SURPRISE VALLEY
Hopalong turned and crawled away from the lurid scene, his friends
following him closely. As soon as they dared they arose to their feet
and jogged toward where their horses waited, and soon rode slowly
northeastward, heading on a roundabout course for Sweet Spring.
"Take it easy," cautioned Hopalong. "We don't want to get ahead of 'em
yet. If my eyes are any good th' four that got away are Kane, Corwin,
Trask, an' a Greaser. What you say?"
Reaching the arid valley through which Sand Creek would have flowed had
it not been swallowed up by the sands, they drew on their knowledge
of it and crossed on hard ground, riding at a walk and cutting
northeastward so as to be well above the course of the fleeing four,
after which they turned to the southeast and approached the spring from
the north. Reaching the place of their former vigil they dismounted,
picketed the horses in the sandy hollow and lay down behind the crest
of the ridge. Half an hour passed and then Johnny's roving eyes caught
sight of a small group of horsemen as it popped up over a rise in the
desert floor. A moment later and the group strung out in single file to
round a cactus chaparral and revealed four horsemen, riding hard. The
fugitives raced up to Bitter Spring, tarried a few moments, and went on
again, slowly growing smaller and smaller, and then a great slope of
sand hid them from sight.
Hopalong grunted and arose, scanning their back trail. "They've been so
long gettin' out here that I'm bettin' they did a god job hidin' their
trail. I can see Mac an' his gang ridin' circles an' gettin' madder
every minute. Well, we can go on, now. By goin' th' way I went before
we won't be seen."
"How long will it take us?" asked Red, brushing sand from his clothes
as he stood up.
"Followin' th' pace they're settin' we ought to be there tonight,"
answered Hopalong. "Give th' cayuses all they can drink. If them
fellers hold us off out there we'll have to run big risks gettin' our
water from that crick. Well, let's get started."
The hot, monotonous ride over the desert need not be detailed. They
simply followed the tracks made by Hopalong on his previous visit and
paid scanty attention to the main trail south of them, contenting
themselves by keeping to the lowest levels mile after burning mile.
It was evening when they stopped where their guide had stopped before
and after waiting for nightfall they went on again in the moonlight,
circling as Hopalong had circled and when they stopped again it was
to dismount where he had dismounted behind a ridge. They picketed and
hobbled the weary, thirsty horses and went ahead on foot. Following
instructions Red left them and circled to the south to scout around
the great ridge of rock before taking up his position at the head of
the slanting trail from the valley. His companions kept on and soon
crawled to the rim of the valley, removed their sombreros and peered
cautiously over the edge. The faint glow of the fire behind the adobe
hut in the west end of the sink shone in the shadows of the great
rock walls and reflected its light from bowlders and brush. Below
them cattle and the horses of the caviya grazed over the well-cropped
pasture and a strip of silver told where the little creek wandered
toward its effacement. Moving back from the rim they went on again,
looking over from time to time and eventually reached the point nearly
over the fire, where they could hear part of the conversation going on
around it, when the voices raised above the ordinary tones.
"You haven't a word to say!" declared Kane, his outstretched hand
leveled at Trask, the once-favored deputy-sheriff. "If it wasn't for
your personal spite, and your d--d avarice, we wouldn't be in this mess
tonight! You had no orders to do that."
Trask's reply was inaudible, but Corwin's voice reached them.
"I told him to let Nelson alone," said the sheriff. "He was dead set to
get square for him cuttin' into th' argument with Idaho. But as far as
avarice is concerned, you got yore part of th' eleven hundred."
"Might as well, seeing that the hand had been played!" retorted Kane.
"What's more, I'm going to keep it. Anybody here think he's big enough
to get any part of it?"
"Nobody here wants it," said Roberts. "Th' boys I had with me,
an' Miguel, an' myself have reasons to turn this camp fire into a
slaughter, but we're sinkin' our grievances because this ain't no time
to air 'em. I'm votin' for less squabblin'. We ain't out of this yet,
an' we got four hundred head to get across th' desert. Time enough,
later, to start fightin'. I'm goin' off to turn in where there ain't so
much fool noise. I've near slept on my feet an' in th' saddle. Fight
an' be d--d!" and he strode from the fire, keen eyes above watching his
progress and where it ended.
