ANOTHER SURPRISE
"One thing, we won't need torches this time, Hank!" remarked Bob as he
prepared to follow after the leader.
"I reckons not, Bobby," chuckled the veteran cowman, who knew that
something about the situation must have recalled their entering that
cave that day where sly old Sallie and her half-grown whelps awaited
their coming with bared teeth.
Just back of Hank came Chesty, who was a very ambitious young fellow,
and always to be counted on with regard to obtaining his proper share in
every little excitement that happened. Then Frank filed along; and at
his heels Bob climbed; while Charley Moi brought up the rear, bent on
seeing all that might come to pass.
The crevice immediately began to mount upward, just as Frank had
anticipated it would. There were times when the climbing was pretty
steep, and Frank began to wonder what sort of agile man this old and
stubborn Professor Oswald could be, to overcome such difficulties so
often, while in the pursuit of his hobby.
Bob was soon panting, but no less bent on "keeping up with the
procession," as he himself put it. They had been going back from the
face of the cliff pretty much all the time, so that there was really no
chance to take an observation, in order to tell just how far up they had
come.
Frank felt sure, however, after this labor had kept up for quite a long
time, that they must now be getting near the top of the break, or where
the crooked crack in the face of the rock ended.
He tried to picture what they would find. If Eugene and his reckless
backers had been in possession of the place for some hours now, they
must have tried all sorts of expedients in order to compel the professor
to reveal the secret hiding place of the valuable document, and make it
over to them. Nor would such heartless men hesitate long about adopting
torture in order to force a confession from the unwilling victim.
Then Frank wondered if the three rascals would attempt any tactics
looking to holding the attacking force at bay. They were well armed, no
doubt, and having such a rich treasure hanging in the scales, it might
be expected that they would hate to let it slip from their covetous
grasp without putting up some sort of fight.
But all that could be left to Old Hank. For many years he had been the
leading figure in all the affairs that centered around Circle Ranch. Did
the rustlers run off part of the herd, the veteran was put in charge of
the pursuing force. Sometimes the sly marauders got off scot free; but
more often they paid dearly for their audacity in picking out Colonel
Haywood's ranch as the scene of their foray.
Frank really had no fears as to the result, now that Hank had arrived on
the scene to direct operations. The three schemers might give them some
trouble, but they could not carry the day.
"Please let a fellow rest up a little, Hank!" came from Bob, finally.
The old cow puncher understood that the pace had been too warm for the
tenderfoot; and he considerately halted. Perhaps none of the climbers
were averse to a breathing spell before the final round. It would put
them in better condition for the wind-up, whatever that might prove to
be.
"Frank," whispered Bob, as he pulled at the trouser leg of his chum so
as to induce him to bend down closer.
"What's the row?" asked the other, in somewhat the same guarded tone, as
he managed to double over, and bring his face close to that of his
friend.
"Charley Moi has just told me something," Bob went on. "You know we
found out before now that he's got the greatest pair of ears ever for
hearing things? Well, he says there's something or some one following us
up this old crack!"
"Whew! that's nice, now. A regular procession, it seems," remarked
Frank.
"Who d'ye think it can be; and would a bear or a mountain lion pick up
our tracks this way?" continued Bob, who was trying to work his rifle
around, so as to cover the rear.
"Wait! Let's all listen, after I send the word along to Hank and
Chesty," remarked Frank.
When this had been done even the old cowman thought well enough of the
idea to wait until they could find out the nature of the sounds that had
reached the keen hearing of the wide-awake Chinaman.
It was only half light in the break of the rock, and the passage they
had been following thus far was so very crooked that no one could see
more than twenty feet down the trail.
Still every eye was fastened on that point where the advancing man or
animal would first appear. Frank, too, had his rifle bearing on the
spot; and taken as a whole the appearance of the little company,
flattened out against the break in the mighty rock wall, was rather
threatening.
All of them could catch the sounds below now. Whoever came up the rock
ladder must be unused to negotiating such a stairway, for they rattled
small bits of loose shale down at times; and Frank felt sure he could
hear a panting sound, very much like that which tired Bob had been
making a minute ago.
And, as he listened, Frank made a discovery that caused him to tighten
his grip on that reliable repeating rifle. There were two of the
pursuers! And he anticipated that the leader must come in sight ere
another dozen seconds passed!
There was some sort of movement now, down in the region of the little
twist where the steep stairway of the old cliff dwellers made a turn.
Then a head and shoulders came into view.
