An Ambuscade
Four days had elapsed since Jack and his comrades had left the mine
before anything happened to disturb the even course of the journey. They
had marched at a footpace all the way, Steve and Abe riding well ahead,
as a rule, though at times they scouted out on the flanks. Jack and Tom,
one of the scouts who had joined them at the very first, rode beside the
horses, their rifles loaded and held in readiness. Then suddenly, on the
fourth day, just as the light was getting a little uncertain, and the
shades of evening were drawing in, Steve came galloping back to the
little convoy, and Abe after him.
"What's amiss?" asked Jack, for it was a most unusual movement on the
part of the scout.
"That's jest what I'm axin' myself," came the curt answer. "I happened
to be ridin' way up thar on the spur of that 'ere hill, when I seed
somethin' down in the valley whar this road leads. The sun war jest
right bang in my eyes, so I couldn't make head nor tail of it; but out
here it's as well ter be careful, and ef ye've gold travellin' along a
road, and see something that aer strange, why, a chap hops back ter the
convoy quick. Do yer see anything, Abe?"
"Nary a thing. Thar's a spur that hides the road. Thar ain't no need to
be scared, even if thar's a party comin' along; but I 'low as it aer
wise ter be careful. Ef folks want ter disturb us, they'll see as we're
ready, and thet goes a long way when thar's villains about."
A quarter of an hour later the little convoy rounded the spur of the
hill which shut out the view of the road ahead of them. By now they were
riding in close order, Abe and Steve watching the hills on either side
with lynx-like eyes, for the road ran through a somewhat narrow defile,
and if an enemy were hidden amongst the rocks he would be so near that
his bullets would reach the convoy while a rush would have been
possible.
"Jest one of them ugly places," growled Steve, casting his eyes
restlessly from side to side. "Jest the sort of plant that'd be fixed on
by a set of ruffians ef they wanted ter hold up a convoy. Now, I tell
yer all, ef thar's a shot fired, don't wait to reply ter it. Jest put
yer spurs in hard, and ride. Waitin'll jest play into the hands of the
varmint. Mind, I don't suggest as thar's ter be trouble, but somehow or
other I've got a kinder feelin' as we're up agin somethin'. Why, ef thar
ain't a cart 'way ahead!"
The road in advance was now visible, and some four hundred yards ahead a
solitary cart was to be seen, a four-wheeled affair, which, from the
cant it had to one side, had evidently met with some disaster. Beside it
lounged a figure, above whose head hung a blue cloud of smoke,
indicating that he was taking his ease, and was puffing at his pipe.
"And nary a hoss in sight," exclaimed Steve. "Wall, that aer ter be
explained by the fact that his chums has gone ahead ter fetch help.
Boys, I 'low as thar ain't anythin' here ter scare us; but jest you bear
in mind what I've said already. Thar ain't never no trusting no one when
ye've gold about. Ef ye're axed the question, jest answer that we're
bound fer the settlements ter fill up with pork and flour and sichlike.
Wall, stranger, what's amiss?" he asked bluntly, as the cavalcade came
level with the stranded cart. "I see as ye've smashed a wheel."
"That's so. And a big nuisance it aer," came the answer, while the
figure they had seen lounging beside the wagon rose nonchalantly to his
feet, pulled the pipe from his mouth, and strolled towards them. The man
was tall, wiry, and sunburned to the last degree. A ragged and unkempt
beard almost entirely hid his features, while his clothing was far from
new, and seemed to indicate that he had been travelling for a
considerable period.
"Jest a big nuisance," he repeated, placing his pipe back between his
lips so as to indulge in another draw. "And I don't mind tellin' yer
why," he went on, glancing first at Steve, then at Abe, and afterwards
at Jack and Tom in turn. Indeed, a pair of sharp eyes, almost hidden
beneath bushy brows, seemed to take in particulars of the party within a
second, while Jack caught the stranger's glances directed upon the
horses and their loads. "I'll tell yer why," he proceeded, "and I see as
thar ain't no harm in doin' so. It ain't every sort of man travellin' in
this country that a chap can give his confidence to; but with you,
gentlemen, one kin see as things aer safe. That 'ere cart aer stuffed
nigh full with gold. Yer wouldn't think it, now, would yer? 'Cos, as a
gineral rule, gold aer sent on hossback, same as ye're doin'. This lot
is piled into the cart so as to blind any of them light-fingered gents
as sometimes takes to the road. Cartin' aer my business, and I don't
object to sich a valuable cargo so long as I ain't delayed; but I 'low
that this here broken wheel has made me a trifle fidgety. My mates has
taken the hosses on to the nearest settlement to buy up a new wheel,
and, ef it ain't axin too much, I'd be obleeged if yer could stand by me
till they come back agin. It aer too late fer you to ride on far, for
the light aer nearly gone. And this here spot aer pretty pleasant."