The hum around the fire suffered no diminution by his departure, but
the words were not audible to the listeners above. Soon Corwin angrily
arose and left the circle, his blankets under his arm. His course also
was marked. Then the two Mexicans went off, and the eager watchers
chuckled softly as they saw the precious pair take lariats from the
saddles of two picketed horses and slip noiselessly toward the feeding
caviya. Roping fresh mounts, and the pick of the lot, they made the
ropes fast and went back to the other horses. Soon they returned with
their riding equipment and blankets, saddled the fresh mounts and,
spreading the blankets a few feet beyond the radius of the picket
ropes, they rolled up and soon were asleep.
"Sensitive to danger as hounds," muttered Johnny.
"Cunnin' as coyotes," growled Hopalong, glancing at the clear-cut,
rocky rim across the valley, where Red by this time lay ensconced. "I
hope he remembers to drop their cayuses first--Miguel's worth more to
us alive."
"An' easier to take back," whispered Johnny. "We want 'em _all_
alive--an' we'd never get 'em that way if they wasn't so played out.
They'll sleep like they are dead--luck is with us."
Down at the dying camp fire Kane, his back to the hut, talked with
Trask in tones which seemed more friendly, but the deputy was in no
way lulled by the change. He sensed a flaming animosity in the fallen
boss, who blamed him for the wreck of his plans and the organization.
Muttering a careless good night, Trask picked up his blankets and went
off, leaving the bitter man alone with his bitterness.
Tired to the marrow of his bones, so sleepy that to remain awake was a
torture, the boss dared not sleep. In the company of five men who were
no longer loyal, whose greed exceeded his own, and each of whom nursed
a real or fancied grudge against him and who searched into the past,
into the days of his contemptuous treatment of them for fuel and yet
more fuel to feed the fires of their resentment, he dared not close his
eyes. On his person was a modest fortune compacted by the size of the
bills and so well distributed that unknowing eyes would not suspect its
presence; but these men knew that he would not leave his wealth behind
him, to be perhaps salvaged from a hot and warped safe in the smoking
ruins of his gambling-house.
He stirred and gazed at the glowing embers and an up-shooting tongue of
flame lighted up the small space so vividly that its portent shocked
through to his dulled brain and sent him to his feet with the speed
and silence of a frightened cat. He was too plain a target and too
defenseless in the lighted open, and like a ghost he crept away into
the darker shadows under the great stone cliff, to pace to and fro in
an agonizing struggle against sleep. Back and forth he strode, his
course at times erratic as his enemy gained a momentary victory; but
his indomitable will shook him free again and again; and such a will it
was that when sleep finally mastered him it did not master his legs,
for he kept walking in a circular course like a blind horse at a ginny.
When he had leaped to his feet and left the hut the watchers above kept
him in sight and after the first few moments of his pacing they worked
back from the valley's rim and slipped eastward.
"Here's th' best place," said Hopalong, turning toward the rim again.
They looked over and down a furrow in the rock wall. "We'll need two
ropes. It'll take one, nearly, to reach from here to that knob of rock
an' go around it. Red's got a new hemp rope--bring that, too. If he
squawks about us cuttin' it, I'll buy him a new one. Got to have tie
ropes."
Johnny hastened away and when he returned he threw Red's lariat on the
ground, and joined the other two. Fastening one end around the knob of
rock he dropped the other over the wall and shook it until he could see
that it reached the steep pile of detritus. Picking up the hemp rope
he was about to drop it, too, when caution told him it would make less
noise if carried down. Slinging it over his shoulder he crept to the
edge, slid over, grasped the rope and let himself down. Seeing he was
down his companion was about to follow when Johnny's whisper checked
him.
"Canteens--better fill 'em while it's easy."
