overtook us. The man on the wounded bronco did not arrive until the
edge of the sun peeped above the horizon, and I ordered him to remove
the saddle and bridle, hitch the animal behind the ambulance, and take
a seat beside the driver.
Just when we were about to start again, Frank asked permission to run
ahead with the field-glass to the rising ground and look for Tyson's
Wells. I consented, and told him to signal us if he saw them, and that
if he did not we would halt, turn out, and send the least worn of the
escort ahead for relief.
Frank started, and presently disappeared behind some brush at a turn
in the road. An instant later he shouted and screamed at the top of
his voice. Whether he was shouting with joy or terror, or had gone out
of his senses, we were unable to guess. It sounded like "Who-o-o-op!
water! water! water!"
Had the boy seen a mirage and gone mad? We could see nothing but the
broad hollow about us, barren and dry as ever. But still the boy
continued to shout, "Water! water!" and presently he appeared round
the bend, running and holding up what appeared to be a letter. It was
a letter. When Frank reached the ambulance tears were in his eyes as
he handed me a yellow envelope.
"Found it on the head of a barrel over there, with a stone on it to
prevent it from blowing away."
Breaking open the envelope with trembling fingers, I read:
"TYSON'S WELLS.
"DEAR LIEUTENANT.--Please accept four barrels of water and
four bushels of corn, with my compliments.
"GRAY."
Need I confess the emotions with which we realized the service this
brave Arizona merchant had done us? or need I mention that Mr.
Gray--God bless him, wherever he may be!--is always remembered with
gratitude by me? for this is no idle incident invented to amuse a
reader, but an actual occurrence.
Water!--four barrels!--one hundred and sixty gallons! That meant two
gallons for every man and boy, and eight gallons for each animal. It
meant rest, speed, safety.
We moved across the ravine and found the four barrels by the
road-side. The animals were secured to the ambulance and the acacia
bushes, the heads of the barrels removed, and after each person had
satisfied his thirst the camp kettles were used, until horses and
mules had drunk the contents of one each. The stock was then turned
out to graze.
When coffee was poured, Private Tom Clary arose, and, holding up his
tin cup, said to his comrades:
"Here's a toast to be drunk standin', b'ys, and for many raysons,
which I think nade not be explained to this assimbly, I'm glad to
drink it in a decoction whose principal ingraydiant is wather. Here's
to Mr. Gray, whose conduct at Soldiers' Holes, at Date Creek, and on
the Walkerhelyer has won our admiration. May he niver lack for the
liquid he has so ginerously dispinsed, nor a soft hand to smooth his
last pillow, and plinty of masses for the repose of his sowl!"
Frank and Henry sprang towards the circle of soldiers, raised their
cups as Clary finished his sentiment, and joined in the hearty
response when he closed.
At one o'clock the animals were caught up, given the remainder of the
water and their portion of the corn, and got ready for the road. Once
up the slope Marr cracked his whip, the mules started into a trot, the
horses of the escort broke into a canter, and amid the cheerful
clatter of hoofs and the rattle of wheels we sped on our way as fresh
as if we were just leaving Fort Whipple. A ride of twenty miles
brought us to Tyson's Wells. These were two in number, sunk at an
intersection of several roads leading to settlements and mines, an
accommodation to trains, flocks, and herds, and a profit to the owner.
I learned from Colonel Tyson that immediately upon his arrival Mr.
Gray had hired a wagon to take water and corn to us. He had bargained
for the driver to go until he met us, but the man being prepaid may
account for his not fulfilling his agreement to the letter.
The rest of the day and night was spent at the Wells, the boys and I
taking our supper at the Desert Hotel, kept by the colonel. At the
table, Henry, in a tone of evident anxiety, asked if we should return
the way we came.
"Yes, if we can find a few kegs in La Paz that will hold water," I
answered.
"But we cannot haul kegs enough in the ambulance to supply the
animals."
"It will not be difficult. We will follow the army custom in such
cases, and I will promise you that there will be no suffering from
thirst when we cross the desert again."
Just as we were preparing for bed Mr. Hudson arrived from La Paz. He
informed me that Texas Dick and Jumping Jack were there and in
possession of the ponies; that there was to be a horse-race the day
after to-morrow, and the ponies had been entered. At this news the boy
sergeants became much excited, and proposed a dozen impracticable ways
of going on at once and seizing their property.
