The border boys on the trail

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BORDER^ BOYS
THE^TRAIL

FREMONT* B ^PEERING

■ ■ ■■^t U t gi i a i tt ta n a S Wim*

Cornell University
Library

The original of tliis bool< is in
tine Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in
the United States on the use of the text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924012926147

Cornell University Library
PZ 7.G61B71911

The border boys on the trail

3 1924 012 926 147

From the mouth of the dark pit a fetid, foul-smelling air
rushed upward.

THE

BORDER BOYS
ON THE TRAIL

BY

FREMONT B. DEERING

NEW YORK

HURST & COMPANY,

PUBLISHERS.

Copyriglit, 1911,

BY

HURST & COMPANY

MADE IN U. S. A.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. On the Border • . • 5

II. The Boys Find Trouble 21

III. A Race for Life 35

IV. Through the Great Darkness . . 48
V. The Rustlers at Work 65

VI. Taking Up the Trail 79

VII. In the Hands of the Enemy ... 94

VIII. Black Ramon's Mission 104

IX. A Momentous Interview .... 115

X. In the Bell Tower 125

XI. A Drop in the Dark 138

XII. A Ride for the Hills 150

XIII. The Hermit of the Canon . . . 160

XIV. Travels with a Mule 173

XV. A Gateway to Freedom ...... 186

XVI. Short Rations 200

XVII. The Tale of a Mule 212

XVIII. The Treasure of the Mission . . 222

3

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

XIX. Jim Hicks, Prospector 234

XX. Ralph a True Hero 247

XXI. At the Irrigation Dam 262

XXII. A Bolt from the Blue 278

XXIII. With the Rurales 287

XXIV. The Round-up 295

The Border Boys on the Trail.

CHAPTER I.

ON TH^ BORDEIR.

"Maguez! Maguez!" .

The trainmen began hoarsely shouting the
curious-sounding name of the small frontier
town near the Mexican border, in the southwest
part of New Mexico. Slowly the long dust-
covered Southern Pacific express rolled impos-
ingly into "Mag-gay," very slowly, in fact, as if
it did not wish to tarry in that desolate, sun-bit-
ten portion of the continent.

As the brakes began to grind down, one of
two boys of about seventeen, who had been loung-
ing on the shady side of a forward sleeper, awoke
from a semi-doze with a start.

"Hullo! somebody wants Maggie!" exclaimed
5

6 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

Ralph Stetson, as he gazed out of the open win-
dow. He saw nothing more novel before his
eyes, however, than the same monotonous stretch
of yellow, sandy wastes, sprinkled with sage
brush and dotted by a few wandering cattle,
which the train had been traversing for hours.

"You'll have to get used to New Mexican pro-
nunciation of Mexican names, Ralph," laughed
his companion, as he also opened his eyes and be-
gan looking about him in the half -startled man-
ner peculiar to those abruptly awakened from
"forty winks." " 'Maggie,' as you call it, is our
station."

"Station!" echoed the other. "Where is it?"

He stuck his head out o'£ the window as the
train gradually decreased speed, but his eyes en-
countered nothing more suggestive of a town
than a stock car on a lonely side track, into which
some cowboys, with wild yells and much spurring
of their wiry little steeds, were herding a few
beef cattle.

"That freight car must be in front of the
town," muttered the boy, pulling in his head.

"Over this side, you tenderfoot!" laughed

OK THE BOEDER 7

Jack Merrill, pointing out of the left-hand win-
dow. "Haven't you got used to Western towns
yet?"

"One-sided towns, you mean, I guess," said
Ralph, rising and looking out in the opposite di-
rection. "Why in the name of the State of New
Mexico do they build all the towns out here at
one side of the tracks?"

"So that Easterners can have something to
wonder about," laughed Jack Merrill, brushing
off the accumulation of white desert dust from
his dark suit with a big brown hand.

"Or so that they can at least get a few minutes
of shade when a train pulls in," retorted Ralph,
gazing at the sun-baked collection of wooden
structures toward which the train was rolling.
A yellow water tank, perched on a steel frame,
towered above the town like a sunflower on a
stalk. Apparently it took the place of trees, of
which there was not a vestige, unless a few cac-
tus plants be excepted.

"Better follow my example and brush some
of the desert off," said Jack, still brushing vigor-
ously.

8 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"No, let the porter do it; here he is," said
the Eastern Ralph. Sure enough, with his black
face expanded in a grin expectant of tips, the
presiding genius of the Pullman approached.

"Come on, cheer up, Ralph!" laughed Jack,
glancing at his companion's dismal face, which
was turned toward the window and its barren
view. "Don't be downcast because my home town
isn't surrounded by elms, and meadows, and fat
Jersey cows, and all that. Haven't we lain awake
many a night at Stonefell College, talking ovei"
the West, and here you are in the heart of it."

"Well, it's a good warm heart, anyway!"
grumbled Ralph, mopping his steaming fore-
head.