Hopalong drew his head back and disappeared and it was not much of
a wait before the rope was jerking up the wall and returned with a
canteen. To send down more than one at a time would be to risk them
banging together. When they all were down Johnny took them and slipped
among the bowlders, Hopalong watching his progress. For caution's sake
the water carrier took two trips from the creek and sent them up again
one at a time. Soon his friend slid down, glanced around, took the hemp
rope and cut it into suitable lengths, giving half of the pieces to
Johnny and then without a word started for the west end of the valley,
treading carefully, Johnny at his heels.
Roberts, sleeping the sleep of the exhausted, awoke in a panic, a
great weight on his legs, arms, and body, and a pair of sinewy thumbs
pressing into his throat. His struggles were as brief as they were
violent and when they ceased Hopalong arose from the quiet legs and
released the limp arms while his companion released the throat hold
and took his knees from the prostrate chest. In a few minutes a quiet
figure lay under the side of a rock, its mouth gagged with a soiled
neckerchief and the new hemp rope gleaming from ankles, knees, and
wrists.
Corwin, his open mouth sonorously announcing the quality of his
fatigue, lay peacefully on his back, tightly rolled up in his blankets.
Two faint shadows fell across him and then as Johnny landed on his
chest and sunk the capable thumbs deep into the bronzed throat on
each side of the windpipe, Hopalong dropped onto the blanket-swathed
legs and gripped the encumbered arms. This task was easy and in a few
minutes the sheriff, wrapped in his own blankets like a mummy, also
wore a gag and several pieces of new hemp rope, two strands of which
passed around his body to keep the blanket rolled.
The two punchers carried him between two bowlders, chuckled as they put
him down and stood up to grin at each other. The blanket-rolled figure
amused them and Johnny could not help but wish Idaho was there to
enjoy the sight. He moved over against his companion and whispered.
"Shore," answered Hopalong, smiling. "Go ahead. It's only fair. He
knocked you on th' head. I'll go up an' spot Kane. Did it strike you
that he must have a lot of money on him to be so h--l-bent to stay
awake? I don't like him pacin' back an' forth like that. It may mean a
lot of trouble for us; an' them Greasers are too nervous to suit me.
When yo're through with Trask slip off an' watch them Mexicans. Don't
pay no attention to me no matter what happens. Stick close to them two.
I'll give you a hand with 'em as soon as I can get back. If you have to
shoot, don't kill 'em," and the speaker went cautiously toward the hut.
Johnny removed his boots and, carrying them, went toward the place
where he had seen the deputy bed down; but when he reached the spot
Trask was not there. Thanking his ever-working bump of caution for
his silent and slow approach he drew back from the little opening
among the rocks and tackled the problem in savage haste. There was no
time to be lost, for Hopalong was not aware that any of the gang was
roaming around and might not be as cautious as he knew how to be. Why
had Trask forsaken his bed-ground, and when? Where had he gone and
what was he doing? Cursing under his breath Johnny wriggled toward the
creek where he could get a good view of the horses. Besides the two
picketed near the sleeping Mexicans none were saddled nor appeared to
be doing anything but grazing. Going back again Johnny searched among
the bowlders in frantic haste and then decided that there was only
one thing to do, and that was to head for the hut and get within sight
of his friend. Furious because of the time he had lost he started for
the new point and finally reached the hut. If Trask was inside he had
to know it and he crept along the wall, pausing only to put his ear
against it, turned the corner and leaped silently through the door, his
arms going out like those of a swimmer. The hut was empty. Relieved for
the moment he slipped out again and started to go toward Kane.
"I'll bet a month's pay--" he muttered and then stopped, his mind
racing along the trail pointed out by the word. Pay! That was money.
Money? As Hopalong had said, Kane must have plenty of it on him--money?
Like a flash a possible solution sprang into his mind. Kane's money!
Trask was a thief, and what would a thief do if he suspected that the
life savings of a man like Kane might easily be stolen? And especially
when he had been so angered by the possessor of the wealth?