Frank chuckled aloud. Just in almost that last second of time he had
suddenly guessed the truth, when, in this clinging figure that was
staring upward, as though filled with genuine surprise, he recognized an
old friend.
It was Mr. Stanwix, the sheriff of the county!
He and his mate from the adjoining division of Coconino must have just
had a glimpse of Charley Moi disappearing in the dark hole at the base
of the cliff; and, being in pursuit of two shrewd law breakers, who had
been known to appear in other dress than that of cowmen, perhaps the
officers had concluded that here was something that ought to be
investigated.
Frank immediately made a friendly gesture with one hand. He did not want
to risk the chances of being fired upon by the officers of the law, who
might take the little party for bad men. Then he beckoned in a fashion
that the sheriff must readily understand to mean caution, and silence.
They saw Mr. Stanwix bend down as though he might be explaining to his
fellow officer what an astonishing thing had happened. After that he
came on, climbing the steep rock ladder as an exhausted person might.
Yet his nature was like that of the bulldog; and once he had started to
do a thing, nothing could make him stop.
When he arrived at a point where he could make his way alongside Frank,
squeezing past Charley Moi and Bob, the sheriff of Yavapai County turned
an inquiring look upon his young friend.
Whereupon Frank started in to tell him just who the other three in the
party happened to be; and that they were bent upon foiling the lawless
game of three rascals plotting for a big stake.
In return Mr. Stanwix intimated that they had suspected something wrong
when they saw from a little distance two persons, and one of them a
Chinaman, disappearing in a cleft of the rocks. Further explanations
must await a better opportunity, however. They were now too near the
series of chambers connecting with one another to hesitate longer.
Besides, who could say what might not be going on up there a little
further, in those holes in the wall where, ages ago, the singular people
whom Professor Oswald loved to study about, had their homes, and lived
on from year to year?
Old Hank, when he once more started upward, seemed to have become much
more cautious. Frank could easily guess the reason. There was a strong
possibility that the three schemers might have learned of their presence
in the vicinity ere now. And of course Eugene knew full well why Frank
and Bob had come to the Grand Canyon from their ranch home.
Suspecting that sooner or later the two boys might discover the way up
to the cliff house, they would be apt to lay a trap of some sort,
thinking to catch them napping when they ascended.
Old Hank could not be taken unawares any easier than might the wary
weasel that has never been seen asleep by mortal eyes.
Frank, keeping well up by the heels of the little cowboy's boots, was
ready to draw himself upward at the first sign of trouble. He knew when
Hank had reached the top of the singular stairway fashioned by Nature
for the benefit of those who built their habitations near the top of
the cliff, far beyond the reach of enemies in the valley below.
A few seconds of suspense followed, while Chesty was following the
veteran into the first hollowed-out apartment. Nothing followed where
Frank had been expecting all manner of evil things.
"Perhaps they're asleep," was the new thought that flashed through his
brain. He did not know what manner of man Uncle Felix was.
Now they were all gathered there in that outer chamber that might be
called an ante-room of the various apartments running along the face of
the cliff for some distance.
Even Charley Moi was there, full of curiosity, and willing to lend a
hand after a fashion. Bob looked around; just as his chum had done as
soon as he entered. He saw that some one had certainly been there
recently. There were plenty of evidences to that effect.
Old Hank raised his hand with the forefinger elevated. It was recognized
as a signal for absolute silence by all the others. Even Bob restrained
his desire to ask questions; and every one listened, as if expecting to
catch sounds.
Was that a human voice?
Frank started a trifle as the idea came to him. Still, it might only
have been an additionally strong movement of the breeze; turning some
angle that caused it to give forth a sound.
He turned to see if any of the others had heard, and judged from the way
old Hank had his head raised that he, too, had caught the sound; also
that it appealed to him as full of significance.
Again the veteran waved his hand. This time it meant not only caution,
but an invitation to advance. Hank was about to pass into the next
apartment, and wished the others to keep close at his heels.
Bob was quivering all over with the fever of suspense, as well as
pent-up eagerness. He did not know just how much longer he could hold
in; for he wanted to yell. Still, he did not do it. Since coming to this
wonderland country of the Southwest he had learned many lessons in the
way of self control; and every day he was gaining more and more of a
mastery over himself.
Now Hank was in the second room, and still heading onward toward another
hole in the wall, evidently the only means of communication between the
various houses forming the little community.
When he reached this, voices were plainly heard beyond. Hank kept right
on, heading for yet a third doorway; and whoever was doing the talking,
he or they must be in that further apartment; so that in another minute
Frank expected to have his curiosity fully satisfied.