The train came to a stop with an abrupt jerk,
and followed by the porter, carrying two new
and shiny suitcases, the boys hastened from the
car, into the blinding sunlight which lay blis-
teringly on Maguez and its surroundings. Every-
thing quivered in the heat. The boys were the
only passengers to alight.

"Phew, it's like opening an oven door!" ex-
claimed Ralph, as the heated atmosphere fell full

ON THE BOEDER 9

upon him, "We've come more than two thou-
sand miles from an Eastern summer to roast out
here."

"And look at the train, will you !" cried Jack,
"It looks as if it had been through a snowstorm,"

He pointed down the long line of coaches, each
of which was powdered thickly with white dust.

"All ab-oa-rd!"

The conductor's sonorous voice echoed down
the train, and with a few mighty puffs from the
laboring engine, the wheels once more began to
revolve. The porter, clutching a tip in his fingers,
leaped back on to his car. All the time they had
been waiting in the station the locomotive had
been impatiently blowing off steam, and emitting
great clouds of black smol^, as though in a des-
perate hurry to get away from inhospitable-look-
ing Maguez. It now lost no time in getting into
motion. As the cars began to roll by. Jack gave
a sudden shout.

"Ralph! The-the professor! We've forgot-
ten him !"

"Good gracious, yes! What could we have
been thinking of! We are getting as absent-

10 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIt
minded as he is. Here, stop the train! Hey, I
say, we "

But before the shouts had done resounding, a
tall, spare man of middle age stepped out on
the platform of one of the front coaches, and
after gazing about him abstractedly for a few
seconds, swung himself off, landing unsteadily
on a pair of long, slender legs. So great was
the shock of the professor's landing that his
huge spectacles were jerked off his prominent
nose, and he had all he could do to retain a hold
on a large volume which he held tightly clasped
under his left arm.

The boys hurried to pick up the professor's
spectacles and hand them to him.

"We almost lost you, professor!" exclaimed
Ralph.

"Ah, boys, I was immersed in the classics —
'The Defense of Socrates,' and "

"Why, Professor Wintergreen, where is your
suitcase?" exclaimed Jack suddenly. "See — the
train is moving, and "

"Shades of Grecian Plato!" shouted the pro-

ON THE BOKDEE 11

fessor, glancing about him wildly. "I've for-
gotten it! Stop! Imust get it back! I "

He made a sudden dash for the train, which
was now moving so swiftly that it was mani-
festly impossible that he could board it in safety.
The boys both pulled him back, despite his
struggles.

Just then, the car which the boys had recently
vacated began to glide by. A black face ap-
peared at the window. It was the porter, and in
his hand he held a large green suitcase. It was
the same the professor had left behind him when
he vacated the car in which they had traveled
from the East, and went forward into the smok-
ing car with his book.

"Look out !" yelled the porter, as he threw the
piece of baggage out of the window. It hurtled
forth with a vehemence indeed that threatened
to take off the scientist's head, which it narrowly
missed.

"Fo' de Lawd!" the porter shouted back, as the
train gathered way. "Wha' yo all got in dat
valise — bricks?"

"No, indeed, sir," retorted the professor seri-

13 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIt
ously, as his suitcase went bounding over the
platform, which was formed of sun-baked earth.
"I have books. The idea of such a question.
Why should I want to carry bricks about with
me, although the ancient Egyptians "

By this time the porter was far out of hear-
ing, and the last car of the train had whizzed by.
Before the professor could conclude his speech,
the suitcase — as if to prove his contention as to
its contents by actual proof — ^burst open, and out
rolled several massive volumes. The few loung-
ers, who had gathered to watch the train come in,
set up a roar of laughter as the professor — his
coat flaps flying out behind him like the tail of
some strange bird — darted after his beloved vol-
umes.

"That's what you might call a circulating li-
brary!" grinned Jack, as the books bounded
about with the impetus of their fall.

"I thought it was a Carnegie. Car, you see "

began Ralph, when a sudden shout checked him.
He glanced up in the direction from which it had
come. A dust-covered buckboard, in which sat
a tall, bronzed man in plainsman's clothes, was

ON THE BOEDBE 13

dashing toward them. The two buckskin ponies
which drew it were being urged to their utmost
speed by the driver, to whom Jack Merrill was
already waving his hand and shouting:

"Hello, dad!"

In the meantime the professor was groping
about on the platform, picking up his scattered
treasures, and all the time commenting loudly to
himself on his misfortune.

"Dear, dear!" he exclaimed, picking up one
bulky volume and examining it with solicitude.
"Here's a corner broken off Professor Willikin
Williboice's 'The Desert Dwellers of New Mex-
ico, With Some Account of the Horn Toad Eat-
ers of the Region.' And what have we here?
Eheu ! the monumental work of Professor Simeon
Sandburr, on the 'Fur-Bearing PoUywog of the
South Polar Regions,' is "

"Slightly damaged about the back!" broke in
a hearty voice behind him. "But never mind,
professor ; the poUywogs will grow up into frogs
yet, never fear. We'll soon have those volumes
mended ; and now let me introduce myself, as my
son Jack seems unable to do so. My name is

14 THE BOEDER BOYS ON" THE TEAIL
Jefferson Merrill, the owner of Agua Caliente
Ranch."

"Delighted to meet you, sir," said the pro-
fessor. "Proud to encounter a man whose name is
not unknown to science in connection with his
efforts to uncover something of the history of
the mesa dwellers of this part of the world."