"I got to move _pronto_!" he growled. "I'm no friend of Kane's but I
ain't goin' to have him killed--not by a coyote like Trask, anyhow. We
got to have him alive, too. An' Hoppy?" His reflections were such that
by the time he came in sight of Kane his feelings were a cross between
a mad mountain lion and an active volcano. He stopped again and looked,
his mind slowly forsaking rage in favor of suspicion. Kane was walking
around in a circle, his eyes closed; his feet were rising and falling
mechanically and with an exaggerated motion.
"War dancin'?" thought Johnny. "What would he do that for? He ain't
no Injun. I'm sayin' he's loco. Kane loco? Like h--l! Fellers like
him don't get loco. Makin' medicine? I just said he ain't no Injun.
Prancin' around in th' moonlight, liftin' his feet like they had
ropes to 'em to jerk 'em. An' with his eyes close shut! I'm gettin'
a headache an' I'm settin' tight till I get th' hang of this walkin'
Willy. Mebby he thinks he's workin' a charm; but if he is he ain't
goin' to run it on me!"
He pressed closer against the bowlder which sheltered him and searched
the surroundings again, slowly, painstakingly. Then there came a low
rustling sound, as though a body were being dragged across dried grass.
It was to his left and not far away. If it is possible to endow one
sense with the total strength of all the others, then his ears were so
endowed. Whether or not they were strengthened to an unusual degree
they nevertheless heard the rubbing of soft leather on the bowlder he
lay against, and he held his breath as he reversed his grip on the Colt.
"Hoppy, or Trask?" he wondered, glad that his head did not project
beyond the rock. A quick glance at the milling Kane showed no change
in that person's antics and he felt certain that he had not been
detected by the boss. He froze tighter if it is possible to improve on
perfection, for his ears caught a renewal of the sounds. Then his eyes
detected a slow movement and focussed on a shadowy hand which fairly
seemed to ooze out beyond the rock. When he discerned a ring on one of
the fingers he knew it was not Hopalong, for his friend wore no ring.
That being so, it only could be Trask who was creeping along the other
side of the rock. Johnny glanced again at the peripatetic gang leader
and back to the creeping hand, and wondered how high in the air its
owner would jump if it were suddenly grabbed. Then he mentally cursed
himself, for his independent imagination threatened to make him laugh.
He could feel the tickle of mirth slyly pervading him and he bit his
lip with an earnestness which cut short the mirth. The hand stopped and
the heel of it went down tightly against the earth as though bearing
a gradual strain. Johnny was reassured again, for Trask never would
be stalking Kane if he had the slightest suspicion that enemies, or
strangers, were in the valley, and he hazarded another glance at Kane.
The mechanical walker was drawing near the rock again and in a few
steps more would turn his back to it and start away. By this time
Johnny had solved the riddle, for although such a thing was beyond any
experience of his, his wild guess began to be accepted by him: Kane was
walking in his sleep. Where was Hopalong? He hoped his friend would not
try to capture the boss until he, himself, had taken care of Trask.
This must be his first duty, and knowing what Trask would do very
shortly he prepared to do it.
He got into position to act, moving only when the slight sound of
Kane's footfalls would cover the barely audible noise of his own
movements. Kane's rounding course brought him nearer and then several
things happened at once. The owner of the hand leaped from behind the
rock and as his head popped out into sight a Colt struck it, and then
Johnny started for Kane; but as he reached his feet something hurtled
out of the shadows to his right and bore the boss to the ground. Then
came the sound of another gun-butt meeting another head and the swiftly
moving figure seemed to rebound from the boss and sail toward Johnny,
who had started to meet it. He swerved suddenly and muttered one word,
just as Hopalong swerved from his own course. They both had turned in
the same direction and came together with a force which nearly knocked
them out. Holding to each other to keep their feet, they recovered
their breath and without a word separated at a run, Hopalong going to
Kane and Johnny to Trask. Less dazed by the collision than his friend
was, Johnny finished his work first and then helped Hopalong carry Kane
to the shelter of the rock.
