IN PURSUIT
Two deep-throated shouts echoed amid the winding mazes of the
small canyon leading off from the main gulch that the boy
ranchers and their friends had been following. One shout followed
closely on that of Dick, announcing his amazing discovery. The
other came from the band of rascals whose hiding place had at
last been spied out, and by a mere chance at that.
One shout was that of joyful anticipation, and this came from
Bud, Dick, Nort and the friends from Diamond X. This shout had in
it an anticipation of righteous punishment to be inflicted on
those who had stolen the cattle.
The other shout was of baffled rage that their hiding place had
been discovered. This shout came from Del Pinzo and his gang.
For it was the lawless Mexican half-breed and his followers,
numbering in all more than two score, whom Dick had seen as he
made the turn in that winding and narrow gorge. At a place where
the rocky defile flared out, making a sort of amphitheatre there
were gathered about a spring of water, their horses tethered
where they could crop the scanty herbage, the crowd of which our
friends had long been in pursuit.
Following the two shouts--one of pleased discovery and the other
of baffled rage at being discovered--there was quick action.
"Here they are!" shouted Bud, as soon as he had joined Dick, and
had seen what the latter had fairly stumbled upon. "Here's the
Del Pinzo crowd!"
Up came riding Nort, Slim, Snake and the others.
"Oh, boy! We've got 'em just where we want 'em," was the
exclamation of Yellin' Kid. And I leave you to judge in what tone
he uttered the words.
"Unlimber, boys!" called Slim Degnan, grimly and significantly as
he whipped out his .45. "There's likely to be action!"
"Hold on! Wait a minute!" counseled Snake, as Bud and his cousins
were about to urge their horses forward. The cowboy reached out,
and his hand fell with a firm grip on the bridle of Bud's steed.
"What's the idea?" asked that boy rancher. "Now we've found the
rascals, can't we go in and clean 'em up?"
"That's natural Bud, most natural," conceded Snake. "But what's
th' use runnin' your head in a bee's nest if yon can git th'
honey some other way?"
"You mean it won't be safe to ride up to 'em and fight 'em?'?"
asked Nort.
"Somethin' like that, yes, son," answered the cowboy. "I think
Del Pinzo an' his crowd have been waitin' for just such a chance
as this. They'd ask nothin' better than t' have us rush 'em, an'
then they'd have a good excuse for sayin', afterward, that they
popped us off in self-defense."
"Snake's right!" declared Yellin' Kid, modulating his voice
somewhat. "We'd better play this hand cautious like."
Seeing that this was the sentiment of the more experienced men,
Bud and his cousins held back, and a moment later, urged by the
cowboys, the ranch lads had turned aside and the whole body of
pursuers had retreated to a position somewhat away from the turn
of the trail where Dick had looked through the defile and had
seen the rascals encamped.
"What's the next move?" asked Nort, as the party gathered
together, giving their horses a breathing spell, for which the
animals were, doubtless, very thankful.
"We'd better look for some shelter," advised Snake, "an' then see
what we can do toward learnin' th' intentions of this bunch of
bad actors."
"You mean sort of spy 'em out?" asked Dick.
"That's it," chimed in Yellin' Kid. "If this is goin' to be a
fight, an' it shore looks as if there was, we want to take all
th' advantage we can. They outnumber us two to one!"
This was true enough. The fleeting glimpse our friends had of the
outlaws, through the crack in the rocky wall, showed that there
were more than two score under the leadership of the unscrupulous
Del Pinzo.
Following the skilful advice of the cowboys, Bud and his cousins
took their places behind some sheltering rocks, leading their
horses in with them, for much depended on their mounts. Without
them it meant giving up the chase. And even if one pony was
killed or wounded, it meant that its owner would have to make his
way back on foot, which was neither pleasant nor safe.
"Get your guns ready," said Slim. "There's going to be action,
but not just yet. We want this to be a winnin' fight if we can
make it so."
Once within comparative shelter, and feeling somewhat calmer
after the first wild excitement, Bud, Nort and Dick looked to
their older companions for further advice.
"Somebody's got t' go back t' that crack, unbeknownst t' them
scoundrels, an' see what they're doin'," decided Slim.
"S'pose they're there yet?" asked Bud.
"Either that, or they've taken the alarm an' are on their way, or
they're doin' just what we are--gittin' ready for a fight," said
the foreman grimly. "An' what it is they're doin' we want t'
know. Snake, you're pretty good at Indian tactics. S'pose you
sneak up there an' take a look in."
"All right," was the ready answer.
Of course Bud, Nort and Dick, each and every one of them, wished
they had been selected for this duty. But while they were rapidly
learning the ways of the west, in dealing with desperate
characters, it was better at this time to have an experienced man
spy out the movements of Del Pinzo and his gang. This Snake set
out to do.