"Whose relics, if my son informed me rightly
in his letters from school in the East, you have
come to study, professor."

"Yes, sir; thanks to your hospitality," re-
joined the professor, imprisoning his recovered
volumes with a click of his suitcase clasps; "it
was extremely handsome of you to invite me,

and "

l . "Not at all, my dear sir, not at all," expostu-
liated the rancher, a kindly smile spreading on his
ibronzed features. "Besides," he continued in
his breezy manner, "as Latin professor at Stone-
fell College you will no doubt be able to give an
eye to your two pupils, and keep them out of
mischief better than I could." Here the pro-
fessor looked doubtful. "You see, we're pretty
busy now, what with cattle rustlers and "

ON THE BORDER 15

"Cattle rustlers, dad!" exclaimed Jack.
"Hooray!"

"It's nothing to be enthusiastic over, my boy.
Several of the border ranchers have suffered
severely recently from their depredations."

"Have you lost any stock, dad?"

"No; so far, I have luckily escaped. But the
rascals may come at any time, and it keeps me on
the lookout. They are well organized, I believe,
and have a stronghold somewhere back across
the border. So you boys will have to depend on
your own devices for amusement. But now
come, don't let's stand baking here any longer.
There's a long drive before us, and we had bet-
ter be getting on."

"But, dad, look at all our baggage!" cried
Jack, pointing to the heap of trunks the baggage
car had dropped. "There'll never be room for
all of us in that buckboard."

"So I guessed," smiled his father. "So I had
Bud Wilson bring in two ponies for you boys to
ride out on. You told me, I think, that your
friend Ralph, here, could ride."

"Good for you, dad!" exclaimed Jack impul-

16 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

sively; "it'll be fine to get in the saddle again —
and to see old Bud, too," he added.

"Who is Bud?" asked Ralph.

"You'll soon get to know him yourself,"
laughed Mr. Merrill. "But you boys go and get
your horses. While you are gone the professor
and I will try to get some of these independent
gentlemen standing about to give us a hand to
load the trunks on. Then we'll drive on to the
ranch. You can overtake us. Eh, Professor
Summerblue ?"

"Wintergreen, sir," rejoined the professor in
a dignified way.

"Eh — oh, I beg your pardon. I knew it was
something to do with the seasons. I hope you

will pardon me. Professor Spring No, I

mean Wintergreen,"

"Just like dad, he never can remember a name,"
laughed Jack, as the two boys hastened oiif to find
the ponies and Bud.

"Maybe he is worried about these cattle bus-
tlers "

"Rustlers, you tenderfoot — ^you are as bad o^
dad."

ON THE BORDER 17

"Well, rustlers, then. They must be desperate
characters."

"A lot of sneaking greasers usually. They
hustle the cattle or horses off over the border,
but occasionally one of them gets caught and
strung up, and that's the end of it."

"Then there are no border wars any more, or
Indians, or "

"Adventures left in the West," Jack finished
for him, laughing at the other's disappointed
tone. Then, more seriously: "Well, Ralph, the
West isn't what it's pictured to be in Wild West
shows ; but we've plenty of excitement here once
in a while, and before you go back East, with
those lungs of yours in A-one shape, you may
experience some of it."

"I hope so," said Ralph, looking up the long
dusty street with its sun-blistered board shacks
on either side, with a few disconsolate ponies tied
in front. The yellow water tower topped above
it all like some sort of a misshapen palm tree or
sunflower on steel legs. In fact, a more typical
border town than Maguez at noon on a June day
could not be imagined. Except for the buzzing

18 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIt

of flies, and the occasional clatter of a horse's
hoofs as some one rode or drove up to the gen-
eral store — which, together with a blacksmith
shop, a disconsolate-looking hotel, and a few
miscellaneous buildings made up the town — there
was not a sound to disturb the deep, brooding
silence of the desert at noonday. Far on the hori-
zon, like great blue clouds, lay the Sierre de la
Hacheta, in the foothills of which lay Agua
Caliente Ranch.

"So this is the desert ?" went on Ralph, as they
made their way up the rough wooden sidewalk
toward the stable where they expected to find
Bud Wilson and the horses.

"This is it," echoed Jack Merrill, "and the
longer you know it the better you like it."

"It's peaceful as a graveyard, anyhow," com-
mented Ralph. "Doesn't anything ever happen?
I wonder if "

He broke off suddenly as a startling interrup-
tion occurred.

The quiet of Maguez had been rudely shat-
tered by a sudden sound.

Bang!