Hudson said he had talked the matter over with Mr. Gray, and the
merchant had advised that we give out a report in La Paz that we were
there on the transportation and storehouse business only, and make no
immediate attempt to capture the ponies. He said the town was full of
the friends of the horse-thieves, and that our movements would be
closely watched and reported to them. If they became alarmed they
would probably run across the Mexican boundary at once.
"But why cannot we attend the race with the escort, as spectators, and
seize them?" asked Frank.
"That is a move they will be sure to be looking for. If any of you go
to the race, I believe neither of those men nor the ponies will be
there."
I told Hudson to return to La Paz before daylight and circulate the
report that I was coming for the purpose he had mentioned. I also
requested him to watch Jack and Dick, and if he saw them making
preparations for flight to come and meet me. We were met on the
outskirts of the town by Mr. Gray, who told us we were to be his
guests during our stay, and that his corral and store-rooms were at
the service of my men and stock.
Going directly to the house of the hospitable trader, we found it to
consist of well-furnished bachelor quarters, with several spare rooms
for guests. The boys were assigned a room by themselves, and I one
adjoining them, in which we found ample evidence that our host had
looked forward with pleasure to our visit and had fully understood
boyish needs and desires.
Henry, after exchanging his travelling-dress for a neat uniform,
appeared upon the veranda with glowing face and shining hair.
"Mr. Gray, how pleasant you have made our room for us! Have you any
boys of your own?" he asked.
"Only two nephews, Sandy and Malcolm, in the 'Land of Cakes,'" was the
reply.
"What a good uncle you must be to them!"
"Thank you, laddie. I hope the bairns are as fine boys as you and your
brother."
"You are very kind to say so, sir. May I ask you a question?"
"A dozen, laddie. What is it?"
"When you overtook us on the desert you said it was not far to Tyson's
Wells, and that we should soon be there."
"Ah! then you thought it a long way, sergeant?"
"Perhaps my terrible thirst had something to do with it, but it seemed
more than twenty-five miles. I thought you had a queer notion of
distances."
"Only a little deception to keep up your heart, laddie. I saw you were
in sad need of water, and I made a hard ride to send it to you, but I
wanted you to do your best to meet it. What do you think of the
shrinking properties of water when applied to a desert road?"
"Wasn't it great, though! Those last twenty miles your four barrels
shrank into nothing but a pleasant three hours' ride."
After dinner Mr. Hudson reported that he had dropped information at
the hotels and business places that we were here to meet a director of
the Colorado Navigation Company. We also learned from him that the
steamer _Cocopah_ had arrived that morning from up-river, and was now
lying at her landing, one mile below town, awaiting the return of the
director from Wickenburg. Both Mr. Gray and Hudson were of the opinion
that the horse-thieves were suspicious of our presence, for their
agents had been unable to locate the ponies at any stable in town. The
horse-race was advertised to come off on the afternoon of the
following day, half a mile below the steamboat-landing, and Texas Dick
and Juan Brincos had entered horses for the stakes.
Mr. Gray thought the appearance of the ponies in the race would depend
entirely upon what course we pursued. If we attended the race the
ponies would not be there; if we stayed away he had no doubt they
would run.
Believing the trader's convictions to be correct, I instructed the
escort not to go south of the town during the day of the races, and
told Frank and Henry to amuse themselves about the streets or in the
vicinity of Mr. Gray's residence. I then started with our host to
procure a building for a military storehouse.
For the rest of the day the boys showed little disposition to wander
about; they spent most of their time lounging on their beds with a
book, or asleep.
XV
THE PONIES ARE FOUND
The following day the boy sergeants rose from their beds fully
refreshed, and after breakfast began to explore the town. They made
some purchases in the stores, and found much amusement in watching a
bevy of Mojave Indian girls buying pigments to be used in adorning
their necks, arms, and faces. Following the bronze maidens to the
shore of a lagoon that backed up to the town from the river, they
seated themselves beneath a cottonwood and witnessed the designing of
tracings in many colors, made with endless and musical chatterings,
accompanied by an evident consciousness that they were objects of
interest to two pale-face boys.
After completing the tinting the girls would walk about for a while
and display their work to admiring friends, and then plunge into and
swim about the lagoon with the ease and grace of a lot of mermaids;
emerging with no trace left of their recent ornamentation, they would
proceed to renew it in different designs, and take another swim.
