DRIVEN BACK
Bud was to go back to the ranch with some of the cowboys and remain
there while the main body of punchers moved up into the glen to
capture, if possible, the mysterious men with their more mysterious
tank of strange gas. And, after a second consideration of the affair
in hand, it was decided that it would be best if the main body of
avengers could have one of Fah Moo's hot breakfasts before starting in
on what might be a strenuous day's work.
"But if we all go in," objected Nort when this plan was outlined,
"those fellows up in the glen may escape, if they haven't already
skipped away to stay."
"I've thought of that," stated Old Billee who was sort of
commander-in-chief. "We'll send some scouts up to watch and see what
happens. Who'll volunteer?"
There was no lack on this score, for though the men were all tired from
the night's vigil, on edge from lack of sleep and hungry into the
bargain, Billee had three times as many as he needed for scouts.
Cow-punchers are "he-men," and little things like loss of sleep and
delay in getting breakfast do not bother them. It was arranged that
when the main body returned, after a session with the Chinese cook,
they would bring a "snack" for the scout volunteers.
"And some hot coffee in thermos bottles," added Bud, who knew how that
would be appreciated. "We have some thermos bottles at the ranch. I
only hope I'll feel able to come back and help fight."
"Do you think there'll be a fight?" asked Yellin' Kid, eagerly.
"It's likely," said Billee.
"Whoop-ee!" roared the loud-voiced one and his joyous sentiment was
echoed on all sides. Bud looked a little glum that he could not be "in
on the fun," as he called it later. But he was more done up than he
imagined, for he had gone through a strenuous time, though he had not
actually been mistreated.
So while some of the cowboys more recently engaged were sent into the
glen as scouts, the main body, with Bud riding on a spare horse which
had been brought along for just such an eventuality, went back to the
ranch.
There things soon began to "hum," as Nort and Dick expressed it. They
had had experience before with desperate and unscrupulous men who, as
rustlers, or otherwise, had endeavored to make trouble for the boy
ranchers. And the young managers of Dot and Dash did not shrink from
the coming conflict.
"Can do--sure!" was the bland reply of Fah Moo when asked if he could
get breakfast for the bunch in a hurry. "Sure can do!"
And he did.
Guns were looked to, extra ammunition was packed, hurried snatches of
food were the order of the day, and when baskets of grub had been
packed for the scouts left on guard, once more the cavalcade started
off.
On the way to Smugglers' Glen a sort of campaign was outlined and
agreed upon. It was decided to advance on foot against the men in the
cave, for the defile was so narrow, and the footing so uncertain
because of loose rocks, large and small, that horses would be a
disadvantage rather than a help in case of a fight.
"We'll leave the ponies at the entrance, same as Bud did his,"
suggested Old Billee.
"All alone?" asked Nort. "Some of those fellows may sneak up in our
rear and make off with our mounts."
"They won't be unguarded," declared Billee, who was too old a fighter
to make the mistake of leaving his rear open to attack. "I'll have a
couple of the hands stay with the horses."
"Not me you won't!" shouted Yellin' Kid. "Me, I'm goin' to _fight_!
I'm not goin' to be nurse-maid for a lot of cow ponies!"
"Me either!" declared Snake.
"Order in the ranks!" snapped Billee with blazing eyes. "I'm in charge
here, by the instructions of the boss, and I won't have anybody saying
what they will and won't do! You heard me!"
He was as different from the usual mild Old Billee Dobb as chalk is
from cheese. He was in his element and he knew it.
"No offense, chief," said Yellin' Kid, humbly and in subdued tones.
"But I do want to get a shot at these fellers!"
"I wonder if Del Pinzo can be back of this gang?" mused Nort as he rode
beside his brother toward the glen.
"I wouldn't put it past him," answered Dick. "But I thought he was in
jail."
"They don't seem to make, out here, the kind of jails that will keep
Del Pinzo behind the bars," commented Nort. "If he's around these
diggings he'd be the very one to engineer some dirty trick."
"Speaking of diggings," went on Dick, "what do you reckon it was Bud
saw those fellows digging out of the sides of the cave?"
"Give it up, for the time being. We'll find out when we get inside.
But in spite of the fact that Bud thinks he saw some queer operations
he may have dreamed it all--after that gas attack, you know."
"Yea, I guess so. It's queer all around. Fancy rustlers being so up
to date as to use the tactics of chemical warfare."
"There's been a lot of strange things since the Big War," stated Nort.
"Maybe some of these rustlers were in the chemical division of the
A.E.F. and learned tricks there of how to make and send out of
cylinders gas that would knock a man out but not kill him."
"That's possible. But what about the horses, cattle and men who were
killed here in Death Valley? I mean years ago, the way Billee tells
it. Did these fellows have anything to do with that?"
"Hard to say, but I don't believe so."
"Then what did?"
"That's what we've got to find out after we get through with this gang."
The avengers urged their ponies ahead at a fast clip and the sun was
still far from the meridian when they came in sight of the entrance to
the defile. Dark and sinister it loomed in contrast to the brightness
of the day. What secrets did it hold?
"I wonder if Old Tosh is up there, helping the rustlers?" mused Dick as
Billee got ready to call a halt and deploy his forces.
"Don't believe that old yarb doctor does any more harm than giving
Chinks the stomach-ache," chuckled Nort. "But he may have rented that
cave to those fellows."
"Nervy of him, considering that the cave is on Dot and Dash land," said
Dick.
It did not take long to get ready for the attack. Billee named the men
he wanted to remain as a rear guard in charge of the horses, and they
accepted the detail in as cheerful spirits as possible. To the relief
of Yellin' Kid and Snake Purdee, they were not compelled to remain thus
inactive.
"Though you fellows may have a fight on your hands," Billee said to the
horse guard as he posted them, "these fellows may dash out after we
rouse 'em, and it'll be up to you to deal with 'em."
"We'll do that all right, boss," chuckled a big, lanky puncher, one of
the new hands hired.
With Nort and Dick at his side, Billee Dobb led the way up into the
dark defile. Every man had his gun out and was eager-eyed for what
might happen next.
"Don't make any more noise than you can help," cautioned Billee to the
men back of him. "We want to surprise these _hombres_ if we can."
On and on they went, over big and little bowlders, up into the glen
where the frowning, towering walls looked down on them. The passage
became narrower. They were now approaching the cave.
"Steady, boys!" called Billee as they rounded a turn and came within
view of the dark entrance to the cavern.
It was a tense moment. Some of the men carried a gun in either hand.
Nort and Dick had one each, and Billee was armed likewise. A little
wind began blowing down the gulch in the faces of the attackers. It
seemed to bring with it a slight mist.
"Gettin' foggy," commented Snake. "I wonder----"
Then he began to cough and choke. So did Nort, Dick and Old Billee.
The white mist came floating nearer.
"Look out, boys!" suddenly shouted Yellin' Kid. "It's a gas attack,
same as in the war. Look out!"
A moment later the party was sneezing, coughing and gasping for breath
as the faint white mist, blown by the wind, enveloped them. It caused
a terrible, gripping sensation, a constriction of the throat muscles so
that breathing was difficult.
"They've got us!" yelled Billee. "We can't fight poison gas! Back up,
boys! We've got to run!"
It was impossible to advance in the face of this mysterious surprise
attack and the avengers were driven back. Gasping, and trying to keep
from collapsing under the afflicting sensation, the Dot and Dash men
were forced to retreat from their unseen foes.