ON THE BOEDER 19

From a small building to their right, on which
was painted in scrawly red letters the words,
"Riztorant. Meelz /,t Awl Howrz," there had
come the sharp crack of a pistol shot.

Before its echoes had died away, several doors
opened along the street, and a motley crowd of
cowboys, Mexicans and blanketed Indians poured
out to ascertain the cause of the excitement.

They had not long to wait. From the door of
the restaurant a pig-tailed Mongolian suddenly
shot with the speed of a flying jackrabbit. The
Chinaman cleared the hitching rail in front of
the place at one bound, his progress being
hastened from behind by a perfect avalanche of
cups and other dishes.

Bang!

A second shot came, as the Oriental sprinted
up the street. All at once he stopped dead in his
tracks as the bullet sang by his ear.

"Well, Ralph, I guess something's happened,
after all!" remarked Jack Merrill, as the crowd
began to thicken and the restaurant door once
more opened. This time a strange figure, to
Ralph's Eastern eyes, emerged from the portal.

30 THE BORDEE BOYS ON THE TRAIL
A sinister suggestion was lent to the newcomer's
appearance by the fact that in his right hand
there glistened an exceedingly business-like look-
ing revolver.

CHAPTER II'.

THE BOYS FIND TROUBLE.

"No shootee! No shootee!"

The blue-overalled Chinaman plumped down
on his knees in the thick dust, with his hands
clasped in entreaty. Above him, threatening the
cowering wretch with his pistol, stood the figure
of the man who had emerged so suddenly from
the restaurant door. The crowd doing nothing
stood stoically looking on.

The tormentor of the Mongolian was a tall,
swarthy figure of a man, crowned with a high-
peaked, silver-braided sombrero, the huge brim
of which almost obscured the repulsive details of
his swarthy face. The remainder of his garb
was a short jacket, beneath which a broad red
sash upheld the most peculiar nether garments
Ralph had ever seen. They were tight about their
wearer's thin legs as far as the knees, when the

21

22 THE BORDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL
black velvet of which they were made suddenly
became as full and baggy as the trousers of a
sailor. High-heeled boots and a pair of jingling
silver spurs completed his fantastic costume — the
typical holiday garb of a Mexican, including the
revolver.

"By Sam Hooker, I know that chink!" cried
Jack, as the boys ran up and joined the crowd.
"It's Hop Lee. He used to cook on my father's
ranch. I remember hearing now that he had
started some kind of a restaurant in town. Here,
Hop Lee, what's the matter ?"

"Oh, Misser Mellill, you helpee me! No let
Misser De Ballios shootee me! I do no halm.
Me catch um "

"What are you boys interfering here for?"
demanded the Mexican suddenly, wheeling an-
grily. He spoke in good English, but with a
trace of accent. Jack, despite his brown face and
the keen, resourceful look which comes from a
plainsman's life, wore Eastern-cut clothes. The
Mexican had promptly sized him up for a tender-
foot. "You just run along, or you'll get hurt,"
he continued menacingly.

THE BOYS FIND TROUBLE 23

He leveled his gun, and brusquely ordered the
Chinaman, who had by this time arisen, to kneel
once more in the dust.

"Don't do it. Hop Lee. Get back to your cook
stove," cried Jack.

"He will kneel !" declared the Mexican, facing
about, "or "

"Well, or what ?" demanded Jack, looking the
silver-braided bravado straight in the eyes.

"Or you will!"

Question and answer came sharp as pistol
shots.

The Mexican raised his pistol menacingly.
But at the same instant a foot suddenly pro-
jected between the Spanish- American's slender
legs and twisted about one limb. The next in-
stant the gaudily garbed bully lay prostrate in the
dust, the pungent stuff filling his eyes, mouth
and nose.

It was Ralph Stetson's foot which had tripped
the man. The boy had acted in a sudden excess
of fear that the Mexican was about to shoot his
chum. As a matter of fact, the fellow had had
no such intention. But now he had shared the

34 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

fate of many another man who has made a bluff,

only to have it promptly taken at its full value.

A sort of murmur of alarm went through the
crowd as the Mexican measured his length in the
dust.

"Say, pard," said a short, chunky little cow-
boy behind Ralph, "you've done it now; that's
Black Ramon De Barrios."

"Well, he's white now!" laughed the boy, as
the Mexican rose to his feet with his features
smothered with white dust.

"Looks as if he'd been taking a dive in the
flour barrel !" laughed Jack. He turned to Ralph
with a quick, "Thanks, old fellow. I see that
you're as much on the job here as on the football
field. But I don't think he meant to shoot "

"No, he did not, but he does now !"

De Barrios approached the boys, his pistol
leveled and his black, serpent-like eyes glinting
wickedly. "I'll show you what Black Ramon
can do ! He never forgets an insult nor forgives
an injury !"

Aghast at the threatened tragedy, the crowd
did nothing, and the boys stood rooted to one

THE BOYS FIND TEOUBLB 25

spot. Closer and closer, like a snake, the Mexican
crept, determined, it seemed, to get the full meas-
ure of anticipation out of his revenge for his
tumble. Jack never flinched, but his heart beat
unpleasantly fast.

