A SIDEWINDER.
"Feel like a long gallop this morning?" Sue
asked the boys at breakfast a few days later.
"Never felt more like it," Bob replied and Jack
nodded assent.
"Where you going?" Jeb asked.
"I thought I take them over and show them the
Owl's Head."
"That's quite a piece."
"Only a little over twenty miles. We'll take a
lunch along and be back in time for supper."
"I'm afraid it's hardly safe," Jeb said slowly.
"Oh, bother. You don't suppose Hains and his
gang have been hanging around all this time without
doing anything. That's not his style and you
know it. If he had been near here we'd have heard
from him long before this."
"Probably you're right, but, for goodness sake,
be careful."
"Surest thing you know."
"What's the Owl's Head?" Jack asked.
"Why, it's a big rock up in the hills and it's
shaped almost exactly like the head of an owl. It's
really worth seeing. You aren't afraid, are you?"
she asked.
Of course, both boys quickly assured her that they
were not in the least frightened and she hurried to
the kitchen to see about the lunch. They started
an hour later shortly before nine o'clock. It was a
beautiful cool morning, although a haze in the air
prevented them from being able to see more than
an indistinct outline of the hill some ten miles away.
"We'd better take it easy," Sue cautioned them as
they rode out of the yard. "It's pretty hard
climbing once we get to the hills and we want the horses
fresh when we start on it."
She struck off at an easy lope, which any one of
the horses could maintain all day, and they followed
close behind. They had ridden for a little over an
hour when she suddenly drew rein and stopped.
"Can you see anything that looks like a man over
there?" she asked pointing in the direction they had
had been going.
"There seems to be something moving there,"
Bob replied, shading his eyes. "How about it,
Jack?"
"I see it, but it's too far away to tell what it is."
"Maybe it's one of the boys," Sue suggested as
they started on again.
"How come we haven't seen any cattle?" Bob
asked.
"They're all over on the south range now," Sue
told him.
"Don't see anything of that fellow or whatever
it was," Jack declared a half-hour later.
"No, he seems to have disappeared," Bob agreed.
Sue had been very quiet since they had seen the
object and it just then occurred to Bob that she
seemed a bit worried.
"What's wrong?" he asked pulling up close behind her.
"Nothing. Why?"
"You seem so quiet-like."
"Oh, I get that way, sometimes. I was just
thinking."
"About that thing we saw?"
"Maybe."
"Think we'd better turn back?"
"How come?"
"Well, it's better to be careful, than sorry, you
know."
"Oh, I dare say it was only a deer or something.
Come on."
A short time later they reached the foot-hills and,
after a short rest they started on the climb. It was
not steep at first and a winding trail, only wide
enough for them to ride in single file, made it easy
enough. But as they got higher it became steeper
and the path rougher until the horses were obliged
to pick a place for each step with the greatest care.
"How much of this is there?" Jack laughed, during
one of their frequent stops to give the horses a
breathing spell.
"It's about five miles to the top and it's another
five down on the other side. But, cheer up, we've
come nearly a mile and it doesn't get much worse
than this."
"Let's be thankful for small favors," Bob laughed.
"Oh, I think it's fun," Jack assured them.
The hills were heavily wooded and in many places
there was hardly more than room for them to pass
between the trees, so closely did they grow on either
side of the trail.
"Hark!"
Sue, who was riding a few feet ahead of Bob,
pulled up her horse. "Listen," she said.
A sound as if someone was shaking dried peas
in a pasteboard box was plainly heard.
"What is it?" Bob asked.
"It's a sidewinder."
"A what?"
"Why, a sidewinder."
"Guess you'll have to explain."
"Oh, I forgot. It's a rattlesnake. We call them
sidewinders out here."
"Can you see him?"
"No, but he's right behind that rock just ahead."
As she spoke she drew a small but efficient
appearing automatic from her pocket and touched
Lady's sides with her heels. As the mare took a
step forward the rattling sound became louder and,
leaning over to one side, Bob saw an ugly head rear
itself from behind the rock. At the same instant a
sharp crack split the air and the head fell back.
"Got him," she cried, and they could hear a violent
thrashing behind the rock.
"There may be another," Sue cautioned them, as
she slipped from her horse.
She stood for a moment holding the reins in one
hand and the gun in the other. "I guess he was a
bachelor," she said as the sound of the writhing
ceased and no more rattling was heard.
