WHAT NAILS LEARNED
While the ranchmen and Mrs. Wilder made themselves comfortable in
chairs, the boys squatted or stretched out on the piazza, their
restlessness proclaiming the expectancy with which they awaited the
"heap talkee" Nails desired to impart.
The cowboy soon appeared, and, after seating himself at Mr.
Wilder's bidding, launched into an account of what he had learned
in Tolopah.
"There are twenty of them in the gang," he said, "and Megget has
joined them by this time, though he wasn't with them when they made
the raids. As near as I could make out, their headquarters are in
the Lost Lode Mine. There are three trails to it, one leading in
somewhere near the trail you all took on your hunting trip and the
others to the south, along which they drive the cattle they steal.
I----"
"Mr. Wilder, you don't suppose that could be the trail where I saw
those men crossing the face of the cliff, do you?" interrupted Tom.
"I shouldn't doubt it a bit. I'd forgotten about them entirely."
And he briefly told Snider of the figures they all had seen,
adding: "Much obliged for reminding me, Tom. That may have been
Megget and the fellows you met with him. Go on, Nails; anything
more?"
"Nothing but that it's my opinion they have a spy in Tolopah who
keeps 'em mighty well informed on the happenings at the Half-Moon
and Three Stars ranches."
At the words Mr. Wilder and his neighbor exchanged significant
glances.
"What makes you think so?" the latter asked. "Where did you learn
all this, anyhow?"
"Oh, just nosing round," drawled Nails, but his tone suggested that
he was sure of his information and at the same time unwilling to
disclose its source.
"You certainly did well, Nails," complimented his master. "Knowing
how many there are in the gang will enable us to lay definite plans
for action. Now go and get your supper. I suppose you have seen
the boys from the Three Stars in the bunkhouse?"
"I could hear 'em half way to Tolopah." "Then tell them we'll
start. At what time do you think Pete will reach the pool?"
"About midnight."
"Good. Be ready to move by ten o'clock."
"And tell my outfit to make less noise," added Mr. Snider.
Until they could hear the other cowboys greeting Nails the two men
were silent, and then Mr. Wilder declared:
"I had no idea Megget had twenty men with him. It's a good thing
we found out.
"Let's see, there are nine of you from the Three Stars; nine of my
boys and myself. That makes nineteen."
"And the four of us, that makes twenty-three," added Horace,
deeming the moment auspicious for settling the question that was
uppermost in the minds of all the lads.
"Your arithmetic is better than your facts," laughed his father.
"Oh, can't we go, please? If Megget should see Larry and Tom, he
might run and----"
"On the contrary, I'm afraid he might try to wipe out the disgrace
they put upon him. No, my son, it's going to be a hard trip. If
you were along I should be worrying about you all the time.
Besides," he added, noting the keen disappointment his refusal
brought, "I shall need you here so you can ride down to the pool
every day and see that the cattle and horses are all right."
"That's well enough for the others. They would be in the way, but
I wouldn't," protested Bill. "I'm old enough and strong enough to
go, and the experience would do me good. If you take it, it will
make just twenty on both sides."
"What do you think, Jim, shall we take Bill or not?"
As the boys awaited the answer of their friend, it was so still the
fall of a pin could have been heard.
But their suspense did not last long.
With a drawl that was tantalizingly deliberate the owner of the
Three Stars Ranch replied:
"I reckon we might as well. Bill's got a level head on his
shoulders, and some day he'll be boss of the Half-Moon. If
anything like this happens then he'll know how to act. Yes, I
think we'd better take him."
Aware that it would be useless to try to persuade Mr. Wilder to
change his mind in respect to taking them, Tom, Larry and Horace
made the most of the fact that they were to inspect the herd daily.
But it was poor recompense, and in a few minutes they went on to
see how near Ned was ready to start, stopping to sample Hop Joy's
cooking on the way.
"You goee?" asked the Chinaman as the trio entered his kitchen.
