THE ROUND UP.
The shriek came from the tent directly in front of
them and for a second Bob's heart seemed to stop
beating. That it was Sue there could be no doubt.
Jack started up but Bob caught him by the arm and
dragged him back.
"S-s--s-h," he whispered. "Wait a minute."
"But----"
"Quiet."
Just then the sound of a man's voice, from around
in front of the tent was heard.
"What in Sam Hill's the matter wid yer?"
For a moment there was no reply then they heard
Sue's voice say:
"I guess I had the nightmare."
"What's the matter?"
This was Hains' voice and came from the tent
to their right.
"'S allright," they heard the man, who had spoken
first, reply, "Gal had a nightmare, that's all."
"She'd better not have 'em any more," they heard
Hains growl and then all was still again.
Bob gave Jack's arm a pull, a signal which he
understood, and they backed slowly into the forest
until they were thirty or more feet from the tent.
"We've found her at any rate," Jack whispered.
"But we haven't got her out yet, not by a long
shot."
"Long shot is right," Jack agreed. "What's the
next move?"
"We've got to wait till everyone gets to sleep again
in the first place. That yell must have woke them all
up."
"It was loud enough to wake the dead pretty near,"
Jack agreed.
"Looks as though they had posted a guard in front
of her tent," Bob suggested.
"No doubt of it. Think we can get the jump on him?"
"Too risky."
"Then what?"
"Well, I'm not sure, of course, but it sounded to
me as though she was pretty close to the back of the
tent and I think our best bet is to get up as close as
we can and try to attract her attention. She probably
won't go to sleep for some time after that scare and
we ought to make her hear without disturbing the
guard. He's apt to be asleep anyhow, especially if
she's tied and I reckon there's not much doubt about
that."
"Good plan," Jack whispered enthusiastically.
"How soon can we try it?"
"I'd say in about a half hour."
The half hour passed after what seemed a long
time and Bob whispered that it was time to make the
attempt.
"But wait a minute," he ordered, and Jack knew
that he was breathing a prayer and his own heart
echoed the silent petition. A few minutes more and
they were again lying close behind the tent. A slight
but distinct sound soon convinced them that the girl
was not asleep but was moving as though to ease
her cramped limbs.
Raising the side of the tent a few inches Bob trust
his face beneath it and whispered faintly.
"Sue."
The moving stopped, but there was no answer.
"Sue," he whispered, this time a trifle louder.
"Who is it?"
The reply was so low that he barely caught the
words.
"It's Bob," he whispered back.
"Thank God!"
There was a volume of relief in the words and
both boys knew how great must have been her fear.
"Are you tied?" Bob asked.
"Yes."
"Both hands and feet?"
"Yes."
"Can you get your hands back close to the side of
the tent?"
"I'll try. Wait a minute."
He got his knife ready and soon he felt her hands
as she pushed them behind her, and in another minute
they were free.
"Now hand me the knife and I'll free my feet," she
whispered with a deep sigh of relief. "Wait a minute
till I get the circulation started and I'll be with you."
"What's the matter in thar? Having another night
horse?"
The boys held their breath as they heard the guard
push aside the flap of the tent. Were they to fail
just when success seemed assured?
"I-I guess not," they heard Sue say.
"Thought I heard you whisperin'."
"If your hands and feet were tied as tight as mine
I reckon you'd do more than whisper," she told him.
"It's too bad, but I don't dare do nuthin'."
"Reckon I can stand it," they heard her tell him.
"Reckon yer'll have ter."
The man went out and the boys could hear her sigh
of relief. For some moments they waited not daring
to whisper again and then a slight movement from
inside the tent warned them that she was edging
closer to the wall of the tent. Bob slipped the guy
rope from one of the pegs and, in another minute
she was on the outside.
Without even a whisper they crept noiselessly back
into the forest until they felt that they were safe.
"How'd you ever find me?" Sue whispered as she
leaned back against a tree.
In a few words Bob told her how they had stumbled
onto the trail and had followed Royce and the
other man to the cache.
"Is Royce here?" she asked in surprise.
"Yes, he's here."
"But I thought--" she began, but Bob interrupted
her.
"Just a minute and you'll understand."
"And you mean that he said he'd stay with that
gang?" she asked after he had told her about the
bargain Hains had made.
"That's what he said, but I honestly believe he
had a motive back of it. You see, he probably
thought it was the only way he could help you."
"And you say they're holding him prisoner now?"
"Yes."
"Then we've got to rescue him."