"Quite like watering-place belles with extensive wardrobes," remarked
Frank.
"And takes about as long to put on the paint as to put on a
fashionable dress," said Henry, "but not so long to remove it."
Another thing that amused the boys was a _balsa_, or raft, made by the
Mojaves, of the cane-grass which grew in the river-bottoms to the
height of fifteen feet. A large bundle bound at the ends with grass
ropes would sustain two men. The boys borrowed one of an Indian girl,
who was sitting in the shade of some willows prinking herself
artistically with an original and intricate pigmentary pattern.
Stepping on board, they paddled about the lagoon for a considerable
period.
Tiring at last of the sport, they separated, Frank saying that he was
going for his shot-gun, and perhaps shoot for some quail, and Henry
that he meant to find Tom Clary and set some lines for catfish.
The younger sergeant failing to find the soldier, selected a line,
and, procuring some bait, returned alone to the lagoon. On his way he
met the Indian girl walking along the sidewalk, an object of
admiration and envy to the men and women of her people. Her bronze
flesh was adorned with a lacelike tracery of beautiful design, in many
tints.
"How exceedingly pretty!" said Henry, in Spanish, a language fairly
well understood by the aborigines of the Southwest.
"I, or my paint?" asked the girl, coquettishly.
"The paint is well put on; but I think you prettiest just after a
swim."
"Thank you, señor."
"May I use the balsa again, Indita?"
"Si, señor, and you may keep it, but return the paddle."
"Thank you. I will leave the paddle on the shore where you were
sitting."
With this exchange of civilities Henry walked down to the pool. An
idea had occurred to him. He wondered if he could not float down the
river to the racing-ground and get a peep at Sancho and Chiquita, as
they came in victors. He felt sure no ponies in Arizona could outrun
them. But Mr. Duncan had told the escort not to go to the race. True;
but what harm could there be if he kept out of sight?
Placing an empty box on the raft for a seat, he took Vic on board, and
began paddling out of the lagoon. Speed could not be made with such a
craft; it was simply a convenience for crossing or journeying down the
river. The Mojaves, whose village was five miles above La Paz, came
down on freshly made _balsas_ every day, but walked home, carrying
their paddles.
Once well out of the lagoon, and in the river-current, the boy and dog
were swept along at a swift rate.
A mile down the shore he saw a crowd of men, mounted and on foot,
intently watching something inland. He was approaching the
race-course. He made a landing on a sand-spit that struck off from an
outward curve of the bank, and dragged the _balsa_ out of the water.
The shore rose abruptly from the bar to a height two feet above his
head. He lifted and boosted Vic up, and seizing the long tufts of
overhanging grass and thrusting his feet into the loops of willow
roots, drew himself to the higher level and crept into a screen of low
bushes.
Peering through the branches, Henry saw a straight-away course,
parallel to the river, bordered for three hundred yards with the
motley crowd of a mining and Indian country. At the northern end of
the course was a group of ten ponies, out of which he found no
difficulty in discovering two, a black and a cream-color, and
recognizing in them the property of his brother and himself. In his
opinion they were the handsomest animals in the group.
At the fourth signal--a pistol-shot--the ponies got away. Down the
three-hundred-yard track they sped, and over the last fourth the black
and cream-color led by a length, crossing the goal with Sancho half a
neck in advance. Of course the little sergeant knew they would beat,
and in spite of his sorrow at the loss of his ponies--intensified by
this stolen sight of them--he could not refrain from clapping his
hands and saying, aloud, "Bravo, Sancho! Bravita, Chiquita!"
The subdued cheer was promptly answered by a succession of barks at
the foot of the tree, and Vic, interpreting the boy's clapping and
speech to mean that she was free to go, dashed off at the top of her
speed for the race-course, and to its southern end, where the victors
were now held by their dismounted riders. Vic bounded wildly about
them for a few moments, and then, standing still, Henry saw each horse
in turn place its nose to the dog's nose. One of the men struck the
dog sharply with the loop of his bridle-rein, and as she fled back in
the direction of the tree in which the boy was, he saw the riders hold
a brief consultation and then follow the dog.
Henry, perceiving he was discovered, let himself down from the tree.
Texas Dick and Jumping Jack approached.
"Ven acá, muchacho" (Come here, boy), said the Mexican.