Jack stared hard at the man, and, though his mind was full of
suspicions, considering Steve's warnings, he was bound to admit that the
tale was a plausible one; that, despite the roughness of this stranger's
appearance, he seemed honest, perfectly frank, and at his ease. Then,
too, the admission he had made that his cart contained gold was
sufficient of itself to disarm all thought of treachery. The man was in
a quandary, and in those rough days in California, despite the
scoundrels to be found in every part, there were still, amongst the
hundred-thousand and more of miners, huge numbers who showed the utmost
kindness to one another. Indeed, the rough, blunt-spoken miner was
always ready to dip his hand into his pocket when a subscription was
required for a sick comrade, for a widow, or for some other urgent
cause. Jack was therefore not surprised when Steve slipped from his
saddle and gripped the stranger's hand.
"Ef that's the case, why, in course, we'll help," he sang out cheerily.
"It ain't hard ter see as ye're in a fix, and sence it aer always a
case out here of one man helpin' another, why, here we stay till your
pards return. But I 'low as it ain't the sort of camp I should ha'
chosen. Them hills is too near fer my likin'. How long is it sence your
chums left fer the settlement?"
"Six or seven hours, I reckon. As thar ain't nothin' ter detain them,
they ought to be back right here in another four; but thar ain't never
no sayin'. Them boys ain't seen a settlement fer the last three months,
and it stands to reason that they'll be tempted ter put in a time in one
or more of the saloons. But they won't forget. Thar's this here gold ter
remind 'em. Reckon they'll fetch back here somewhere about the early
mornin'. Got much dust yerself?"
The ragged individual jerked his head towards the horses which Tom and
Jack were unloading at that moment. Remembering Steve's caution, they
took the swags from the one horse and tossed them carelessly into a
heap, as if the blankets contained nothing of value, while the bags
which had hitherto contained gold, and which were now crammed with food,
with spare shirts and socks, and other articles, were taken from the
horses with great care and stacked in a heap aside. Nor did the stranger
fail to notice the removal.
"Got much over thar?" he asked casually.
"A tidy bit. Nothin' onusual," answered Steve warily, for this
experienced little scout was always cautious. Jack had learned long
since that it took time to break through the ice with which Steve
surrounded himself, and that, for some reason or other, it was a long
while before he gave his confidences to anybody.
"A tidy bit," he repeated in a confidential whisper.
"Jack," he sang out, "jest pile them bags a little closer together, so
as we kin see 'em. We should be in a proper hole ef we was to lose that
stuff. And what sort of a load have yer got, mate?" he asked in his
turn, facing the stranger just as casually as the latter had done, and
commencing to fill his pipe.
"Jest about double that lot. Look thar."
The tall, ungainly figure of the man was elevated from the boulder on
which he had been seated, and, strolling towards the cart, he pulled the
back boards down, disclosing a pile of bags within.
"Ef you and me and your pals here was ter divide, reckon we wouldn't
want ter work after this," he said with a grin. "But duty aer duty. That
'ere stuff aer in my charge, and I see as you aer gentlemen."
"You kin put it like that," smiled Steve. "Now, seems to me, as your
pals is due almost any time, it ain't no use fer us to unpack the swags.
Perhaps you've got a bit of food ter spare, and a glass and a bottle?"
The cautious Steve wished to avoid unpacking his own store, for the very
obvious reason that the food was packed within the bags which appeared
to contain gold. And, for the very same reason, Jack and Tom, once they
had removed their belongings from the horses, had made no effort to
disturb them.
"Why, sure," came the hearty answer, "I'm jest obleeged to you fer
standin' by me, and it so happens as I've a fine store, and good things
with it."
There was a bustle in the little camp for the next hour, for the
stranger threw wood on the fire and soon had it blazing merrily, while
within a short while a savoury steam arising from the kettle suspended
over it tickled the palates of the travellers. Then reared up on a
couple of low boulders placed directly against the flames were a couple
of ramrods, and on these sizzled two enormous buffalo steaks, toasting
nicely in the heat, and now and again sending the flames leaping skyward
as they dripped grease into the fire.
