PREPARATIONS FOR PURSUIT
"Oh, dear! Father and Nails have gone!" exclaimed Horace as he
counted the ponies in the corral while the others were unsaddling.
"Now we can't go with them. I was afraid that was what father
intended when he didn't wait for us."
"But Buster and Blackhawk are here, and there is one more pony than
before," returned Larry.
"That doesn't prove anything. Ned told me Nails brought in three
extra ponies with him," said Bill.
"Then you have known all the time that father and Nails were gone
and never told us?" demanded Horace.
"It was because I didn't know for certain where they had gone that
I said nothing," replied his brother. "Ned was away when they
arrived and departed. Here comes mother; you can find out from
her."
After returning Mrs. Wilder's greetings and giving her a brief
account of the trip, Horace asked:
"How long have father and Nails been gone? I think it was mean of
them to give us the slip like that."
"But they haven't gone to the hills yet," returned his mother.
"Your father has ridden over to the Three Stars and Nails has gone
to Tolopah."
"Oh, goody!" exclaimed Horace. "We may be able to go, after all.
Momsy, won't you try to make father take us?"
It was only with this last question that Mrs. Wilder understood the
purpose of her son's eager inquiries, and the disclosure did not
tend to quiet the anxiety she felt over the outcome of the pursuit.
Yet she only said:
"That is a question for your father to decide. I think, though,
that you would want to stay here and protect me."
"But you are in no danger, Momsy. Besides, Ned and Hop Joy are
here."
The thought of the Chinaman as a protector made the other boys
laugh, and realizing that they could not count on her espousal of
their cause, they went off to the wagon sheds to devise a plan to
win permission from the ranchman.
As the owner of the Half-Moon galloped up to the ranch house of the
Three Stars his horse literally dripping water, Jim Snider and his
cowboys ran up from all directions to learn the cause of such
evident hard riding.
To the accompaniment of various exclamations of anger and surprise
Mr. Wilder hurriedly told his neighbors of the raid.
"That's Megget's work!" ejaculated Snider as the story was
completed. "He's the only one cute enough and with nerve enough to
do it. I didn't suppose any one knew my herd was unwatched, yet
the minute my boys ride in the gang raids it. Wilder, if you and I
are to stay on our ranches, we must round up these cattle thieves."
"That's my idea exactly," declared the owner of the Half-Moon.
"That's why I rode over. My boys and I start to-morrow morning,
and I want to know how many from the Three Stars will go with me."
"Every man jack of us, save the cook and grub man," replied Snider.
"That makes nine."
"Good! We'll ride back to the Half-Moon for supper and then go to
the pool. The sooner we start the better. If you'll lend me a
fresh pony, I can travel faster."
Without waiting for orders from their master, the boys of the Three
Stars ran to the corral, all agog with the excitement at the
unexpected turn of affairs.
When the two ranch owners were alone Mr. Wilder imparted his
information about Megget's enmity and the Mexican, Don Vasquez.
The facts amazed the proprietor of the Three Stars and the two men
were discussing the evident declaration of a cattle war, especially
against the Half-Moon, when the cowboys trotted up with the ponies.
Deeming the information too important for general discussion with
the men, the ranch owners swung into their saddles, changing their
topic of conversation to the trails that would be the most likely
to be taken by the raiders.
Never sparing their mounts, they reached the Half-Moon just at dusk
and their arrival threw the boys into great excitement.
"Has Nails returned?" asked Mr. Wilder of Ned.
"Not yet."
"Send him to me when he comes. Make the boys from the Three Stars
at home in the bunkhouse and tell Hop Joy to give us supper as soon
as he can. Also have him pack some bacon, sugar, coffee, crackers
and doughnuts, enough to last the Half-Moon outfit a week. When
it's ready, hitch up and carry it to Pete at the Witches' Pool.
"Hello! Glad you lads arrived all right," he added as he caught
sight of the boys. "Any trouble?"
"Nothing, only Whitefoot gave out. I had to come on and get
another pony," replied Bill.
"Good! Snider, I want you to know Larry and Tom Alden," continued
Mr. Wilder, introducing the boys, adding in a low voice: "They are
the lads about whom I told you."
"I'm sure glad to meet you," declared the owner of the Three Stars,
giving each of the lads a grip that made their hands ache.
Upon arrival he had exchanged greetings with Bill and Horace, and
altogether they trooped onto the veranda, whence they were summoned
to supper before the lads had the opportunity to ask Mr. Wilder
whether they could accompany him or not.
Evincing a lively Interest in the two Eastern boys, the Three
Stars' owner plied them with questions about Ohio and was so
impressed with their answers that he extended a cordial invitation
to them and the Wilder boys to pay him a visit at his ranch,
promising to have his men give an exhibition of "broncho busting"
for their special benefit, an invitation which all four eagerly
accepted.
Just as they were ready to rise from the table Hop Joy glided in.
"Nail, he backee," he announced. "Say he got heap talkee."
"Tell him to come round to the veranda," ordered Mr. Wilder. "By
the way, how are you coming along with the cooking, Hop Joy?"
"Allee lightee. Bymeby, two hours maybe."
"Well, don't be any longer. The sooner Ned can start, the sooner
he'll reach the Pool."
In answer the celestial bowed low, then turned and left the room.