JACK AND NAT PRISONERS
The three travelers came to a halt on the shelf of a high cliff that
towered above their heads. It was a wide and safe road they had
emerged upon, and it could be seen winding on and up, until it was
lost in the mist which was rapidly being driven forward by the wind.
"There is the road to Golden Glow!" exclaimed Jack. "Come on. We are
on the right trail now."
"Better go easy," cautioned John. "It's getting night, and we can't
travel far. Here's a good place to camp, and we can start early in
the morning. I guess the fog has lifted to stay."
Though Jack was impatient to press forward, he realized that what
John said was sensible. He stood for awhile looking at the shifting
light as it was reflected from the sun on the top of the lofty peak.
He felt that at last he had reached the beginning of the end of his
long search. Would it be successful? Would he find his father? Would
he be in time to see him alive? All this Jack thought, and much more.
Then the light faded as Old Sol sunk behind a mass of clouds, the
stern mountains hiding his welcome face,
"Now for supper!" cried Nat, in a more cheerful tone than any of the
boys had used in the last two days. "I'm as hungry as a bear. I wish
I had a nice fresh chicken--"
Bang! It was John's gun that had been fired, and, before Nat could
ask what the matter was he saw a plump bird fall to the ground, as
the result of the Indian lad's quick aim.
"I don't know whether it's a chicken or not," John said, "but it
looks good to eat."
And so the boys found it, though they did not know what kind of fowl
it was. They fried it with crisp bacon, and with big tin cups of tea,
as a change from coffee, they made a meal that caused them all to
feel better.
Jack could hardly start early enough the next morning, but the others
insisted that he take time to eat a good breakfast. They were on the
move again, almost before the sun had begun to tinge the mountain
with the morning glow, arid they found the trail an easy one for
several miles.
It dipped down a bit, after one high shoulder of the range was
passed, and then began a straight assent up to where they could see
the peak they knew must be the Golden Glow, though it did not shine
then. They camped at noon, and hurried on after a brief rest.
Up and up they went until the shadows began to lengthen and they knew
evening was approaching. Above their heads towered the high peak,
and, as they rounded a turn they saw the top of the mountain suddenly
seem to burst into flame above their head. The sun had again caught
the mass of quartz and was reflecting from it.
Now the trail turned. They had reached the highest point in the range
where it was almost impossible to go further with horses. Jack, who
was in the lead, pulled up his animal. Then, as he looked down he
gave a cry.
"There!" he exclaimed. "There is the stone Mr. Tevis told us about!"
"Yes, and there is the cross carved upon it!" cried Nat.
"Where is the tall pine tree?" asked John.
"There!" came from Jack, and he pointed down the slope ahead of them.
"It is just in line with that other peak!"
The two boys looked to where he pointed. Sure enough, they saw the
landmark Orion Tevis had mentioned.
"To-morrow I may see my father!" said Jack in a low tone.
Hardly had he spoken the words when there was a noise behind them,
and the boys turned to see two horsemen riding up.
At first the chums did not attach much significance to the appearance
of the two riders. The men were coming on as fast as their horses
could travel, but the boys thought they were ranchmen or herdsmen.
"The two first ones! They're the ones we want!" exclaimed the
foremost of the men, and at that Nat and Jack, who were in front of
John, started. "Grab one Nate, and I'll tackle the other!"
Before Nat and Jack could make a move to defend themselves they found
a rope circling their arms just above their elbows. The men had cast
their lariats and pinioned the boys. The resulting jerk nearly pulled
them from their horses, but when the men saw this, they urged their
steeds close to their captives, and held them in their saddle, while
they deftly bound their hands.
There was a clatter of hoofs at which Jack and Nat turned their
heads. If they expected to see some one coming to rescue them they
were disappointed, for all they beheld was John, swinging his horse
around on the trail and making off at top speed.
"Come back!" yelled one of the men, making a move as if to reach for
his gun, but at this Jack wiggled so he had to give all his attention
to the captive youth.