The Mexican's brown, cigarette-stained fore-
finger trembled on the trigger. He was quite
close now.

The fat little cowboy gave a yell of alarm, and
sprang suddenly forward.

"Look out ! The varmint's going to shoot !"

But at the same instant a strange thing hap-
pened. A snaky loop whizzed through the air
and settled about the bully's neck. The vengeful
Mexican was suddenly jerked off his feet as it
tightened, his long legs threshing the air like
those of a swimming frog.

"Roped, by ginger!" yelled some one in the
crowd, as De Barrios, at the end of a lariat, went
ploughing through the dust on his face for the
second time.

And roped, Ramon De Barrios was. So ab-
sorbed had the crowd been^ in watching the tense
scene before them that few of them had noticed

26 THE BOEBEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

a cowboy mounted on a small calico pony who
had ridden slowly up from a point behind the
boys. This cow-puncher, a long-legged, rangy,
sun-burned fellow, in typical stockman's garb,
had watched everything attentively till the criti-
cal moment. Then, with a quick twist, he had
roped the Mexican as neatly as he would have
tied a calf on branding day.

"Well done, and thank you. Bud!" shouted
Jack, running up and shaking the cowboy's hand.

The latter had halted his pony a short dis-
tance from them. But the distance had been
quite far enough for De Barrios, whose method
of traveling had been far from comfortable.

"Where did you spring from, old fellow?"
Jack went on.

"From the corral up the street," said Bud, dis-
playing no more emotion than if he and the boys
had had an appointment to meet at that spot
under quite ordinary circumstances. "Just wait
till I get this here sidewinder of a greaser cut
loose, and I'll talk to you."

All this time De Barrios had lain prone in the
dust, with the rope stretched tight, just as the

THE BOYS FIND TEOUBLE 27

trained cow pony had kept it. Bud now cast
loose the end which he had wound about his
saddle horn, and the Mexican, with a sulky look,
rose to his feet and threw off the rawhide loop.

"Here's your gun," said Bud Wilson, leaning
from his saddle and picking up the fallen weapon
from the dust.

"Hold on, though," he said suddenly. Break-
ing the weapon open, he "sprung" the shells out
of it. This done, he handed it to the Mexican,
who took it with a sinister look.

"To our next meeting !" he grated, as he turned
away.

"Well, stay on your feet next time!" rejoined
Bud composedly, amid a roar from the crowd.

"Now, Hop Lee," demanded Jack Merrill of
the Chinaman, as De Barrios strode off without
a word, but with a black look on his swarthy face,
"what was the trouble in there?"

"Why, the Chink spilled a spot of grease on
the brim of the Mexican's sombrero," volunteered
somebody, "and when he wouldn't wipe it off
again, De Barrios got mad."

"Well, I don't know as I blame the greaser so

28 THE BOEDBE BOYS ON THE TEAIE
very much, those being the circumstances," re-
marked Bud dryly. "These Chinks has got to be
kep' in order some way. Now get back to your
chuck wagon. Hop, and don't give no more dis-
satisfaction to your customers."
f Ralph now learned who Bud Wilson was — a
cow-puncher who had worked for Jack's father
for many years, and had practically brought
Jack tip on the range. Bud had two strong dis-
likes, Mexicans and Apaches, and his services
against the latter had given him his nickname of
Apache Bud. For tenderfeet. Bud had merely
i)ity.

"Poor critters," he would say, when at his ease
in the bunkhouse, or when sweeping across the
range on his favorite calico pony, "I s'pose it ain't
their fault — ^being raised unnatural — ^but the most
of 'em is dumb as a locoed coyote."

"What ponies have you brought for us. Bud?"
asked Jack, as, with the two boys walking beside
him, the cowboy rode slowly back to the stable,
from the door of which he had first espied their
difficulty.

"Waal, I brought Firewater fer you," said

THE BOYS FIND TROUBLE 39

Bud, "and Petticoats, the buckskin, for your
tenderfoot friend here."

"Petticoats !" said Jack in a tone of vexation,
"Why, Petticoats is the tamest old plug on the
ranch."

"That's all right. Jack," said Ralph, bravely
choking back a feeling of mortification. "I guess,
when I've shown I can ride, I'll get a chance at
a better animal."

Bud Wilson gazed at him with a kindlier ex-
pression than he had yet bestowed on the rather
pale-faced young Easterner. Although an ath-
lete and a boxer, Ralph had had some slight bron-
chial trouble of late, and had been recommended
to spend his vacation in New Mexico as a means
of effecting a complete cure.

"So you kin ride?" Bud asked.

"A little," said Ralph modestly.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Stetson, the railroad
magnate, owned several good horses, and had
always encouraged his son Ralph in using them.
In this way Ralph had had plenty of experience
with one or two of the Eastern "drag hunts," and
had played polo a little. Jack Merrill knew this.