"An' while he's gone, th' rest of us want t' sort of make up our
minds what t' do," said Slim. "If that bunch is gettin' ready
t'rush us, same as we may be able to do on our own hook, we want
t' have some plan of action."
So a sort of council of war was held, during the absence of
Snake, who was soon lost to sight among the rocks, the cowboy
making his way in a crouching, crawling position that almost
resembled the reptiles he so feared and hated.
There was some low-voiced talk among the remaining cowboys, in
which talk Bud and his cousins had no part. For a moment the lads
feared there was some scheme afoot to put them in places of
safety, out of danger so to speak. And the boy ranchers weren't
going tamely to submit to this.
"I say, Slim," exclaimed Bud, with this fear in mind, "we are
going to do our share in this fighting, you know!"
"Shore I know it!" grunted the foreman. "You'll have all th'
scrappin' you want, if these fellows don't vamoose without firin'
a shot! We was just talkin' of the best place t' put you."
"Oh," murmured Bud, "all right."
After some little talk, and a survey of the ground to which the
pursuers had retreated in order to make a temporary stand, each
person's position was designated, and then guns were loosed in
holsters and the supply of cartridges was looked to.
"As soon as Snake comes back we'll know what t' do," Slim said.
"He ought to be along soon now," remarked Dick.
Hardly had he spoken than there was a noise among the loose rocks
and boulders some distance up the gulch--in the direction the
spying-out cowboy had taken.
"Here he comes!" exclaimed Bud, and his hand went to his gun, for
it was very possible that Snake would be pursued, and have to
retreat on the run.
However the alarm proved to be a false one, for, after waiting
some time, Snake not having appeared, it was surmised that some
rock had become loose and rolled down the steep side of the
gulch.
The waiters and watchers were just beginning to get a bit
worried, and Bud was on the point of suggesting that he be
allowed to go look for Snake, when the cowboy came back.
So quietly did he approach, and so unexpected was his appearance
that Nort and Dick, on whose side of the improvised "fort" Snake
first showed himself, were startled.
"If that had been any of the Del Pinzo crowd they'd have been on
top of us before we knew it," confessed Nort.
"Not much!" laughed Bud. "Slim has seen Snake coming along this
last three minutes; haven't you, Slim?"
"Yep! I noticed him, but I didn't say anythin'," acknowledged the
foreman. "I seen that he was alone. But what's the verdict,
Snake?" he asked, anxiously. "Are they gittin' ready t' come at
us here, or are they leavin'?"
"Neither one," was the answer, "but they're gettin' ready to do
suthin! They're all in a bunch in the middle of that place,
holdin' a confab, I reckon. It's hard to say what they are up to.
But I got a hunch that if we rushed 'em we could throw a scare
int' 'em, anyhow."
"Do you think they know we're here?" asked Bud.
"Oh, sure!" was the answer. "At least they saw us an' heard us
when we reached that crack. But of course they can only guess
what we're up to now, when we didn't rush 'em first shot. They
might have known, though, what our plans was, if I hadn't cracked
their spy on the head!" said Snake, calmly.
"You did what?" asked Slim.
"Just as I got t' th' place where I could look in," went on the
cowboy, "I saw one of them Greasers up t' the same trick I was
tryin' to pull off. He was sneakin' down this way, but I saw him
first. Caught a glimpse of his head around the edge of a rock; I
just reached out with my gun and tapped him on the noodle."
"Kill him?" asked Dick.
"No. Guess not. Just stretched him out so he can't go back an'
tell any tales for a time. Now the way I figger it is this:
They'll be waitin' for a report on what their spy sees, same as
you was waitin' for me t' come back. Only their spy won't show up
for a couple o' hours, an' that gives us a chance to act."
"What had we better do?" asked Yellin' Kid.
"Rush 'em!" instantly decided Snake. "Let's git t' that openin'
as quiet as we can, an' rush right for 'em! This rest has
freshened our horses, an' we're in better shape now."
"Not so much so, as far as horses go," dubiously declared Slim.
"They're pretty badly spent, and can't do much racin'. But I
guess maybe it is better for us t' get into action, instid of
waitin' for that bunch t' come here. As Snake says, they'll be
lookin' for their spy t' come back, an' maybe we can take 'em
unawares."
So, after some further talk, it was decided to mount again, ride
to the opening that led from the main trail into the hiding place
of the outlaws, and boldly attack them.
True, our friends were outnumbered, but they had right on their
side, and this sometimes makes a difference. Also they would have
a little advantage, they hoped, in making the attack somewhat
unexpectedly. For though Del Pinzo and his crowd knew the
ranchmen were in the neighborhood they would, as Snake believed,
await the return of the spy they had sent out, before doing
anything.
