of the money expended would be forwarded by
mail.
When Fred and Dick presented themselves to Nick and Herbert, and were
told that word had been received from their relatives, who would be
delighted to receive them, they could hardly believe it, but were
finally satisfied that there was no deception about it.
Herbert and Nick took the boys to a clothing establishment, where they
were provided with comfortable outfits, a through ticket was furnished
to each, enough money given to pay their expenses, and then, with a few
words of counsel, they were despatched homeward, the happiest boys in
the big State of Texas.
Then Nick inclosed the memoranda to the proper parties, and dismissed
the subject from his mind, for weightier matters required attention.
Upon calling at the banker’s office in the afternoon, they were
surprised to find he had not only selected the two men that were to
bear them company, but they were present, by appointment with Mr. Lord,
who knew at what time the youths would arrive.
The individuals were typical cowboys, with their broad-brimmed
sombreros and rattlesnake bands, their heavy shirts, trousers tucked in
the tops of their boots, immense spurs, long wavy hair, handkerchiefs
knotted about their necks, bright eyes and not unhandsome countenances.
Arden Strubell, the elder, was about thirty-five years of age and wore
a long moustache and goatee, which, like his hair and eyes, were of
a dark auburn. Baker Lattin, his companion, was a few years younger,
with lighter hair, a faint moustache, no goatee, was wide across the
temples, and his eyes were light blue or gray, but his appearance was
as alert and intelligent as the other’s.
These men were old friends of banker Lord, who had engaged with them
upon several hunting excursions. It had fallen within his power to do
for them a number of monetary favors, and they were the men who were
ready to show their gratitude in any way he desired.
Strubell and Lattin intended to start in the course of a day or two for
a ranch in New Mexico. They expected to travel the entire distance on
horseback, accompanied by a single pack animal. Both once belonged to
the mounted rangers of Texas, and had probably ridden over as much of
that vast area as any other man within its limits, from No Man’s Land
on the north, through the Pan Handle and across the Llano Estacado to
the Rio Grande and the Pecos on the south and west.
Strubell had been in several brushes with the terrible Geronimo and his
dusky desperadoes, but he did not expect to reach the section where
there was danger of collision with them, their stamping ground being
further to the west.
Banker Lord had been offered a ranch over the line in New Mexico, at
such reasonable figures that he was much inclined to buy it, but, with
his usual caution, he desired to know of a certainty its value before
investing the money. Strubell and Lattin had been employed, therefore,
to make a thorough examination and to report on the same to him.
This happened most opportunely for Nick and Herbert, who thus were
furnished with the very best company on their long and dangerous ride
through Western Texas, while the ranchmen were ordered to go with them,
if necessary, beyond into Arizona and Southern California.