RED MACK AND TED INVESTIGATE
Ted was to leave for Wayland Academy the latter part of April. Mrs.
Dean thought that he would be able to enter then and still be up with
his class, thanks to the studying he had done at the ranch. Ted liked
the ranch so much he was not looking forward any too anxiously to
schooltime.
Ted was one of the twenty who went off one April morning for a great
roundup and branding of cattle. Suspicion was afoot that the Double X
cattle were being stolen. The Wells had also reported trouble at the
Double U, so stock was to be taken.
Ted took great pride in his place among the men. He had begged to be
allowed to go with them, since his days were to be so few at the ranch,
and Mrs. Dean had permitted him to go.
[Illustration: TWENTY MEN WERE OFF TO BRAND CATTLE]
The men had a busy day and Ted played a useful part. They pitched
camp early. Supper was soon over and most of the men decided to turn in
at once, for they wanted to start work early the following morning.
“Want to go a little way?” asked Red Mack.
“Certainly,” answered Ted, who was not at all sleepy.
“All right, then, let’s start.”
Off they went, at a steady trot. Red did not say just where they were
going. He usually, Ted had found, did not volunteer information.
“Why don’t you use the car more, Red?” questioned the boy.
“A car is all right, but the horse for me. Brownie and I”--he fondled
the horse’s neck--“are chums, have always been. Haven’t we, old horse?”
The horse looked up at Red understandingly. Ted hoped he and his horse,
Scout, would be on such good terms.
Red understood the boy’s thoughts.
“Treat him kindly always. Make him understand he amounts to something,
that he has a friend. Horses need more kindness than human beings.”
They rode for more than a half hour. Then Red spoke again.
“Ted, I have a suspicion there are some thieves about. Cattle thieves.
I think I know where they are.” He paused. “I didn’t want to say much
until I was sure, but I’ll make sure very soon. Perhaps you can help.”
The boy’s pulse beat faster. He didn’t know just how he could help, but
he knew he didn’t want to fail his friend.
“I know you have grit, from what Jack has told us. But you also have to
keep your head here,” Mack added.
They rode about three miles more. “There is a cave a little further up
there, a good and likely place for them. Let’s turn our horses back
into the woods here. No noise, now.”
Silently, slowly, they worked their way forward. There was but a touch
of the waning day to show them the way.
They stopped often and listened. It was slow progress. Then they heard
the faint murmur of voices. Mack drew nearer and tried to make out the
voices or what was said, but found it impossible. He came back and
motioned to Ted that they were to go back. And just as slowly they
worked their way to the starting point.
“Can’t tell who they are, can we?” Red mused. “They may be peaceable,
law-abiding citizens. They might be folks with business which isn’t my
particular concern. I’d hate to inspect, make trouble, get nowhere and
have good and kind friends tell it to you on every occasion. No, I’m
going to make sure.”
Ted whispered: “I have an idea, Red. Let me go in there, pretend I’m
lost, and that I am looking for my way.”
“Won’t do,” Red interrupted. “Lot’s of reasons why. First, they
wouldn’t let you know anything and I could only guess from your
description. Second, if trouble came, what do you think folks down
there would say to me? Nice, agreeable, pleasant things, eh? Tell you,
boy. I’ll go in. You wait where we were. If I don’t call you, it’s a
sign things are not friendly--you speed back and get Smiles and the
boys. I think you had best tell them to hurry, although I don’t think
they will need any urging when they find out it is friend McGowan. They
can’t hurry any too fast to suit me, because about the time they are
due things will be getting interesting and warm. Know the way back,
don’t you?”
“Yes, I know it,” answered Ted.
“So long, Ted,” said Red Mack.
Red crawled back to where the horses were. He rode forward as if he
were going to a picnic. Ted heard him breaking through the brushwood,
leading his horse. Then he heard him say, “Hello, friends.” He heard
the call repeated, but there was no answering hail. Silence still, as
Red seemed to have reached the cave, except that he heard men moving
about. Ted heard Mack’s voice--smooth, very pleasant, and most polite.
“I guess I’ll move on, since you don’t seem glad to see me. I seem to
have interrupted you, I would say.”
There was a second’s pause, then Ted heard someone speak.
“Throw up your hands, Red, quick. I think, now that you’re here, you’ll
stay awhile.”
Ted’s heart jumped. It was beating so loudly that he was sure they
could hear it.
The boy wanted to stay and hear more, but he knew there would be great
need of haste. Cautiously he made his way back to where his horse was
busy trying to find something at which he could nibble.
Once out of earshot, the boy made speed. His friend was in trouble and
he was depending upon him to get help. Red certainly was brave and
fearless, thought Ted, as he urged his horse to his best speed. He was
very glad that Red had taken him along on this adventure. He hoped that
he could be of service. What if he were too late? Faster, faster.
Scout proved his gameness. He seemed to understand what was wanted of
him and he waited for no urging.
A little more than an hour later a very excited boy was explaining to
wide-awake Smiles. That same Smiles had awakened at the first call and
even as he listened had awakened the other men. None of them asked
questions. They worked on the principle of getting ready first, then
questioning could come later. And so, even before Ted was through, they
were ready.
As they started off, Smiles turned to some of them and explained:
“Red has the McGowan gang up above. Rather, the McGowan gang has Red.
He’s expecting us, but we had better hurry, or it might get too warm
for him. Ted was with him until Red hurried him back to us while he
palavers with them and makes them feel that he is all sorts of a fool
and hasn’t had some such little plan as this all along. If it was
anyone else, I’d say that they would see through it all, but I have
faith in Red. It’s up to us to hurry.”
Twenty eager men, ready for anything. The possibility of trouble
pleased some of the more reckless, like Pete, but all of them were
interested in getting McGowan, against whom they had sworn enmity.
Ted was able to guide them without any trouble. When they reached the
place they tied their horses. But as they started to creep forward
they heard something move a little way off. Cautiously, one of them
investigated and found it was Red’s horse, Brownie.
“Good,” said Smiles, “we may find him very necessary.”
Some of the men had already gone forward and the rest joined them. They
could see the cave dimly, but they could hear quite clearly. All of the
men, ready at a second’s notice, watched Smiles, from whom the signal
for action would come.