"An' that spy won't come t' his senses very soon," declared the
avenging cowboy. "When he does he'll have an awful headache!"
As quietly as possible they made their way to the opening. Slim,
as a sort of captain, was in advance of the others and looked in.
He came back to say:
"They're gettin' ready for suthin'! They're all standin' near
their horses, an' seem to be plannin' a move. Get ready t' rush
in when I give the word!"
There was a final look to arms and saddle leathers, and then the
foreman cried:
"Get into action!" at the same time spurring forward his pony, an
example followed by all the others as they rushed into the
defile.
And action there was, but not exactly of the kind the boy
ranchers and their friends anticipated. For Del Pinzo (easily
recognized among the lesser lights of rascaldom) with his
followers, after their first angry shouts, leaped for their
horses. And their agility in that respect spoke well for their
preparedness. In an instant, it seemed, every one of the two
score, and more, was in saddle, and headed out of the defile.
They were retreating--riding away from the following avengers,
and going, it seemed, further into the maze of winding clefts
amid the mountains.
To the credit of Del Pinzo--if credit it be and if he be entitled
to get credit--he rode at the rear, not starting his horse until
all his men had raced away ahead of him.
And then, as Bud, Dick and the others pressed into the defile
after them, the Greaser turned and fired once, but with such
quick action that eye could scarce follow the motion of his hand
and weapon.
There was a sharp crack and the hat of Yellin' Kid, who rode
immediately behind Bud, sailed off his head, at the same time
that a bullet zipped viciously over the pursuers.
"Close call that, Kid!" remarked Snake, leaning over as his horse
galloped forward, and picking up his friend's hat.
"Close nothin'!" snapped out Yellin' Kid. "That was fancy
shootin'! If Del Pinzo wanted to get me he could 'a' done it. He
can mark out th' pips on a ten spot card with his eyes shut,
almost! He shot my hat off just to show he wasn't aimin' t' spill
no innocent blood! But wait until I get him! I'll make him sweat
for that! A hole through brim an' crown! Why couldn't he be
decent about it an' make it one?" grumbled Yellin' Kid as Snake
handed him the hat.
"Never mind that!" shouted Slim Degnan. "If we're going t' get
them fellers we got t' ride!"
That was evident, for even as he spoke Del Pinzo, the last of the
outlaws, disappeared around a turn in the defile. He was "hazing"
his men along to some other hiding place, it appeared. And he and
his rascally followers seemed to know their ground, for they rode
at break-neck pace, without fear of what lay beyond and unseen.
It is likely they had traveled that route before.
Another advantage lay with the rustlers. Their horses were fresh,
for from the negligent attitudes assumed by the men when Dick had
discovered them, it was evident they had been at ease for some
time, whereas the pursuers had been on the trail a long time, and
the way had been rough and stony.
So it is nothing to the discredit of the boy ranchers that they
and their friends were distanced in the first wild rush following
the discovery and alarm.
"Come on!" cried Bud. "Come on!" and he and Dick for the moment
were in the lead, the canyon being wide enough, here, for several
to ride abreast. "We've got to get 'em!"
"And we won't stop until we do!" added his cousin.
But they reckoned not with the roughness of the way, the start
the rustlers had, their fresher horses and the fact that Del
Pinzo and his crowd were more familiar with the trail than were
the boy ranchers. So though our heroes rode on as fast as they
could go with comparative safety, they did not, for some time at
least, again come within sight of the enemy.
"Wait there! Hold on a little!" finally called Slim to Bud, Dick
and Nort, who, in their youthful and natural eagerness, had
forged to the front in a bunch. "Pull up! This isn't a hundred
yard dash! It's going to be a long race!"
Bud was beginning to believe this, and some of his first
exuberance was disappearing. He was getting more cool-headed.
"Let's take it a bit easy," he said to Nort and Dick. "I guess
we've got a long trail to follow."
"But we've got to get 'em!" declared Dick.
"You got rid of something that time!" commented his brother,
meaningly, if slangily. "We're going to make 'em give back our
cattle!"
"Say!" suddenly cried Bud. "That's the queer part of it! Where
are the steers?"
And for the first time it occurred to the minds of the boy
ranchers that of that quarry they had come most in search of they
had had not a glimpse. Not a steer was in sight!
Something of the amazement they felt must have been depicted on
their faces, for when Slim rode up to where the boy ranchers had
halted he asked:
"What's the matter?"
"Where are the cattle?" asked Bud, shouting almost as loudly as
Yellin' Kid would have done. "Did you notice they didn't have a
one with them, Slim?"
"Yes. Are you just waking up to that, Bud?"
"I reckon I am. But what does it mean?"
"It means that there's a deeper game being played than we have
any idea of, son. We've got to go some to get to the bottom!"