By this time the boys, too, had dismounted and,
leading their horses, they followed her as she stepped
toward the rock.
"All right, he's dead," she said a moment later
and, stepping up a bit closer, they saw the snake
stretched out at full length, which was not less than
five feet and with a bullet hole through its head.
"Some snake!" Jack gasped.
"Some snake is right," Bob agreed.
"I'll bet he's a twin brother of that one Slim saw
going into his hole," Jack declared.
"Not quite," Sue laughed. "But he is a pretty
good sized one."
"Do they come any larger?" Bob asked.
"Well, I don't know's I ever saw but one larger.
One of the boys killed one last year that only lacked
an inch of being six feet and I've heard tell of seven
and eight-footers, but I take them with a grain of
salt."
"It would sure take some grain to digest that one
of Slim's," Jack laughed.
With the aid of a stick Bob drew the snake out
of the path and they remounted and started on again.
Up and still up the trail led until Jack declared that
they would be in the clouds if they did not get to
the top before long.
"It's only about two miles farther," Sue laughed.
"It must be the top of the world, then," Bob declared.
It was just noon when finally they arrived at the
summit. For the last hundred yards there had been
no trees, nothing but rock, and the view was one
never to be forgotten. Not far away, perhaps ten
miles from where they stood, ran the Rio Grande,
separating the United States from Mexico, and
beyond stretched wooded hills as far as the eye could
see.
"The first time I ever saw out of the United
States," Bob said.
"Same here," Jack agreed.
"I've been here a number of times and have, of
course, seen it, but I've never been over the line, or
rather the river," Sue told them.
After enjoying the view for a few minutes they
began the descent. After the first few hundred feet
the trail was much smoother than on the way up
and, as the slope was much more gentle, they made
good progress and, in less than an hour had reached
their destination.
"Here we are," Sue cried as she pulled her horse
up and slipped from the saddle.
Following her outstretched hand with their eyes
they saw the rock, perched at the top of a low cliff
about a hundred yards from where they stood. As
she had told them, it was an almost perfect image
of an owl's head and for some moments they stared
at it in wonder.
"Isn't it worth the trip?" she asked
"It sure is," Bob told her and Jack declared that
he would go twice as far to see it.
They remained there for an hour during which
time they ate their lunch and allowed the horses to
graze a short distance away where there was plenty
of grass. They started back about two o'clock and
had nearly reached the top when Sue, who was a
short distance ahead of the boys, held up her hand
at the same time stopping her horse.
"There's some horsemen coming up the trail," she
said as they rode up. "Hear them?"
"They listened and the sound of iron shod hoofs
striking the stones reached their ears.
"There's quite a number of them and I think
we'd better get out of sight till they go by," she
suggested.
"You think----" Bob began but she interrupted.
"You never can tell in this country. Of course,
they may be all right, but then again, they may be
all wrong."
While she was speaking she was leading the way
to the right of the trail where dense bushes soon hid
them from the view of anyone on the pathway.
"There, I reckon this is far enough," she said
slipping from her saddle. "I don't believe they can
see us here."
The boys dismounted and they stood there holding
their horses by the bridles. They could soon
hear the men talking and laughing as they came up
the trail and, as Sue had said, it was evident that
there were not less than seven or eight in the party.
"I'm going to try and get a look at them," Bob
whispered, handing his reins to Jack.
"It'll be pretty risky," Sue told him. "But I
would like to know who they are. But be mighty
careful they don't see you."
"You bet I will," he promised as he left them and
crept through the thick brush back the way they had
come.
He was obliged to hurry for fear they would pass
before he could get to where he could see them, but
he was used to passing noiselessly through the forest,
having been taught the art by an old Indian up in
Northern Maine, and not a bush moved nor did a
sound betray his movements. The voices of the
approaching party were rapidly becoming more plainly
audible and by the time he had gotten as near the
trail as he dared and had thrown himself at full
length behind a convenient bush from where he had
a fair view of the trail, they were close at hand. He
tried to catch some of the words but was unable to
get the drift of the conversation, as they were
speaking Spanish and, although he had some knowledge
of the language, they spoke too fast for him to follow
it.
In a moment the leader came in sight, a big man,
riding a dark brown horse. He wore an old black
sweater and heavy corduroy trousers, while his head
was covered with a broad-brimmed felt hat. Somewhat
to his disappointment he noticed that the man's
hair was coal black.