30 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

It mortified him, therefore, to think that old Pet-
ticoats had been brought for his guest.

"I tell you, Ralph," he said generously, "you
take Firewater and see how you like him."

"Not much, Jack," exclaimed Ralph. "He's
your own pet particular pony. I've often heard
you speak of him. No; I'll take old Petticoats.
I guess we'll get on all right together."

Both ponies were saddled and ready for them
when the party reached the stable. De Barrios,
who had had his heavy black horse in the corral,
was riding out as they came up. The Mexican
gave them a black look, to which they paid no
attention. The Mexican, whatever he may have
looked like on foot, presented an impressive sight
on his black horse — a superb, long-tailed animal
with a glossy coat and great, restless eyes. De
Barrios's saddle and bridle and martingale were
covered with silver, and both horse and rider
were typical productions of the border.

"Even you will admit that that's a good
horse," said Jack to Bud, as the Mexican loped
off at an easy, swinging gait, and the boys started
into the barn.

THE BOYS FIND TROUBLE 31

"Oh, yes. He's all right; but give me my
calico here for a traveler," said Bud, patting the
neck of his beloved Chappo.

Poor Petticoats was certainly not an imposing-
looking pony. She was a small buckskin, and ap-
peared to be a good enough traveler ; but she had
an ewe neck, and a straggly tail, and a lack-lustre
eye, very unlike Jack's glossy-coated, bright bay
pony.

"I thought you said she was a quiet old plug,"
said Ralph, as his eyes fell on the mare for the
first time.

"So she is, why?" asked Jack, who had been
too busy tightening Firewater's cincli to notice
the really remarkable antics of Petticoat.

"Well, look at that !" exclaimed Ralph, as Pet-
ticoats lashed out at him.

For a quiet steed, Petticoats certainly was
jimiping about a good deal. There was a rest-
less look in her eyes. She rolled them back till
only the white showed. Her ears were pressed
wickedly close to the side of her not very shapely
head.

"Say, she's acting queerly, for fact," said

33 THE BOEDER BOYS OK THE TRAIL

Jack, "Maybe she's been eating loco weed. Shall
I ask Bud to look her over before you mount?"

"No, don't. He'd only josh me about her. I
g^ess she's only restless. Just come off pasture,
maybe."

So without a word to Bud, who had remained
outside the barn while the boys were getting their
ponies, Ralph swung himself easily into the
saddle.

His body had hardly touched the leather before
the placid — or, rather, supposedly placid — Petti-
coats leaped into the air with a spring which
would have unseated a less-experienced rider,
and then came down with all four feet stiffly
braced, together in a wicked buck.

If Ralph had been a less plucky rider, he would
have been unseated, and almost to a certainty
seriously hurt. As it was, however, he stuck to
the saddle.

"Whoa, Petticoats, whoa!" shouted Jack,
steadying his own pony, which was getting ex-
cited and prancing about as it saw the other's
antics.

THE BOYS FIND TEOUBLB 33

"W-w-w- what's the m-m-matter with her?"

The words were jerked out of Ralph's mouth,
as Petticoats plunged and reared and gave a suc-
cession of stiff-legged bucks.

Jack had no time to reply before the buckskin,
with a squeal and a series of running leaps, was
out of the stable door.

"What in the name of the great horn spoon !"
yelled the startled Bud, as a buff-colored streak
flashed past him. The next instant, with a rattle
of hoofs and an alarming crackling and flapping
of saddle leathers, the little pony was off in a
cloud of dust, headed for the desert.

"Locoed?" shouted Jack, as he and Bud Wil-
son dug their big, blunt-rowelled spurs into their
mounts and started in pursuit.

"I dunno," muttered Bud, shaking a big loop
out of his "rope," as they tore along at break-
neck speed, "but we've got to catch him."

"Why? If he doesn't fall off he'll be all right.
She'll soon run herself out."

"No, she won't, either. Since you've been East
they've put through a big irrigation canal out
yonder. That cayuse is headed right for it, and

34 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

if the kid can't stop her, they'll go sky-whooping

over the edge."

"Wow ! We've got to get him."

"That's what. Spur up now, and get your rope
ready. Now's your chance to show me you
haven't forgot all I ever taught you about rop-
mg.'

Jack unslung the thirty feet of plaited raw-
hide from the right hand of his saddle horn, and
shook out a similar loop to Bud's. Both ponies
were now going at the limit of their speed, and
the distance between them and the runaway
seemed to be diminishing.

"Will we get him in time?" gasped Jack.

"Dunno. There's the canal yonder. It's a
twenty-foot drop."

The cowboy pointed dead ahead to where a
dark, purplish streak cut across the dun expanse
of desert.

"We've got to beat him to it!" said Jack, grit-
ting his teeth.

CHAPTER III.

A RACE FOR I^IPB.

Fast as they raced on, Jack and the cow-
puncher seemed to gain on the flying Petticoats
with aggravating slowness.