"I wish we could but I'm afraid it's impossible,"
Bob told her sadly.
"Why is it?" she asked.
"Because two of the men are guarding him and
Hains threatened them if they let him get away."
"But when they find I've escaped they'll most likely
kill him," she insisted.
Neither of the boys had any answer to this and,
after a moment's wait she continued:
"Couldn't we do it the same as you did for me?"
"I don't see how," Jack spoke for the first time
since they had mentioned Royce. "You see if they've
got him in one of the tents it's dead certain that he
isn't there alone and we couldn't make him know that
we're here without telling some of the gang at the
same time."
"Jack's right," Bob declared. "I'd risk most
anything to get him out of their clutches but that
wouldn't be a risk, it'd be a dead sure thing."
"But it's awful when he gave himself up to save
me," Sue moaned.
"I know it is," Bob agreed, "but it seems to me the
best thing we can do for him is to get back as soon as
we can and bring the boys in here."
"But you'll never be able to find your way back
home in this darkness," she objected.
"Gracious, I never thought of that, and we're a
long way from home too," Bob sighed.
"And it would be worse than useless to try and
find our way back tonight," Jack added.
"Then what can we do?" Sue asked.
"I think we'd better get a little farther away from
here the first thing," Bob advised. "You see that
fellow may miss you most any time and he'll raise the
camp when he does."
He had hardly spoken when they heard a shout
from the direction of the tent.
"The gal's gone," a man cried and a moment later
there was a perfect bedlam of shouts as they evidently
realized that someone must have helped her escape.
"Keep close together and make as little noise as
possible," Bob ordered as he sprang to his feet.
He had little idea in which direction he ought to
go, but his one thought was to avoid the trail and to
put much distance between them and the camp as
possible. The moon was still hidden, although the
rain had held off, and they were obliged to go slowly
to avoid running into the trees. From the sounds
behind them they knew that the outlaws were already
scattering to take up the search and Bob blamed
himself that they had waited so long.
Fifteen minutes passed and they could hear men
on both sides of them as they beat the woods and
several times flashes of light told them that some, at
least, of the outlaws had electric flashlights. It was
only a question of time, Bob thought, when they
would be caught and he shuddered to think what
would become of them. But he did not lose heart,
instead he urged the others to greater speed
although he knew that they were going about as fast
as was possible.
"Don't get separated whatever you do," he cautioned.
"You can't lose us," Sue panted close at his heels.
"'And Jack came tumbling after'," Jack added
cheerful even in the face of danger.
"Do you know which way we're going?" Sue
asked a few minutes later.
"I'm pretty certain that we're going in the
opposite direction from the ranch."
"Then perhaps we'd better turn off to the left,"
Jack suggested.
"Too risky," Bob advised. "We'd be almost sure
to run into one of those fellows. I think we'd better
keep on even if we are going away from the ranch."
"I think so too," Sue said and added: "We seem
to be distancing them."
Bob had begun to feel a bit easier as he had noticed
that the sounds made by their enemies were farther
off than when they had started and, for the first time
he really dared hope that they would get away. Then
suddenly there was a crashing of underbrush just
to their right and, almost before they had time to
think, a beam of light struck Bob square in the face
and the form of Red Hains loomed up behind it.
"So it's you, eh?" he growled as he took a step
forward.
Bob afterward declared that had he stopped to
think he would never have dared attempt what he
did. As the man stepped forward it happened that
the boy was standing on a bit of a knoll and, almost
without thinking, he lunged forward dashing his
fist with all his strength into the man's face. The
action was so sudden and entirely unexpected that
the man had no time to protect himself and the blow
caught him fairly on the point of the chin. He went
over backward without a sound save the crackling of
the brush as he struck the ground, the torch falling
from his hand as he fell. The light was switched on
and Jack quickly sprang forward and grabbed it up.
"Get your gun on him, Bob," he cried.
Bob already had his automatic out but there was
no use for it. Hains lay like one dead.
"A knock out clean's a whistle," Jack declared as
he bent over the man.
"What a peach of a punch," Sue gasped.
"Let's beat it before he wakes up," Bob advised.
"It's too bad we haven't got something to tie him
with," Jack declared.
"What's the matter with a handkerchief?" Sue
suggested.
"Better than nothing. Roll him over, Jack, and
I'll tie his hands behind him. I can do it so that
it'll take him a while to get free."
He worked quickly and in a few seconds the man's
hands were as securely bound as was possible under
the circumstances.
"Now gag him," Sue ordered.