"I'll come back--" yelled John, and the rest of what he said was lost
in the clatter his horse made as it sprang over stones. Then John
disappeared around a big ledge of rock.
"Never mind," said one of the men, whom his companion had addressed
as Nate. "We don't need him."
"Guess not, Sid," was the reply. "We've got the main ones. He don't
count."
"What do you mean by this?" burst out Nat, who, as was Jack, had been
so surprised by the sudden turn of events that he did not know what
to say. "Who are you, anyhow?"
"Now, don't get excited, sonny," spoke Nate. "This is a high
altitude, remember, and you might bust a blood vessel. That would be
too bad."
"Yes, the fewer questions you ask the better off you'll be," put in
Sid.
"If my uncle hears of this you'll suffer for it," Nat went on. He
thought the men might be cowboys out for a lark.
"Don't worry, your uncle will never hear of it," Nate replied. "Now I
guess we'll travel."
There was nothing to do but to obey. The boys were fairly tied on
their horses, so quickly and so deftly had the men used their ropes.
"Did you get the rings?" asked Nate of his companion.
"Almost forgot it," replied Sid. "I'll do it now."
Before Jack was aware what the man was up to he had grabbed from his
finger the curious moss agate emblem.
"Here's one," exclaimed Sid. "Now for the other."
He looked at both of Nat's hands.
"Where's your ring?" he demanded.
"Never had one," said Nat defiantly.
"No fooling now, give it up or you'll be sorry."
"I tell you I haven't got any," Nat replied impatiently. "You're up
the wrong tree."
"Give me that ring or I'll--" began Sid, when his companion broke in
with:
"Never mind now. It's getting late and we don't want to be caught out
here at night. Bring him along. I guess we'll find a way to make him
talk."
Then, having seen that their captives were securely bound, the men
attached long ropes to the bridles of the boys' horses, and led the
animals back down the trail.
The two men were some distance in advance, and, as the boys rode side
by side, they had a chance to converse in low tones without being
overheard by their captors.
"Are they brigands, like you read about?" asked Nat.
"Not much," replied Jack. "I think they are the same men who chased
poor old Mr. Lantry, and shot him. I'm sure they are some of the bad
men who tried to get my father, or else how would they know about the
rings?"
"They didn't get one from me," spoke Nat. "They must have made a
mistake and got me instead of John. I say, Jack, you don't s'pose
he's in with the gang, do you?"
"What do you mean?"
"He didn't lead us into a trap, did he? Bought off by the enemy, you
know. He's part Indian, and you never can trust an Indian. Maybe
these men hired him to fetch us this way. You know he acted sort of
queer, lately."
"Never!" said Jack, in as loud a whisper as he dared use without
being overheard. "I'd trust John Smith with my life, Indian or no
Indian. He's not in this game."
"Then what made him run away and leave us?" asked Nat. "I don't call
that sticking by your friends."
"Maybe he went for help," suggested Nat.
"I'll believe that when we see the help," Nat responded, in no gentle
tones. "It looks queer."
In fact the whole proceeding was a mystery to both boys. They could
not imagine what the men would want to hold them captives for. Only
Jack had an inkling. He believed the men were members of the band
that had tried so long to get his father so they might play a trick
on Mr. Tevis and gain the land. He believed they had been on his
trail and that of his companions for some time, and had seized the
first opportunity of capturing them. The seizure of his ring showed
that, though he could not understand how they had mistaken Nat for
John. However, that was natural, seeing the three boys were alike in
general appearance, and Nat was almost as brown as John, from
exposure to the sun.
Down the trail for some miles the men led their captives and then
they turned and ascended another way. The boys' hands and legs were
beginning to get numb from the pressure of the thongs, and they were
very tired. It was getting quite dark, but still they were led on.
Suddenly, from the gathering darkness, there sounded a challenge:
"Who's there?"