"Consarn that mare, she's plumb locoed, I
reckon!" growled Bud, as they rocketed along,
flogging their ponies to renewed efforts with their
heavy quirts.

"She runs like a quarter horse!" gasped Jack,
his mouth full of alkali dust ; for he had no neck
handkerchief to pull up over his mouth, vaquero
style.

But with their splendid mounts they were
bound to gain on the suddenly crazed Petticoats,
and gradually they drew so close that all three
riders were blanketed by the same cloud of dust.

Behind them came a second great cloud, in
which rode a score or more of riders from

35

36 THE BORDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

Maguez who had hastily mounted and galloped
out to see the fun as soon as they heard there
was a runaway.

"The canal!" shouted Jack suddenly.

A wandering breeze for a second swept aside
the dust cloud before them, and showed the fresh,
raw wound gaping in the level surface of the
desert. It was fully thirty feet wide, and as the
canal was a new ditch, its sides were almost as
steep as a wall.

Bud Wilson said nothing, but set his lips grim-
ly. With an imperceptible movement of his wrist,
he gathered his trailing loop into the air and
began to whirl it above his head, first slowly and
then faster and faster. The rawhide loop opened
out till it was ten feet or more in circumference.

"Now !" he yelled, and at the same instant the
released loop went swirling through the air.

"Yip-yip!" yelled Jack.

Bud had won proudly many a prize for roping,
and was the most expert man with the lariat in
his part of the West. Had he wished, he could
have roped the flying Petticoats by the heels. But
to have done so would have been to have brought

A EACE FOR LIFE 3V

the crazed pony down with a crash, and probably
have seriously injured, if not killed, her rider.

Swish !

The great loop settled as accurately as if hands
had guided it about the maddened pony's neck.
Bud took a twist of his end round the saddle
horn and checked the calico.

"Got her!" screamed Jack. "Yi-hi!"

But there came a sudden shout of dismay from
Bud.

The calico's foot had caught in a gopher hole,
and over he went, turning almost a complete
somersault.

Jack gave a shout of horror as he saw the
catastrophe. He feared Bud had been killed,
but the lithe bronco buster was up in a second,
stumbling toward his fallen horse.

But the rope did not prove equal to the sudden
strain put upon it by the collapse of the calico.
The instant the pony had fallen, of course its
full weight had come on the rawhide, instead of
there being, as Bud had planned, a gradual
strangling down of the runaway. It had been.

38 THE BOEDBK BOYS ON THE TEAIL

in effect, a tug of war between the flying Petti-
coats and the suddenly checked calico.

Crack!

The rope twanged taut as a stretched fiddle
string and parted with a snap just as Bud reached
back into the hip of his leathern chaperaros for
his Colt.

He had determined to shoot the runaway and
risk disabling Ralph, rather than have the pony
take the twenty-foot plunge over the brim of
the canal. But at the moment his finger pressed
the trigger there came a shout from Jack, who
was now only a few paces behind Petticoats. The
boy's hastily thrown lariat had missed altogether.

Before their horrified eyes, the runaway buck-
skin and her rider the next instant plunged in one
confused heap over the bank of the canal and
vanished from sight.

Jack was within a breath of following them
over the brink, but in the nick of time he wheeled
the carefully trained Firewater round on his
haunches and averted a second calamity.

Controlling his half-maddened steed, the boy
pressed to the edge of the canal. The bank was

A EACE FOR LIFE 39

new and smooth, and as steep as the roof of a
house. Ralph and his pony had rolled over and
over down this place in one inextricable heap.
But by the time Jack reached the edge of the steep
bank, Ralph had kicked free of the big, clumsy
Mexican stirrups and was struggling in the
water.

The flood was rushing along in a yellow, turbid
swirl. There had been a freshet in the moun-
tains a few days before, and to relieve the pres-
sure on the land .company's dam up there, the
spillways had been opened to their capacity. The
canal was carrying the great overflow. It tore
along between the high, steep banks like a mill
race.

"The flood gates !" came a frenzied shout from
Bud. He pointed westward.

In a flash Jack realized that the flood gates
below must be open, and at the instant of this
realization came another thought.

If he did not act and act quickly, Ralph would
be carried through the gates to probably certain
death.

"Ralph! Ralph!" he shouted, as he gazed down

40 THE BOEDER BOYS ON" THE TRAIL
at the brave struggle his chum was making to
reach the bank; but the current swept the Eastern
boy away from it every time. His pony had
gained the bank, and was pawing pitifully at the
steep, sandy slope.

It did not need more than a glance to see that
Ralph's strength was giving out. He turned up
a white, despairing face to Jack, by whose side
there now stood Bud Wilson.

"Quick, Jack ! Chuck him the rope !" shouted
Bud in a tense voice.

Inwardly angry at himself for not having
thought of this before. Jack sent his rawhide
snaking down the bank. Ralph, his face white
and strained above the tearing yellow current,
reached out in a desperate effort to clutch the
rawhide. Even as his fingers gripped it, how-
ever, the current proved too much for him. He
was swept away on its white-flecked surface like
a bit of drift.