This was done with Jack's handkerchief and they
again set off convinced that it would be some time
at least before he would be able to follow them.
"It's a lucky thing for us that he was alone," Jack
declared a few minutes later as they stopped to
listen.
No sound, save the rustle of the branches as they
swayed in the light breeze came to them and they
concluded that the men must have given up the
search. They went on for another half hour, during
which time they heard no sound from their pursuers,
and Bob suggested that they stay where they were
until it began to get light.
"I think we'll be able to get our bearings as soon
as it is light and there's no use in getting any farther
away than we have to."
"Second the motion," Jack said throwing himself
on the ground.
"I don't believe it's going to rain after all," Bob
declared as he too sank down by his side.
"What time is it?" Sue asked.
"Half past two."
"Then it'll begin to lighten up in about an hour."
"I reckon," Jack agreed.
"Do you suppose there's any chance that Royce got
away in the confusion?" Sue asked.
"He might have," Bob replied, but in his heart
he doubted it greatly. He had heard Hains when
he told the men to guard him and he knew that they
feared him.
They had been there about half an hour, at times
whispering and again dozing for a few minutes,
when Sue's quick ears caught a sound which
escaped the boys.
"Someone or something is coming this way," she
whispered.
"I didn't hear anything," Bob said as he drew
the revolver from his pocket resolved to take no
chances.
"Listen a minute and you will," Sue told him.
"I hear it," Jack declared just then.
"I'll bet it's Hains," Bob said as he got to his
feet. "Let's keep perfectly still and maybe he'll go
by without spotting us."
It was soon evident that the man or animal was
coming directly toward them and soon Bob changed
his opinion as to its identity. Hains would never
make so much noise in passing through the woods,
even if he was hunting no one. This must be either
a stray steer or a man unused to the forest, for he
was making, as Jack whispered, more noise than
a train of cars.
Bob knew that he was only a few feet away when
he flashed the light, which Hains had dropped, and
at the same time ordered whoever it was to stop.
"Oh, it's he," Sue cried joyfully as she jumped
for the man.
"Royce, sure as guns," Jack added.
"Good boy." Bob shoved the revolver back in
his pocket and then they were all trying to shake
hands with him at the same time.
"Now tell us all about it," Sue ordered when the
first greetings were over.
"But first tell us if you think they're after you,"
Bob said. "Safety first, you know."
"I think they've given it up," he told them. "They
almost had me a dozen times, but I managed to slip
them and I haven't heard a thing for the last half
hour."
"But how did you get away?" Sue demanded impatiently.
"Well, they had me tied, that is my hands were
tied behind my back, but I'm pretty good when it
comes to getting ropes loose, and I had very little
trouble in fixing it so that I could slip the knot any
time I wanted to."
"Didn't they tie your feet?" Sue asked as he
paused.
"No, I guess they thought I wouldn't go very far
with my hands tied, and with two men standing
guard over me. Well, I was in a tent with four or
five of them and was sound asleep when someone
shouted that you had got away. Maybe I wasn't
glad. The men all jumped up and rushed out of
the tent, all but one, and as soon as they were gone
I jumped him. It was darker'n pitch in the tent
and I don't know where I hit him, but it must have
been in a pretty good place, because he dropped like
a log and I beat it. He must have come to pretty
soon, though, for they were after me in almost no
time and how I ever got away I don't know."
"Did you know that we were following you?" Bob
asked.
"I didn't till we were almost to the camp. Then
I looked back just as we made a sharp turn in the
trail and saw you. Then I knew that you were
watching while Hains was talking to me there because
I saw that bush move. I 'spect you thought I'd
turned yellow again, but I figured it was the only
way I'd stand even a chance to help her."
"Just what I thought," Bob assured him.
"Do you know where we are?" Royce asked.
"No, haven't an idea, but I think we can find the
way out as soon as it gets light," Bob told him.
"Well, if you take my advice we'll keep going
right now. They'll be after us again as soon as day
breaks."
"All right, come on. It'll begin to get light most
any time now, but be careful and don't get separated,"
Bob cautioned as he started off.
The first hint of the coming dawn stole over the
forest soon after they set out and it was not long
before they were able to see for several feet ahead.
"That's East over there," Bob pointed as he
stopped and he looked about him, "and that's the way
we want to go, but it'll take us right back toward
that camp."
"Then I guess we'll have to make a wide circle,"
Jack said.
"And you're guessing just about right," Bob
assured him.