"It does a man good ter smell that," cried Steve, glancing towards the
fire, "and in ten minutes or less reckon things'll be ready. Say,
stranger, whar do yer fetch the water from? I jest think I'll take a
wash afore I sit down."
"Over thar." The man pointed to a spot some forty yards away, now almost
hidden in the darkness.
"Then, ef you're comin', Jack, why come along."
Steve strolled off into the gloom, followed by our hero, for he seemed
to gather from some subtle note in Steve's voice that the hunter desired
him to do so. They walked side by side to the stream, Steve whistling
loudly and cheerily. Then the little man kneeled and splashed water over
his face.
"Kin yer see the fire?" he asked in a low voice. "And that 'ere
scaramouch beside it?"
Jack, answered again in the affirmative.
"Wall, now, jest you listen ter me. Jack, this thing ain't as right as
it seems. Reckon thar's something queer about that feller down thar, and
I've more than a notion that ef we was ter ax him ter 'low us ter look
into his bags, it's not gold they aer holding. Savvy?"
To be perfectly frank, Jack was astonished. To his unsuspicious mind
everything about the stranger down below seemed to be open and
above-board. His nonchalance and apparent frankness had impressed our
hero, while the open display of the gold bags, the broken wheel, and the
whole tale seemed so very likely and real that he could find no room for
doubt. But Jack was as yet, with all his harsh misfortune with regard to
the robbery, but a child in experience, while Steve was a man who had
been in every part of America, who had doubtless encountered many a
rogue, and whose outlook on life was broader by a great deal, and far
more acute than was our hero's.
"Yer don't. You've took that man fer a white man, one as is in
distress," grinned Steve, laughing almost inaudibly. "Wall, when I was
about your age I'd have done the same, and taken my davy as he war
honest. And mind yer, I don't say now right off that he's a scamp. I
ain't dead sartin, but I'm sure enough ter jest give you the wink, and
to tell you ter pass it on to the others, though I expect as Abe ha' got
hold of the same notion as me."
"But why? What is wrong?" asked Jack, somewhat bewildered, for even now
he could distinguish nothing wrong, no false line in the tale told by
the stranger.
"Why! Wall, look you here. It wouldn't do ter ax him to 'low us to see
his gold, 'cos then, ef he's square and above-board, he'd get ter
suspecting us. And ef he ain't, as seems nearly sartin, why, it stands
to reason that he wants ter take us by surprise when his mates comes
along. That bein' so, we wants to have a surprise fer them tucked up our
sleeves. How do I see anythin' wrong? Wall, look at the springs of that
'ere wagon. They ain't down by near as much as they would be ef them
bags was filled with gold. They're chuck-full, thar ain't a doubt, but
the stuff in 'em ain't gold, or else the weight would be so big it
would sink the springs, and bring the frame of the cart down on to the
axles. Then, look at the broken wheel. Thar ain't a rut hereabouts ter
break it. Thar ain't weight in the cart sufficient ter account fer a
smash, so one has ter take it that it was done of purpose. Savvy?"
Jack did. Now that the matter was put so concisely and clearly before
him he could see that there was a bad smudge across the story told by
this stranger. His coolness and apparent honesty would have passed his
tale with the ordinary miner, for often enough he came from the
settlements. But with a scout it was a different matter. Steve had not
lived his life for nothing. The habit of close inspection, of constant
care to guard against danger and the ambushes of the enemy, had made him
discover a flaw in what appeared to be a straightforward matter.
"Then you think we are to be attacked?" asked Jack, his heart beating a
little faster.
"I'm nigh dead sartin. That's why I brought you off here. Ye've got ter
act up to that man. Pretend yer ain't smelt a rat, and let him think
ye're as soft as may be. But keep yer eyes open, and yer fist mighty
near yer shooter. Tell Tom the same, and be ready."
A few minutes later they sauntered back to the camp, where the stranger
announced that supper was ready.
"Hot soup and a cut from them steaks won't do none of us any harm!" he
cried pleasantly. "By the time we've had a smoke it'll be time ter turn
in. Reckon my mates aer likely ter stay a bit, and ought ter be here
about mornin'."
They seated themselves about the fire, and were soon engaged in eating
as good a meal as Jack had seen for many a long day; for at the mine
they were, as a rule, too busy to leave the place to seek for fresh
meat. They subsisted for the most part on corned beef and on salted
food. Then pipes were produced, and for an hour the party chatted.