Henry did not stir, and Dick said to his companion, in Spanish: "He
does not understand your lingo. I will try him in English: Come here,
boy."
Henry had not disregarded Juan's summons for any particular reason,
but the remark of Dick gave him an idea. By pretending ignorance of
Spanish he might learn something that would be of advantage to him.
Accordingly, he came forward when Dick spoke.
"From Fort Whipple, ain't yer, sonny?"
"I am."
"D' ye know these critters?"
"The black is my brother's, the light is mine."
"Lookin' on 'em up, I s'pect?"
"We shall take them, if we can."
"You see, I was right," continued Dick to his companion, in Spanish.
"They came here to take these horses."
"Then we better call for the prize, collect our stakes, and leave,"
said Juan.
"Where shall we go?" asked Dick. "Arizona's getting uncomfortable for
me, and your kin across the Mexican line don't love you."
"Valgame Dios, no! Let's cross the river and go to San Diego or Los
Angeles."
"Estar bueno. Come with us, youngster," he added, in English; "and
mind ye keep a quiet tongue in yer head or ye'll have no head to wag
it in after ye've spoke."
Henry followed the men to the head of the race-course, where they
received their prizes and winnings, and withdrew to the river-bank.
There they divided the money and held a conference.
"We'd better cross the river to-night and camp at El Rincon until
morning, and then strike for Dos Palmas and the coast."
"Shall we leave our monte and other stuff in town?" asked Juan.
"No; you stay here and take care of the boy, and I'll go back and sell
out. Anastacio Barela will buy. Look sharp that the young soldier does
not send a message by his dog. I heard lots of strange stories of her
performances in that line at Prescott. I will bring down something for
our supper and the road."
Dick galloped away, leaving the Mexican and Henry to await his return.
As the twilight deepened into darkness the boy's thoughts grew more
and more despondent. He now fully and sadly realized that his
disobedience of orders had brought disgrace upon himself, and ruined
every chance of recovering the ponies, for once the thieves got well
away they were secure from capture.
It was night when Dick returned and told the Mexican that he had made
an advantageous sale of their gambling outfit.
"Now, kid, ye kin slope," he said, addressing the disheartened lad.
"Tell the lieutenant that he kin look for us at Hermosilla, on the
other side of the Mexican bound'ry. Good-bye."
Henry hurried away towards La Paz, with Vic close at his heels. There
was no occasion for haste, for he felt that nothing in the town could
overtake the lost Sancho and Chiquita; still he hurried and stumbled
on in the darkness.
"Oh, Vicky," said the boy, in his misery, stooping to caress his
companion, "I ought to be court-martialled and dishonorably discharged
from the service for this. I have done very wrong. I have lost our
ponies for good."
The dog licked his hand sympathetically, and then suddenly bounded
away, barking, and Henry heard Frank's voice say:
"Why, Tom, here's Vic!"
"Thin Sargint Hinery must be near," said the soldier.
"Yes, I'm here, Frank--and oh, Frank, I'm in such trouble!" And in a
curiously jumbled and half-incoherent manner Henry related his
afternoon's experience.
At the conclusion of the recital the three held a consultation as to
what was best to be done. Time was precious, and the town was nearly
two miles distant.
"Sargints," said Private Tom Clary, "I belave we can do bist by
oursilves. Me afthernoon's lave ixpires at tattoo, but if, as me
shuparior officers, ye'll allow me to be out of camp a bit longer, I
think we can sarcumvint the thaves."
"We'll do our best to get you excused by the lieutenant," said Frank.
"Thank you, sargint laddie. You say the grass-boat is near by, Sargint
Hinery?"
"Not far from here, Tom. Just west of the middle of the race-course."
"And the thaves are going to camp and cook their supper on the other
side?"
"So they said."
"Thin we'll attimpt to interfare with their arrangemints. I think the
liftinint will commind an 'absence without lave' if we bring in the
raskils and the ponies."
The soldier and boys turned, and, bidding Vic keep close to them,
hurried to the bar where Henry had left the gift of the Mojave belle.
As they were lifting the elastic raft into the water they heard the
voices of men on the river, accompanied by the splashing of water, and
knew that the horse-thieves were fording the stream.
The Colorado was shoal, having an average autumnal depth of four feet
at La Paz. Clary secured two poles from the river débris lodged on the
bar, one for Frank and one for himself. Henry sat on the box in the
middle, holding his companions' guns across his lap with one hand, and
grasping Vic's collar with the other. The well-filled game-bags lay
between his feet.