"Do you have any idea as to how far we are from
the foot of the hills?" Royce asked.
"Not much, but it's a long way all right, especially
on an empty stomach," Bob answered.
"Empty stomach," Jack echoed. "Gee, I could
eat raw sidewinder and think it was a fried trout."
"It's too bad," Sue consoled them. "I had some
supper last night, so I'm not quite starved, but you
must be empty clear down to your toes."
While they had been talking they had been pushing
their way toward the South, making as good
time as possible. Another hour and the sun was up
over the tops of the trees and it began to warm up,
although the night had not been cold. Bob had
nothing but the sun to guide him, but he was an expert
when it came to finding his way through the trackless
forest and he had little fear of not being able
to find his way out provided their strength held out.
That was his main source for worry now. Tramping
through the dense woods when one has not eaten
for twenty-four hours is no joke and he was
beginning to feel a bit weak and he knew that Jack
was no stronger than he.
He was leading the way some feet in advance of
the others when, suddenly, he drew his revolver
and fired.
"Here's some breakfast for us," he cried as he
plunged forward and picked up a large rabbit "It'll
be a bit flat without salt, but it'll give us strength,"
he told them.
Fortunately he had a box of matches and they
were not long in finding a good place for a fire close
by a small stream. There was plenty of dead wood
about and while Bob dressed the animal Jack started
the fire going and in less than fifteen minutes the
rabbit was roasting.
"Wish I had a hook and line," Jack said as he
felt through his pockets. "I'll bet there are trout
in that brook."
But none of them had so much as a pin and they
were forced to give up their hope of trout.
"I suppose it's pretty risky building a fire, but
without it I don't believe we'd have strength enough
to get out," Bob said as he turned the rabbit.
The meal was, as Bob had predicted, somewhat
flat, but there is nothing like real hunger to make a
meal taste right and there was not a trace of
anything but the bones left when they had finished.
"Never cared much for rabbit before but that
certainly did hit the right spot," Jack declared.
"Now we want to make as good time as we can,"
Bob said as they were ready to start once more. "It's
more than likely that they've seen the smoke from
our fire and are on our trail."
Much strengthened by the meal they set out with
renewed courage and, stopping only when if was
necessary for a breathing spell, they kept on hour
after hour. Bob was afraid that Sue would not be
able to keep up the pace but, to his surprise, she
seemed absolutely tireless and often urged them to
greater speed. If was shortly after noon when they
came to a trail, and halted for a rest.
"Why, this is the trail to The Owl's Head," Sue
declared as they were about to start again.
"Are you sure?" Bob asked.
"Sure is right. See that big tree right there?
Well you look on the other side of it and you'll find
my initials, S.B., cut in the bark about four feet
from the ground."
"Right you are," Jack announced a moment later.
"It's S.B. all right."
"Then you ought to know about how far we are
from the edge of the woods," Bob said.
"It's about three miles from here to the foot of
the hills," she told them.
"That's good news," Bob assured her. "I really
didn't think we were so near out."
"An' yer not quite as near as yer think."
They all jumped at the sound of the voice which
came from a thicket a little to their right, and their
hearts sank as six men, headed by Red Hains,
stepped out into the trail. Every man carried a
revolver in his hand and Bob realized at once that
resistance would be useless.
"It'll be some time afore yer out o' the woods, I
reckon," Hains sneered.
"Perhaps not so long as you think."
The last words came from the other side of the
trail and Sue's heart leaped for joy as she recognized
her father's voice.
"We've got ever one of you covered and the first
man that makes a move will never make another."
As he spoke, Jeb, followed by nearly all the men on
the Lazy S., stepped out from the bushes and at least
one gun covered each of the outlaws.
"Frisk 'em, Slim," Jeb ordered after he had told
them to throw their guns on the ground.
The surprise was complete and the outlaws made
no resistance.
"My baby!" There were tears in Jeb's eyes as
he took Sue in his arms, and Bob noticed that his
eyes were not the only wet ones.
The stories were soon told and more tears rolled
down Jeb's cheeks as he grasped the boys by the
hand. Royce, too, came in for his full share of
praise and it was a happy crowd that, shortly after,
started down the trail.
They found the horses at the foot of the hills and
the boys, together with Jeb, Sue and Royce, set off
at once for the ranch, leaving the rest to bring in
the captured gang.
Charlie had a big meal ready for them almost as
soon as they arrived, and how they did eat.
"But it's got nothing on that rabbit," Jack declared
as he passed his plate for his third helping of chicken.