"Good thing you forgot what I said about watchin' them Greasers,"
grunted Hopalong. "It's them next, if--" his words were cut short by
two quick shots, which reverberated throughout the valley, and without
another word he followed his running companion, and scorned cover for
the first few hundred yards.
When they got close to the trail they saw two bulks on it, which the
moonlight showed to be prostrate horses.
"Where are they, Red?" shouted Johnny. "They're th' only ones free!"
"Down near you somewhere," answered the man above, and his words were
proved true by a bullet which hummed past Johnny's ear. He dropped to
his stomach and began to wriggle toward the flash of the gun, Hopalong
already on the way.
Cut off from escape up the trail the two Mexicans tried to work toward
the hut, from which they could put up a good fight; but their enemies
had guessed their purpose and strove to drive them off at a tangent.
Red, watching from the top of the cliff, noticed that the occasional
gun flashes were moving steadily northwestward and believed it safe to
leave his position and take an active hand in the events below. After
their experience on the up-slanting trail the Mexicans would hardly
attempt it again, even though they managed to get back to the foot of
it, which seemed very improbable. The thought became action and the
trail guard started to wriggle down the declivity, keeping close to
the bottom of the wall, where the shadows were darkest. Because of
the necessity for not being seen his progress was slow and quite some
time elapsed before he reached the bottom and obtained cover among the
scattered rocks. The infrequent reports were further away now, and
they seemed to be getting further eastward. This meant that they were
nearer to the hut, and his decision was made in a flash. The hut must
not be won by the fugitives, and he arose and ran for it, bent over
and risking safety for speed. After what seemed to be a long time he
reached the little cleared space among the rocks, bounded across it,
and leaped into the black interior of the hut. Wheeling, he leaned
against the rear wall to recover his breath, watching the open door, a
grim smile on his face. While keeping his weary watch up on the rim he
had craved action, and congratulated himself that he now was a great
deal nearer to it than he was before.
Meanwhile the two fugitives, not stomaching a real stand against the
men whom they had seen exhibit their abilities in Kane's gambling-hall,
had managed to work on a circular course until they were northwest of
the hut and not far from it. This they were enabled to do because they
were not held to a slow and cautious advance by enemies ahead of them,
as were the old Bar-20 pair. They were moving toward the hut, not far
from the north wall of the valley, when they blundered upon Trask. In
a moment he was released and began a frantic search for his gun, which
he found among the rocks not far away. Losing no time he hurried off to
release the man he would have robbed, glad to have his assistance. Kane
went into action like a spring released and began a hot search for his
Colt. When he found it, the cylinder was missing and suspicious noises
not far away from him forced him to abandon the search and seek better
cover, armed only with a deadly and efficient steel club.
Hopalong and Johnny, guided entirely by hearing, followed the
infrequent low sounds in front of them, thinking that they were made
by the Mexicans, and drew steadily away from the hut. The Mexicans,
motionless in their cover, exulted as their scheme worked out and
finally went on again with no one to oppose them. Reaching the last of
the rocky cover they arose and ran across the open, leaped into the hut
and turned, chuckling, to close the door, leaving Trask to his fate.
Warned by instinct they faced about as Red leaped. Miguel dropped under
a clubbed gun, but Manuel, writhing sidewise, raised his Colt only to
have it wrenched from his hand by his shifty opponent. Clinching, he
drew a knife and strove desperately to use it as he wrestled with his
sinewy enemy. At last he managed to force the tip of it against Red's
side, barely cutting the flesh; and turned Red into a raging fury. With
one hand around Manuel's neck and the other gripping the wrist of the
knife-hand, Red smashed his head again and again into the Mexican's
face, his knee pressing against the knifeman's stomach. Suddenly
releasing his neck hold Red twisted, got the knife-arm under his
armpit, gripped the elbow with his other hand and exerted his strength
in a twisting heave. The Mexican screamed with pain, sobbed as Red's
knee smashed into his stomach and dropped senseless, his arm broken and
useless. Red dropped with him and hastily bound him as well as possible
in the poor light from the partly opened door.