"That's not Red Hains," he thought. "Unless
he's dyed his hair."
The leader was closely followed by a second man
fully as large and dressed much the same except that
he wore a faded brown coat in place of the sweater.
The rest of the party, six in number, were of much
the same type but not one of them had red hair.
"That's about as tough-looking a bunch as I'd
care to see," Bob thought. "But I guess it's not
Hains' gang. At any rate, he's not with them."
The last man had come in sight when the leader
stopped.
"There's been a party along here," Bob heard him
say to the man behind him and he spoke English.
"What mak' you tink so?" his companion asked,
and from his accent Bob knew that he was a Canuck.
"Don't yer think I've got eyes?" the black-haired
man snapped.
"I tink you got ver' smart eye, you see dat."
By this time they were all bunched close together
and Bob could see that the leader was pointing out
to the others the signs by which he knew that
someone had been over the trail.
"Not an hour ago," he heard him say.
"Then why didn't we meet 'em?" a man asked.
"Because they must have turned off the trail," the
leader replied.
"Maybe they hide," another of the party suggested.
"Just what I was thinking," the leader said
quickly. "And it's up to us to find out who they
are and where they went. You stay here and I'll
scout a bit."
Bob waited to hear no more but crept softly back
the way he had come.
"There are eight of them and they're a pretty
rough-looking crowd, but none of them has red
hair," he told Sue and Jack as soon as he reached
them.
"Have they gone on?" Sue asked.
"No, the leader saw our tracks and is coming to
look for us."
"You say it isn't Red Hains?"
"Not if Red Hains has red hair. This fellow's
hair is as black as night."
"What we going to do?" Jack asked.
"There's only one thing we can do," Sue replied.
"And that's----?"
"Wait right here. You see, they'd be sure to
catch us if we ran for it and that would only make
it worse. Perhaps they won't find us but they probably
will, and if they do, you let me do the talking."
As Sue had known it was not a difficult thing to
follow their trail through the thick bushes, and in
a very short time the black-haired man stood before
them. He was on foot, having left his horse with
the others.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
"I am Sue Stebbins and this is Bob Lakewood
and this Jack Lakewood. Who are you?" Sue
showed no fear as she answered.
"Who I am don't matter," the man snapped.
"What are you doing here?"
"Is it any of your business?" Sue asked quietly.
"If I choose to make it. I'm not alone," the man
scowled.
"Well, then, we were riding," she told him.
"Riding where?"
"Home."
"Where's home?"
"About fifteen miles from here."
"The Lazy S?"
"Yes."
"Where you been?"
"To see the Owl's Head."
"Where's that?"
"Guess you must be a stranger around here if
you don't know where the Owl's Head is."
"Maybe. But you haven't told me where it is."
"It's at the foot of the hills."
"What is it?"
"Why, it's a big rock shaped like an owl's head."
"And you came from the Lazy S just to see it?"
"Yes, but why all the questions? It's a free
country, isn't it?"
"For some people," the man scowled.
"Well, it is for us, so we'll be going. Come on,
boys." She gathered up her reins as if about to
mount.
"Not quite so fast," the man snapped. "I've got
another question to ask you."
"Well, make it snappy. It's getting late."
"Why did you hide when you heard us coming?"
"I thought you'd ask that. Suppose I don't choose
to tell you."
"You'd better."
"Why?"
"Never mind why. You answer my question."
"Is that a threat?"
"Perhaps."
"Well, I don't like threats." Sue's black eyes
snapped as she spoke and both the boys wondered
what was coming next. "So I don't think I will
tell you. Now what are you going to do about it?"
"I'll soon show you," and the man took a step
forward, but Bob, unable to keep his hands off any
longer, sprang in front of him.
"You keep your hands off her," he demanded.
"And if I don't?"
"I'll make you."
"You'll do what?" the man sneered.
"Try it and see."
The man hesitated a moment, and Bob wondered
what was passing in his mind. It was hardly
conceivable, he thought, that he was afraid of him,
especially when he had his friends so near at hand.
Perhaps it was something in the girl's eyes that
made him draw back. At any rate, he made no
further movement toward her, and after giving Bob
an angry look, turned and strode off without
another word.
"Well, what do you know about that?" Jack asked
as soon as he had disappeared.