"Going to eat," grinned Horace, helping himself to a doughnut and
just managing to dodge a potato that Hop Joy tossed at him.
"Shoo! shoo! Lun out! Me bigee hully. No plague! no plague!"
"Poor fellow! It must be some job to get enough food ready for
twelve men. Come on, let's leave him alone," said Larry. "I'd
like to go down to the bunk-house."
"That's so. Maybe Sandy or some of his boys know the trail to the
Lost Lode," agreed Horace. And to the Chinaman's surprise they
left him in peace.
The men from the Three Stars were lying in the bunks and sprawling
on the benches, getting what rest they could in anticipation of
many long hours in the saddle, laughing and talking the while.
At the entrance of the trio the chatter ceased and the cowboys
stared at the two Eastern boys with undisguised interest.
"Boys, these are the famous cowboy tamers, Larry and Tom Alden,"
said Horace, bowing in feigned deference and indicating his friends
with a wave of his hand.
"Don't be afraid, though. We won't try our hands on you unless you
get gay with us," declared Larry seriously.
"Thankee, thankee kindly, on behalf of me and my men," bowed Sandy
gravely, and then they all burst into a roar of laughter.
Cowboys love a joke, and the words and manner of the brothers,
together with their clean-cut faces and manly bearing, appealed to
them, winning the way to their good graces as nothing else could.
All reserve thus broken, the men bade the lads sit down.
"I s'pose you'll be going with us?" hazarded Sandy.
"No, father won't let us. He thinks we're only babies. Says he's
afraid we'll be in the way. So we've got to stay home and watch
the herd at the Witches' Pool."
"You may have your hands full at that," declared one of the cowboys.
"Keep quiet," growled Sandy, frowning at the speaker.
But the remark had suggested all sorts of possibilities to the
lads, and, glancing at Tom and Larry, Horace asked:
"What makes you think so?"
Again Sandy cast a look full of meaning at his fellow and the
cowboy answered:
"Oh, nothing in particular. I was just talking."
The boys had noted Sandy's glances, however, and the reply only
whetted their curiosity.
Drawing himself to his full height and striving to be as severe as
possible, Horace said:
"If any of you men know of any trouble that may come to the
Half-Moon herd, it is your duty to tell my father before he goes
away."
The words and the seriousness of the boy standing before them sent
the men into another roar of laughter.
But Sandy hastened to say:
"There's nothing we know, kid. Skinny was only joking."
Horace was about to reply when Hop Joy poked his head through the
door, saying:
"Glub all leady, Ned."
"All right, Hop." And springing from his bunk, Ned went out to
harness his horses, accompanied by several of the cowboys.
For an hour or so the chums stayed in the bunkhouse, listening to
stories of marvelous feats of broncho-busting and whatever else the
men pleased to tell them, only leaving when Nails announced it was
time to go to the corral and saddle up.
"Aren't you going with them?" asked Tom.
"No," returned Horace. "We are liable to get hurt, it's so dark.
We couldn't see anything if we did go. Besides, father may have
some orders to give us."
The only instructions Mr. Wilder had to give, however, were to be
careful not to do anything that would cause his wife to worry about
them.
"Suppose the herd gets in trouble, what shall we do?" persisted
Horace, on whose excited mind the words of the Three Stars' cowboy
had made a lasting impression.
"Use your own judgment. But don't let your imagination play tricks
on you. The cattle will be all right--unless you get them
restless."
"Oh, we won't do that," quickly declared Larry. "We'll take such
good care of them, you will want to hire us as cowboys when you get
back."
The shouts from the corral told the ranchmen that the time for the
start had arrived, and quickly they made themselves ready, while
Hop Joy appeared to say he had sent saddle bags with food for Mr.
Wilder and Bill by Ned.
With a great clatter of hoofs, the cowboys rode up. The Wilders
and Mr. Snider bade a hurried good-by, mounted and galloped away
into the darkness of the night, with the wishes of Mrs. Wilder and
the boys for success and a speedy return ringing in their ears.