He had just finished the knot in the neckerchief when a soft, swift
rustling appraised him of danger and he moved just in time. Miguel's
knife passed through his vest and shirt and pinned him to the
hard-packed floor. Before either could make another move the door
crashed back against the wall and Kane hurtled into the hut, landing
feet first on the wriggling Mexican. He put the knife user out of the
fight and pitched sprawling. His exclamation of surprise told Red that
he was no friend and now, free from the pinning knife, Red pounced on
the scrambling boss.
The other struggles of the crowded night paled into insignificance when
compared to this one. Red's superior strength and weight was offset by
the fatigue of previous efforts, and Kane's catlike speed. They rolled
from one wall to another, pounding and strangling, Kane as innocent of
the ethics of civilized combat as a maddened bobcat, and he began to
fight in much the same way, using his finger-nails and teeth as fast as
he could find a place for them. Red wanted excitement and was getting
it. Torn and bleeding from nails and teeth, his blows lacking power
because of the closeness of the target and his own fatigue, Red shed
his veneer of civilization and fought like a gorilla. Planting his
useful and well-trained knee in the pit of his adversary's stomach,
he gripped the lean throat with both hands and hammered Kane's head
ceaselessly against the hard earth floor, while his thumbs sank deeply
on each side of the gang leader's windpipe. Too enraged to sense the
weakening opposition, he choked and hammered until Kane was limp and,
writhing from his victim's body, he knelt, grabbed Kane in his brawny
arms, staggered to his feet and with one last surge of energy, hurled
him across the hut. Kane struck the wall and dropped like a bag of
meal, his fighting over for the rest of the night.
Red stumbled over the Mexicans, fell, picked himself up, and reeled
outside, fighting for breath, his vision blurred and kaleidoscopic,
staring directly at two men among the rocks but seeing nothing. "Come
one, come all--d--d you!" he gasped.
Trask, thrice wounded, hunted, desperate, fleeing from a man who
seemed to be the devil himself with a six-gun, froze instantly as Red
appeared. Enraged by this unexpected enemy and sudden opposition where
he fondly expected to find none, Trask threw caution to the winds and
raised the muzzle of the Colt. As he pulled the trigger a soaring bulk
landed on his shoulders, knocking the exploding weapon from his hand
and sending him sprawling. Snarling like an animal he twisted around,
wriggled from under and grabbed Johnny's other Colt from its holster.
Before he could use it Johnny's knee pinned it and the hand holding
it to the ground. A clubbed six-gun did the rest and Johnny, calling
to Red to watch Trask, hurried away to see if Roberts and Corwin were
loose. The latter was helpless in the blanket, but Roberts had freed
his feet and was doing well with the knots on his wrists when Johnny's
appearance and growled command put an end to his efforts. He put the
rope back on the kicking feet and arose as Hopalong limped up.
"Phew!" exclaimed Johnny. "This has been a reg'lar night! Here, you
stay with Corwin while I tote this coyote to th' hut." He got Roberts
onto his back and staggered away, soon returning for the sheriff.
Dawn found six bound men in varying physical condition sitting with
their backs to the hut, their wounds crudely dressed and their bounds
readjusted and calculated to stay fixed. Kane was vindictive, his
eyes snapping, and he seethed with futile energy, notwithstanding
the mauling he had received. His lean face, puffed, discolored and
wolfishly cruel, worked with a steadily mounting rage, which found
vent at intervals in scathing vituperative comments about Trask, whom
he still blamed for the predicament in which he found himself. Corwin,
sullen and fearful, kept silent, his fingers picking nervously at the
buckle and strap on the back of his vest. Roberts was angry and defiant
and sneered at his erstwhile boss, sending occasional verbal shafts
into him in justification of Trask. The two Mexicans had sunk into the
black depths of despair and acted as though they were stunned. Trask, a
bitter sneer on his face, glared unflinchingly at the storming boss and
showed his teeth in grim, ironical smiles.
