COMRADES OF THE SADDLE
Or
The Young Rough Riders of the Plains
BY
FRANK V. WEBSTER
AUTHOR OF "ONLY A FARM BOY," "THE YOUNG TREASURE HUNTER,"
"THE BOYS OF BELLWOOD SCHOOL," "TOM THE TELEPHONE BOY," ETC.
ILLUSTRATED
NEW YORK
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY
BOOKS FOR BOYS
By FRANK V. WEBSTER
ONLY A FARM BOY
Or Dan Hardy's Rise in Life
TOM THE TELEPHONE BOY
Or The Mystery of a Message
THE BOY FROM THE RANCH
Or Roy Bradner's City Experiences
THE YOUNG TREASURE HUNTER
Or Fred Stanley's Trip to Alaska
BOB THE CASTAWAY
Or The Wreck of the Eagle
THE YOUNG FIREMEN OF LAKEVILLE
Or Herbert Dare's Pluck
THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS
Or Who Was Dick Box?
THE BOY PILOT OF THE LAKES
Or Nat Morton's Perils
TWO BOY GOLD MINERS
Or Lost in the Mountains
JACK THE RUNAWAY
Or On the Road with a Circus
THE BOYS OP BELLWOOD SCHOOL
Or Frank Jordan's Triumph
COMRADES OF THE SADDLE
Or The Young Rough Riders of the Plains
Copyright, 1910, by
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY
COMRADES OF THE SADDLE
Printed in U. S. A
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I AN EXCITING ESCAPE
II MR. ALDEN BRINGS NEWS
III WORD FROM THE WEST
IV GUS MEGGET
V THE HALF-MOON RANCH
VI IN THE SADDLE
VII A RACE IN THE MOONLIGHT
VIII HORACE IN DANGER
IX THE MESSAGE FROM CROSS-EYED PETE
X THE RETURN TO THE RANCH
XI PREPARATIONS FOB PURSUIT
XII WHAT NAILS LEARNED
XIII OUT ON THE PLAINS
XIV ANOTHER DISCOVERY
XV THE CONTESTED TRAIL
XVI WHAT JEFFREYS KNEW
XVII LOST!
XVIII A MYSTERIOUS CALL
XIX A TERRIBLE PLOT
XX THE PRAIRIE FIRE
XXI A RIDE FOR LIFE
XXII LAWRENCE'S PLAN
XXIII IN THE MOUNTAINS
XXIV CAPTURING THE CATTLE THIEVES
XXV HOMEWARD
COMRADES OF THE SADDLE
CHAPTER I
AN EXCITING ESCAPE
Twilight was settling on the land. The forms of trees and houses
loomed big and black, their sharp outlines suggesting fanciful
forms to the minds of two boys hurrying along the road which like a
ribbon wound In and out among the low hills surrounding the town of
Bramley, in south-western Ohio.
As the darkness increased lights began to twinkle from the windows
of the distant farmhouses.
"We're later than usual, Tom," said the larger of the two boys. "I
hope we'll get home before father does."
"Then let's hurry. The last time we kept supper waiting he said
we'd have to give up playing ball after school if we couldn't get
home before meal time."
"And that means that we won't make the team and will only get a
chance to substitute," returned the first speaker.
As though such a misfortune were too great to be borne, the two
young ball players broke into a dog trot.
The boys were brothers, Tom and Larry Alden. Larry, the larger,
was sixteen and Tom was a year younger. Both were healthy and
strong and would have been thought older, so large were they.
The only children of Theodore Alden, a wealthy farmer who lived
about three miles from Bramley, unlike many brothers, they were
chums. They were prime favorites, and their popularity, together
with their natural ability and cool-headedness at critical moments,
made them leaders in all sports.
As it grew darker and darker, the brothers quickened their pace.
Talking was out of the question, so fast were they going. But as
they rounded a turn in the road, which enabled them to see the
lights in their home, a quarter of a mile away, Larry gasped:
"There's no light in the dining-room yet. Father hasn't gotten
home!"
"Come on then for a final spurt," returned Tom.
Willingly Larry responded, and the boys dashed forward as though
they were just starting out instead of ending a two-mile run.
On the right-hand side of the road a fringe of bushes hedged a
swamp.
The patter of the boys' feet on the hard clay road was the only
sound that broke the stillness.
Their goal, with the bright lights shining from the windows, was
only about three hundred yards away when suddenly from the
direction of the swamp sounded a sullen snarl.
"Did you hear anything?" asked Larry.
"I thought so."
As though to settle all doubt, the growl rang out again. This time
it was nearer and sounded more ominous.
For a moment the boys looked at each other, then, as with one
accord, turned their heads and looked in the direction whence the
startling noise had come.
Just as they did so there came another howl, and an instant later a
big black form, for all the world like a large dog, leaped from the
bushes into the road.
"Quick, quick!" cried Larry, seizing his brother's arm and pulling
him along, for Tom had slackened his speed, as though fascinated by
the sight of the strange animal. "It must be that wolf father read
about, the one that got away when the circus train was passing
through Husted."
And, Larry was right. The animal was indeed a wolf that had
escaped from its cage through the door, the fastener on which had
been jarred out of place by the motion of the train, and had leaped
to liberty.
The circus people had reported the loss as soon as it had been
discovered and it had been duly announced in the papers.
Mr. Alden had read about it, but all had laughed at the thought of
a wolf in placid Ohio and dismissed the story as a circus man's
joke.
Rejoicing in its freedom, the beast had wandered about till it
struck the swamp and now the air brought to its keen nose the scent
of the boys passing. Ravenously hungry, the wolf hastened toward
the lads.
As it bounded into the road the glare from the lights of the
farmhouse momentarily blinded it and it stood blinking.
But only for an instant. Instinctively realizing that it must
catch them before they reached the lights, the wolf uttered a
savage snarl and bounded forward.
Larry's words to his brother had roused the boy, and together they
were racing toward the welcome lights of their home.
But the wolf with its leaps covered three yards to their one, and
as the older of the boys looked over his shoulder he saw that the
beast was gaining on them.
Fifty yards ahead was the house and thirty yards behind them was
the wolf.
Well did the boys know they could not win the race. But they did
not lose their heads.
"Father! Harry!" yelled Larry. "Joe! The wolf! the wolf! Get the
rifle!"
"The wolf! the wolf!" added Tom. "Shoot the wolf!"
The yells, breaking the stillness of the night, startled Mrs. Alden
and the hired men, who were awaiting the coming of Mr. Alden and
the boys.
Unable to distinguish the words, the hired men rushed to the door
and threw it open. Peering along the path of the light, they saw
the forms of the boys.
"Quick! The rifle! The wolf's after us!" shouted Tom.
Fortunately Mr. Alden always kept a loaded rifle on a rack on the
kitchen wall with which to shoot foxes that attempted to raid his
hen-roost.
Hastily the hired man named Joe sprang for the weapon, seized it
and dashed from the door, shouting:
"Where is it? Where is it?"
Before the boys could answer, however, his keen eyes espied the
black form.
Joe had often amused himself shooting at a target with Larry and
Tom and was able to make four bull's-eyes out of five, but never
before had the opportunity to aim at a live mark come to him, and
as he raised the rifle his hands trembled.
"Shoot! shoot!" yelled Larry. "No matter if you don't hit it,
shoot!"
Bang! went the gun, and as the report of the firearm died away the
wolf was seen to stagger and fall. Soon the beast arose again, but
by that time the hired man was ready for another shot. This
finished the beast, and with a yelp it rolled over and breathed its
last.