The _balsa_ moved slowly towards the opposite shore and swiftly
down-stream, the stalwart Irish soldier's feet settling into the
loosely bound stems as he poled. Becoming alarmed when he found the
water standing above his ankles, he called, in a subdued undertone:
"Sargint Frank, I belave I shall go through the bottom of this l'aky
craft before we git across."
"Take Henry's paddle, Tom; it lies on the right side of the box. Lay
it across the reeds and stand on it."
"Ah, sure and that's betther. Kape yer ind a little more up-strame,
sargint. We'll steer by the avening star."
In a few minutes the _balsa_ lodged against the shore in the still
water of a little cove. The boys and soldier were aware that they were
landing some miles below their starting-point, for the current was
strong and swift, while the horse-thieves had forded the river almost
in a direct line. They climbed the bank, and ordering Vic to keep
close by them, began to move as fast as possible up the shore.
They had made their way for nearly an hour over a rough and miry
river-bottom when the setter showed sudden excitement and began
sniffing to the right and left.
"She must have struck their path from the river to their
camping-place, Tom," said Frank. "Look sharp, Vicky, look sharp!"
"But she seems to be working up-stream," said Henry. "I should think
they would have gone straight inland."
"There's an excillint rayson for that, sargint laddie," returned
Clary. "One of the routes t' th' coast begins exactly opposite th'
town, and they must go up-strame to foind it; El Rincon the
landing-place is called."
"The Corner?"
"Yis, Th' Corner. Th' shore binds out there a wee bit."
Man and boys continued to struggle along, until across a level,
grassless plot they saw, near a clump of cottonwoods, a fire, where
Texas Dick and Jumping Jack were plainly visible, cooking their
supper. On the side of the fire opposite the river were two saddles,
upon which rested their rifles and revolvers. Still farther west the
two ponies were picketed and grazing.
Clary told Henry to go to the ponies and stay there with Vic, while he
and Frank crept upon the thieves. Screening themselves behind tufts
and swells, and lastly behind the saddles, they worked across the
level, the sound of their moving being covered by the booming and
rushing of the mighty river. When within twenty yards of the fire and
five from the saddles, Private Tom Clary sprang to his feet, aimed his
double-barrelled shot-gun at the thieves, and shouted:
"Throw up your arrums!"
At the same instant Frank made a flying leap for the saddles, and
seized the rifles and revolvers. Henry ran forward and assisted his
brother in keeping Dick and Juan under the muzzles of their own
rifles, while Clary securely bound them. This accomplished, the boys
went back for a moment to renew their acquaintance with their horses.
Yes, the chase was over, and their favorites were again in their
possession; and it cannot appear strange that the young soldiers went
into boyish ecstasies of delight at their good-fortune, embracing,
patting, and talking to Sancho and Chiquita as if they understood all
that was said to them.
But at last they joined Clary at the fire, and the three, while they
continued to carry on the interrupted cooking of their captives,
discussed ways and means of returning to La Paz, and it was decided to
send the setter with a message. A note was pencilled on a page of
Frank's diary, attached to Vic's collar, and she was taken to the
river-bank and given a stick, with orders to deliver it to her master.
With but little hesitation she plunged into the murky current, and
soon disappeared in the darkness in the direction of the other shore.
While the boy sergeants were going through these adventures I remained
in La Paz. At retreat and tattoo roll-calls Corporal Duffey had
reported Private Clary absent, adding the words "and unaccounted for,"
and at Mr. Gray's table the boys were absent from supper.
At first I gave myself no anxiety over the absentees, but at midnight,
becoming alarmed, I began a search for them. I soon learned that Henry
had been seen to paddle out of the lagoon on a Mojave _balsa_,
accompanied by Vic, and that Frank and Clary had gone quail-shooting.
I did not feel especially anxious about the older boy, for he was in
the company of one of the most trustworthy of our veteran soldiers,
and would probably soon turn up safe. But Henry--gone down the
turbulent river on a frail bundle of grass--what might I not fear?
I led all the men of the detail--every one of them as anxious as
myself--on a long and fruitless search beside the river, without
coming upon a clew. Returning to Mr. Gray's, and dismissing the men, I
sat upon the veranda alone, sadly reflecting upon the absence of my
young companions and Vic.