"Th' crossbreed shows th' cur dog when th' wolf is licked," he sneered
in reply to a particularly vicious attack of Kane's. "What you blamin'
me for? You took yore share of Nelson's money, an' took it eager. _You_
heard me!" he snarled. "I don't care who knows it--I got it, an' you
took yore part of it. It was all right _then_, wasn't it? An' you
didn't _know_ it was his--you let him make a fool of you an' wouldn't
listen to me. But as long as you got yourn you didn't care a whole lot
_who_ lost it. Serves you right."
"Shut up!" muttered Roberts.
"Shut up nothin'," jeered Trask. "Think I'm goin' to swing to save a
mad dog like him? Look at him! Look at th' dog breakin' through th'
wolf! _Wolf?_ Huh! Coyote would be more like it. Don't talk to me!" He
looked at the camp fire and at the man busy over it. "I can eat some of
that, Nelson," he said.
Johnny nodded and went on with the cooking.
Sounds of horses clattering down the steep trail suddenly were heard
and not much later Red rode up on a horse he had captured from the
rustlers' caviya and dismounted near the fire. His face was a sight,
but the grin which tried to struggle through the bruises was sincere.
He dropped two saddles to the ground, the saddles belonging to the
Mexicans, which he had stopped to strip from the dead horses on the
trail up the wall.
"Our cayuses went loco near th' crick," he said. "I left Hoppy to take
off th' saddles an' let 'em soak themselves," referring to the three
animals they had left up on the desert the evening before. "I'm all
ready to eat, Kid. How's it shapin' up?"
"Grab yore holt," grunted Johnny. He stood up to rest his back. "Mebby
it would be more polite to feed our guests first," he grinned.
Red looked at the line-up. "We'll _have_ to feed 'em, I reckon. I
ain't aimin' to untie no hands. Who's first?"
"Don't play no favorites," answered Johnny. "Go up an' down th' line
an' give 'em all a chance." He faced the prisoners. "You fellers like
yore coffee smokin'?" Only two men answered, Roberts and Trask, and
they did not like it smoking hot. "Let it cool a little, Red; no use
scaldin' anybody."
The prisoners had all been fed when Hopalong appeared on another horse
from the rustlers' caviya and swung down. "Smells good, Kid! an' looks
good," he said. "I got all th' saddles on fresh cayuses, waitin'--all
but these here. We'll lead our own cayuses. That Pepper-hoss of yourn
acts lonesome. She ain't lookin' at th' grass, at all." He sat down,
arose part way and felt in his hip pocket, bringing out the cylinder of
a six-gun. Glancing at Kane, to whom it belonged, he tossed it into the
brush and resumed his seat.
Johnny's face broke into a smile and he whistled shrilly. Quick hoof
beats replied and Pepper, her neck arched, stepped daintily across the
little level patch of ground and nosed her master.
"Ha!" grunted Trask. "That's a _hoss_!" A malignant grin spread over
his face and he turned his head to look at Kane. "Kane, how much money,
that money you got on you now, would you give to be on that black back,
up on th' edge of th' valley? _All_ of it, I bet!"
"Shut up!" snapped Roberts, angrily.
"Go to h--l," sneered Trask, and he laughed nastily. "You wait till I
speak my little piece before you tell me to shut up! No dog is goin' to
ride me to a frazzle, blamin' me for this wind-up, without me havin'
somethin' to say about it!" He looked at Red. "What was them two shots
I heard, up there on top? They was th' first fired last night."
"That was me droppin' th' Greasers' cayuses from under 'em on th'
ledge," Red answered. "They was pullin' stakes for th' desert."
"Leavin' us to do th' dancin', huh?" snapped Trask. "All right; I know
another little piece to speak. Where you fellers takin' us?"
Red shrugged his shoulders and went off to get horses for the crowd.
A straggling line of mounted men climbed the cliff trail, the horses of
the inner six fastened by lariats to each other, and three saddleless
animals brought up the rear. They pushed up against the sky line in
successive bumps and started westward across the desert.