THE STEALING OF THE HORSES.
"Go slow, men," came softly from Gilroy. "You know what kind of a man
Leeson is."
"Reckon I do know," came in a growl from Fetter. "And I've got an
account to settle with him, too."
"I'm pretty certain the boy is here," went on the leader. "But we must
make sure if the others are here too, or if they have ridden off to the
fort. If they have gone to the fort----"
"Hist!" came in warning from Potts. "You're talking too much. I've heard
that this Leeson sleeps with his ears wide open."
"He does," grumbled Fetter; and then the three desperadoes relapsed into
silence.
They were advancing upon the cabin from the rear, and each held a ready
pistol in his hand, while his rifle was slung over his back. They had
seen the boys and Benson head for the trapper's home while it was still
light and they were on a high cliff; but darkness had closed in on the
scene, and they had come up to the spot in ignorance of what had
followed.
Tiptoeing their way they reached the lean-to where the horses had been
stabled, and with caution Gilroy went inside. By feeling the animals he
soon learned that three had been in use but a few hours before, while
the fourth was cool and comfortable.
"Their horses are here," he announced. "And a fourth is here, too."
"That's Leeson's," answered Fetter. "But I thought he had two or three."
"Might as well take them while we have the chance," murmured Potts.
"Four nags will bring some money over at Highwater. We can get Gingo to
sell 'em."
"Let them out," answered Gilroy. "Without horses they'll have their
hands full trying to follow us."
It was no easy task to untie the horses in a place that was pitch-dark,
and it took some time to get even the horses belonging to our friends
released.
As Fetter and Potts took the animals out, Gilroy worked to untie the
sturdy mare belonging to Hank Leeson. This was a pet animal, and not
used to strangers. As Gilroy caught hold of the halter she gave a neigh
of suspicion.
"Hush!" murmured the desperado, and ran his hand down the mare's nose.
But this made her skittish, and she stamped sharply half a dozen times.
"What's up thar?" came in Hank Leeson's voice, and the trapper was wide
awake on the instant. "Whoa, Nancy, whoa!"
"Hang the luck!" muttered Gilroy, and ran outside after Fetter and
Potts. "He must have been on the watch."
"We must get out!" responded Fetter. "He's a sure-shot, remember.
Nothing but the darkness can save us."
"I'm going!" came from Potts, and he leaped on the back of one of the
horses--that which Joe had been riding.
"I'm with you," said Fetter, and mounted old Benson's steed. "Come,
Matt, and be quick about it."
By this time Hank Leeson was running around the corner of the cabin, gun
in hand. His call had aroused Joe and Darry, and they were pulling on
their clothing with all speed.
"Something is wrong!" exclaimed Joe.
"It must be those desperadoes," responded his cousin.
The boys were not yet dressed, when they heard a clatter of hoofs and a
shot, followed by another.
Then they came out, rifles in hand, to find Leeson reloading near the
stable.
"Those desperadoes have been here!" exclaimed the old trapper. "They ran
off with your hosses, consarn 'em!"
"Went off with the horses?" repeated Darry. "Did you shoot at them?"
"I did, but the light's against me, and I don't reckon as how I hit
anything." Hank Leeson meditated for a moment. "I've half a mind ter do
it--yes, I have!" he muttered.
"Do what?" asked Joe.
"Go after 'em on my mare. Would you be afraid to stay here alone if I
went?"
"No; go ahead!" cried both boys.
"We'll keep watch while you are away," continued Joe.
"If you can get the horses back it will be a great favor," said Darry.
"The three are worth over five hundred dollars."
Without further words, Hank Leeson dashed into the stable, untied his
mare and mounted her. Rifle over shoulder and pistol in hand, he dashed
away on the back trail, whence the desperadoes had disappeared. Soon he
was swallowed up in the darkness, although they heard the hoofbeats of
Nancy for several minutes after.
"This is the worst yet," was Joe's comment, when they were alone.
"Those fellows are as daring as they are rascally. I never dreamed they
would come up in that fashion. I wonder what they would have done if
Leeson hadn't woke up?"
"Perhaps we would all have been murdered," answered his cousin with a
shudder. "What shall we do, now we are dressed?"
"That depends upon how long Leeson remains away. I move we remain on
guard--one at the front of the cabin and the other at the rear. If we
keep our eyes peeled they can't come very close, even though it is
dark."
"All right, Joe. Keep your rifle handy."
"Don't fear about that, Darry."
They were soon on guard, the one on the doorstep and the other near the
lean-to, on a stump. Thus an hour dragged by. To both it was an
unusually long while.
"I don't see a thing," said Darry, coming to where his cousin rested.
"Nor I, and I'm getting sleepy. I hardly think Leeson will be back until
morning."
"Just what I was thinking. Let us take turns at watching. The one on
duty can walk around the cabin now and then, and that will give each of
us some sleep."
This was agreed upon, and they tossed up to see who should go on guard
first. It fell to Darry's lot, and Joe, hardly able to keep his eyes
open, quickly retired, without undressing.
Darry's vigil was certainly a lonely one, doubly so because it was new
to him. As he tramped slowly around the cabin, he could not help but
contrast this situation with the one he was used to at home.
"I don't know as I'd like to be a night policeman or a night-watchman,"
he reasoned. "They must be awfully tiresome jobs. And the city isn't
near as lonely as this, either, even in the middle of the night." He
drew a long breath and looked at his watch. "Gracious, only
three-quarters of an hour gone, and I've got an hour and a quarter still
to serve! How awfully slow it is! If Leeson----What's that?"
He broke off short and came to a halt, with his rifle in his hands and
his gaze fixed on some brushwood a hundred feet to the rear of the
stable. He had seen some dark object moving, but whether it was man or
beast he could not tell.
"It was something, I'm sure of that," he told himself, after the object
had disappeared from view. "If it was a man he must have been crawling
on hands and knees."
He wondered if he had better awaken Joe, but hesitated, knowing how
sleepy his cousin was. Perhaps the object would go away--if it was a
wild beast.
Keeping his eyes on the spot, Darry waited what seemed to him a long
time, but which was really but a few minutes. Then slowly the bushes
parted and the object came forth, with eyes that gleamed fitfully even
in that darkness.
"A mountain wolf!" muttered the boy. "Well, I'm glad it isn't one of
those desperadoes."
Taking up a stone he hurled it at the wolf, at the same time shouting to
the beast to go away. At once the wolf turned tail and disappeared
whence it had come.
"Did you call?" came sleepily from Joe.
"There's a wolf in the bushes back of the cabin," returned Darry.
"Does he want to attack you?"
"I don't know. I just threw a stone at him, and he's slunk out of
sight."
By this time Joe was also outside, and the two cousins waited for the
reappearance of the wolf.
But the animal was cowardly, and did not show himself again, and
presently Joe returned to bed. The remainder of the night passed without
anything unusual happening.