WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
BEFORE parting with the Texans, Nick Ribsam handed his field glass to
Strubell, with the remark that he and Lattin would be likely to find
it of use, and it could be well spared, since Herbert had one of his
own. The coffee was prepared before the breaking up took place, for the
cooking utensils were to go with the boys, and the men did not expect
to have much leisure for preparing the delicious refreshment.
The trail, to which several references have been made, showed no
evidence of having been recently travelled, though, in the course of
time, a great many animals must have found their way through the hills
by that route, which Nick took, with the pack horses stringing after,
and Herbert bringing up the rear.
It was too strait to admit of two horsemen riding abreast, and
there were places where there was none too much room for a single
animal. The path wound in and out among and around bowlders and large
rocks, with stunted vegetation here and there, all the time steadily
ascending, until a height of several hundred feet was attained, beyond
which the descent was gradual, until the same level was reached on the
other side.
The distance across the ridge or small mountain spur has been
named—about one-fourth of a mile. It is probable that it was first
made by the feet of wild animals when they were more numerous in the
neighborhood, and was afterward used by Indians and hunters in passing
to and fro through that portion of Texas. It was not the first time
that the speechless part of creation has blazed the path for the
pioneer to follow after them.
Nick Ribsam, having placed himself at the head of the little party,
started his pony, Jack, on a moderate walk, the others following at the
same pace, with Herbert and his Jill at the rear. They had named their
animals that day, and both were surprised at the intelligence, speed,
and endurance they developed. It was impossible for the boys not to
form a fondness for the ponies, since they were so worthy, and showed a
strong affection for their masters.
The sun was well above the horizon, and the youths had plenty of time
at command. At the highest portion of the path, where the space was
broad enough for a dozen animals to stand side by side, the boys came
together.
“I guess,” said Nick, from his saddle to Herbert on his right, “that
you understand what all this means.”
“I suspect,” replied the elder, “that Strubell and Lattin are preparing
for a fight with Rickard and his men.”
“I’ve no doubt that’s it, and they want us out of the way; they are
pretty shrewd fellows, but I can’t help wondering what answer Strubell
would have made, if I had asked him how our absence would be likely to
help him and Lattin better than our presence. Well, no doubt they have
good reason to want us beyond gunshot; we couldn’t give them any help,
and might prove a hindrance, and they think too much of us to allow us
to run into danger when they can prevent it.”
“Nick,” said Herbert, as if giving expression to a thought that had
been in his mind for some time; “I wish I could think as you do about
things, but I can’t.”
The younger lad looked at him with surprise.
“What’s the odds, if we don’t see everything in exactly the same light?
But I am not sure that I understand you.”
“Let’s dismount for a few minutes.”
The open space where the four animals were standing was so walled in by
masses and piles of stone and vegetation that, although considerably
higher than their friends at the foot of the ridge, the latter were
invisible. By climbing a large, irregular bowlder, the Texans were in
plain sight.
“Don’t let them see us,” said Herbert, “but let’s watch them for a
while: maybe you can explain things, and maybe you can’t.”
Nick was a little disturbed by the words of Herbert, though it should
be stated that it was not the mind of either to suspect the Texans of
anything but the truest friendship toward them; but it looked very much
as if something was on foot which they wished to keep secret from their
younger companions.
Strubell and Lattin were standing beside each other, with their whole
attention directed eastward, where Rickard and his companions were
known to be. At the moment the boys observed them, the elder Texan was
holding the field glass levelled, while Lattin was doing what he could
in the way of observation by shading his eyes with one hand. They were
too far off to learn whether any words passed between the cowboys.
“I don’t notice anything to cause question,” remarked Nick, after
viewing the couple for several minutes. “They are simply studying the
horse thieves over yonder, in the hope of finding out something about
their purposes. We have been doing the same thing, off and on, for a
number of hours.”
“And you think there will be a fight?”
“It looks that way; it seems to me that Strubell and Lattin are
satisfied that those fellows yonder are bent on stealing our horses,
and that they are likely to hang to us for days and nights, in the hope
of getting a good chance to do so. So our friends have made up their
minds that the best thing is to settle it at once, and by sending us
off they have cleared the deck for action.”
“You put it very well,” said Herbert, whose admiration of his
companion’s brightness never grew less; “and maybe, since you have
explained some things so well, you will tell us about others.”
The youths now took turns in studying the group across the plain. The
sun was out of sight behind the hills to their rear, but the eastern
horizon, being relieved from the glare, was more favorable than before
for observation through the instrument.
The three horses of the rogues were seen to be on their feet, with
their riders standing beside them, as if about to climb into the
saddles. One of the company, evidently Rickard himself, was several
paces in advance of the others, as motionless as a statue, and
evidently staring in turn toward the Texans at the foot of the ridge.
“It looks to me,” said Nick, passing the glass back to Herbert, “as
though he is using a field glass: can it be possible?”
“What is there so wonderful about that? The cowboys may not be fond of
spy glasses, but it would be strange if some of them did not employ all
the help they could get in their business.”
Ceasing the conversation for the moment, the boys gave their whole
attention to seeing what they could see.
Lattin, having passed the glass to Strubell, stepped back to where the
fire was beginning to burn low, and threw on a few sticks. When the
ascending smoke increased in volume, he took off his broad-brimmed hat
and waved it in an odd way over the blaze. The result was that the
volume of smoke, instead of ascending vertically, was broken into what
might be called a regular irregularity, the appearance being peculiar
and different from anything the the youths had ever observed before.
“That’s a signal to the horse thieves,” said Herbert, “and I would give
a good deal to know what it means.”
“So would I,” added Nick, more disturbed by the sight than he was
willing to admit.
It looked as if Herbert was right, but, if so, the singular feature of
the business was that all the signalling seemed to be done by Strubell
and Lattin. Nothing, so far as could be perceived, was sent in response
by Rickard.
If there were actual communication going on between the parties, it
was beyond the power of Nick and Herbert to frame a satisfactory
explanation. Why intercourse should be held at such long range, when
seemingly there was no reason for the mutual playing off, was a problem
beyond ordinary acuteness.
But while the two were speculating, Herbert, with his field glass to
his eye, began sweeping every part of the visible horizon. He had no
special object in doing this, but thought he might perceive other
horsemen, who had nothing to do with their friends or enemies.
Suddenly he startled Nick by an exclamation.
“Follow the direction of my finger!” he said, “and tell me what you
see.”
He pointed almost north, that is in a line parallel with the ridge
which they were crossing; and, without the aid of the field glass, Nick
observed a second column of smoke of precisely the same appearance as
that produced by Baker Lattin at the foot of the hills.
Apparently it was a mile distant, its location being at one corner
of a right-angled triangle, with the horse thieves and Texans at the
other two respective corners. The course of the ridge shut Strubell
and Lattin from the sight of those that were managing the second fire.
The parties could not have caught the first mutual glimpse, and yet
nothing was more reasonable to believe than that they were telegraphing
important messages back and forth to each other.