"My name's Ted," announced the stranger, "and I 'low as you have treated
me handsome. Now, sence I've had a rest here, and ye've been on the road
all day, I'm willin' ter take the watch to-night, fer, in course,
someone must see that things aer right. Ef you don't like that
suggestion, why we'll draw lots."
"Wall, I'm about dead beat," sang out Steve promptly, beginning to yawn
loudly. "Fact is, me and my mates here has been hard at it at the mines
for a long while, and then we've been coming along steadily. Ef ye're
willing ter take the watch first, I'll turn in, and yer kin be relieved
after midnight. Then I'll come on, and Abe here'll take it till the
light comes."
The firelight flickering on the face of the stranger showed no sign
there of annoyance. It was the same to him whether he took the night or
the morning watch; and for the life of him Jack could not help but think
that Steve was mistaken in his suspicions.
"The man seems absolutely honest," he said to himself, "but still there
is something in what Steve says. If that cart were really loaded with
bags of gold, the springs would certainly be down. As it is, the load
might consist of feathers. Yes, it will be as well to keep a sharp eye
open."
Borrowing the blankets of the men who, Ted, the stranger, said, had
left with the horses to obtain a spare wheel, Steve and his friends
threw themselves down on the ground near their own belongings. Near at
hand their horses were picketed to pegs driven deeply into the earth,
while their own heads reclined on the blankets which contained their
store of gold. The bags full of their other belongings lay at a little
distance, and the firelight playing upon them showed that they were
secure. But it did not show the eyes of the stranger, nor the fact that
that individual had fixed them upon the bags greedily.
"Listen here, mates," whispered Steve, as he lay down, having first
heard the man Ted stroll a little from the camp. "Jack aer probably told
yer that things don't look square. Wall, I'll take a sleep now, and Jack
kin watch. Tom'll follow with a spell, then Abe, and finally I'll take a
turn. That'll bring us ter the mornin'. It's then that the trouble'll
come. And, boys, ef thar's a rush, yer kin leave our loads to
theirselves. This chap Ted has had his eyes on the bags, and don't
cotton that there's been a bit of a change. Them bags of ours aer heavy
enough to mislead 'em, and ef they rush, why, they're welcome to the
swags. Good night!"
He rolled over on his side, tucked the blanket well around him, and was
fast asleep in less than five minutes. Long habit had inured the scout
to thoughts of danger. He could sleep as well and as soundly, knowing
that blows would be struck on the morrow, as he could when no danger was
to be apprehended, provided always that he was sure that he had friends
to aid him, who would remain watchful whilst he slept. And by now Steve
was assured of that. The long trip over the plains had proved the
reliability of Abe and Tom and Jack.
Then the deep breathing of Abe and Tom told that they too had fallen
into a peaceful slumber, leaving Jack to guard them. Our hero lay with
his face on his hand, his head propped up a little, and his eyes only
half-opened, for the reflection of the fire might have been seen in them
had Ted happened to look his way. He heard the steps of the solitary
sentry now and again, and watched him as he strolled round the stranded
cart. Occasionally he approached the fire, and, lifting a smouldering
stick, lit his pipe with it. It was two hours later before he ventured
farther. Listening intently, he slid across the ground which intervened
between the cart and Jack and his friends, bent over them for some few
seconds, and then walked to the heap of sacks. Jack watched him
stealthily as he inspected the piled-up bags, and then turned his head
to follow his further movements as he retreated once more to the cart.
Then Ted did a curious thing. Jack saw him fumbling with something for
the space of a few seconds, he stepped towards the smouldering embers,
and the flickering light showed that his arm was suspended over the
heat. It seemed as if he were warming his fingers. But no. An instant
later a tongue of brilliant flame shot up into the darkness, and as
suddenly melted into smoke.
"A signal, without doubt," thought Jack. "Ah!"
From somewhere in the distance a faint echo came to his ear--a faint,
eerie whistle. The signal had been answered. There was no longer room
for doubt that this Ted was acting a part, that the broken-down cart
was merely an adjunct to a plot destined, if he and his friends were not
very careful, to wipe them out of existence, and take from them all
their hardly won gold.
"Gee," exclaimed Jack to himself, "if that isn't something! Time I woke
Steve and the others. Time we made some sort of an arrangement to meet
the danger."