"I thought I could bluff him," Sue said, "but if
you hadn't stepped up to him as you did, I don't
know as it would have worked," she added turning
to Bob.
"Well, I'm mighty glad he let it go at that," Bob
assured her. "I would have been a baby in his
hands."
"I'm not so sure of that," Sue said with an admiring
glance at him. "I'll bet you would have kept
him busy."
"I'll say he would," Jack assured her. "Bob's
some scrapper and knows how to take care of
himself when it comes to a rough and tumble."
They waited as the sound of the men's voices
grew more and more faint and when they could no
longer be heard, Sue proposed that they start.
"I was afraid that they'd come back, but I guess
they've really gone," she said.
They made their way slowly back to the trail stopping
to listen now and then, but there was no sign
of the men and, as soon as they reached the path,
they started for home as fast as they dared urge
the horses. They had covered about half the
distance down the other side of the mountain when
Bob, who was in the lead, rounded a huge rock
which hid the trail from view, and almost ran into
a man, mounted on a roan horse. He was a man
well over the average in size and had an abundant
crop of long red hair: Red Hains beyond the shadow
of a doubt.
Bob looked at the man for a moment too dazed
to speak, and the big man returned the scrutiny, a
cynical smile parting his lips.
"Wall, do yer see it?" he finally growled.
"I beg your pardon," Bob smiled. "You see, the
surprise was so great that I fear I was a bit rude."
"Rude, eh, wall, I should say yer was rude,
staring at a man like he was a wild animal. Whar
yer goin'?"
"Down the hill."
"Don't yer 'spose I kin tell that much? I mean,
what's yer destination? Is that plain?"
"Oh, you want to know where I live?"
"That's it."
"I live in Maine."
"Yer trying ter kid me?"
"No. You asked me where I live and I told you."
"Whar yer stoppin' now?" the man demanded in
an angry tone.
"At the Lazy S."
"Now yer gettin' down ter brass tacks. Why
didn't yer say so in the first place and save all the
wind?"
Bob made no reply to this question and, after a
moment, the man asked:
"Did yer meet some men a while back?"
"Yes."
"Whar 'bouts?"
"Just over the top of the hill."
"Wall, if yer know when yer well off yer'll keep
a still tongue in yer head 'bout havin' seen them an'
me, too," the man threatened as he started his horse
and pushed past them.
"That was Red Hains," Sue said as soon as he
was out of hearing.
"I reckon there's no doubt of it," Bob agreed.
"And those others must be his gang," Jack added.
"Surest thing you know," Bob assured him.
"Well, he sure does look the part," Sue declared
with a shrug of her shoulders. "I wish they could
catch him."
"A consummation devoutly to be desired," Bob
smiled. "But I imagine he's a pretty slippery
customer."
"You said it," Sue affirmed.
"Do you suppose his hiding place is anywhere in
these hills? I mean the place where he hides the
cattle he steals," Jack asked.
"It's more than likely," Sue replied. "You see,
it's only a few miles to the border and he'd
naturally choose a place not too far from the line so
that he wouldn't have to drive them very far."
"It seems likely," Bob agreed. Then, after a
moment's pause, he said: "I've an idea. Jack, you
ride home with Sue and I'll follow that fellow a bit
and who knows but I may find out where they hang
up."
"Not on your life," Sue objected. "Boy, you
don't know what you'd be up against. It's not
like your Maine woods where you know your way
around. Besides, they're bad men, who would think
no more of killing you than they would of shooting
a steer."
"But I wouldn't let them catch me," Bob argued.
"Maybe not, but then again they might. They
know this country and you don't and that gives them
a big advantage."
"But think of the opportunity. They are probably
on the way to their hiding place and there may
never be so good a chance again. It's worth the
risk."
"No, it isn't. Remember, I'm responsible for you
till we get back to the ranch."
"But I'll be mighty careful and won't go far."
"Suppose you get lost?"
"Not a chance. You see, I couldn't get lost on
these hills, as all I'd have to do would be to keep
on down hill till I got to the bottom and then I'd
be out of the woods."
They argued the matter for some moments and
finally Sue gave a reluctant consent, although Jack
shook his head and urged him to go on with them.
But Bob declared that it would be almost criminal
to let such a chance slip, and after a while he, too,
gave in.
"But you be home before dark," was Sue's final
command as they started off again.
"Sure thing," Bob agreed as he turned his horse
up the trail.