"Ride, boy, ride! We've got to beat him to
the sluice and close the gates! It's his only
chance !"

It was Bud's voice once more.

A EACE FOE LIFE 41'

Somehow, Jack found himself in the saddle,
with Firewater racing under him as that brave
\ittle bay had never raced before. Close along-
side came Bud, rowelling his bleeding-kneed
calico cruelly to keep alongside. Far behind
came shouts and yells from the crowd. The
buckskin, the cause of all the trouble, managed
to clamber to the edge of the stream, where the
water was slightly shallower, and was dragged
out by ropes. While the race for life swept on-
ward, she stood dripping and shivering on the
summit of the bank.

From his flying pony Jack caught occasional
glimpses of Ralph in the stream below. The
boy was a good swimmer, and now that he was
being carried along with the current, instead of
fighting it, he was able to keep his head above
water most of the time.

"Stick it out, Ralph, old boy!" yelled Jack, as
he dashed past the half-drowned lad whom the
rapid current was carrying almost as swiftly as
the over-run ponies could gallop.

"We'll be in time!" exclaimed Jack, through
his clinched teeth. Right ahead of him he saw

42 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

some grim, gallows-like looking timbers reared
up against the sky line, which he knew must
mark the sluice.

Hardly had the thought flashed through his
mind, when Firewater seemed to glide from be-
neath him. An instant later Jack found himself
rolling over and over on the level plain.

The same accident as had befallen Bud had
happened to him. A gopher hole — one of those
pests of desert riders — ^had tripped Firewater and
sent his rider sprawling headlong.

"Hurt?"

Bud Wilson, on the calico, drew up alongside
Jack, who had struggled to his feet and was
looking about in a dazed sort of way.

"No, I'll be all right in a second. But Fire-
water!"

The bay had risen to his feet, but stood, sweat-
ing and trembling, with his head down almost
between his knees. He could not have expressed
"dead beat" better if he had said it in so many
words.

"Blown up !" exclaimed Bud disgustedly.

"What shall we do?" choked out Jack.

A EACE FOE LIFE 43

"Here, quick! Up behind me!"

Bud reached down a hand, kicked a foot out of
his left stirrup, and in a second Jack was swung
up behind him and they were off.

"I hope to goodness we strike no more gopher
holes," thought the boy, as they raced along,
scarcely more slowly than when the plucky little
calico had only a single burden to carry. Never
had the brave little beast been used more unmerci-
fully. Bud Wilson plied his heavy quirt on the
pony's flanks as if he meant to lay the flesh open.
To every lash of the rawhide the calico responded
bravely, leaping forward convulsively.

"We'll beat him to it !" cried Jack triumphant-
ly, as both riders fairly fell off the spent calico's
back at the sluice gates.

"Yep, maybe; but we've got to get 'em closed
first!" was Bud's laconic response.

Paying no further attention to the calico —
which was too spent, anyhow, to attempt to get
away — the two, the man and the boy, ran at top
speed across the narrow wooden rimway which
led to the big wheels by which the gateways of
the sluice were raised and lowered.

44 THE BORDEE BOYS ON THE TRAIL

"If Ralph can only hold out!" gasped Jack,
who, far up the stream had espied a small black
object coming rapidly toward him, which he
knew must be the head of his chum. Ralph was
swimming easily, taking care not to wind him-
self, and looking out for any opportunity which
might present itself to reach the bank. No
sooner did he attempt to cross the current, how-
ever, than the water broke over him as if he had
been a broached-to canoe. He confined his ef-
forts, therefore, to keeping his head above water.
Of the deadly peril that lay ahead of him he had,
of course, no knowledge.

"Hurry, Bud !" cried Jack, in an agony of fear
that they would be too late.

"All right now, take it easy. Jack. No use
hurrying over this job," replied Bud easily,
though his drawn face and the sweat on his fore-
head showed the agitation under which he was
laboring.

"Consarn this thing ! How's it work !" he mut-
tered angrily, fiddling with the machinery, which
was complicated and fitted with elaborate gears

A EACE FOE LIFE 45

and levers to enable the terrific pressure of the
water to be handled more easily.

Beneath their feet the stream — a mad torrent
above — developed into a screaming, furious flood
at the sluiceway. It shot through the narrow con-
fines at tremendous velocity, shaking and tearing
at the masonry buttresses as if it would rip them
away.

To Jack's excited imagination, it seemed as if
the swollen canal was instinct with life and
malevolence, and determined to have human life
or property in revenge for its confinement.

Suddenly the boy's eyes fell on something he
had not noticed before. Beyond the floodgate the
engineers of the irrigation canal, finding that
the confinement of the water at the sluiceway
tended to make the current too savage for mere
sandy walls to hold it, had constructed a tunnel.
This expedient had been resorted to only after
numerous experimental cement retaining walls
had been swept away.

Just beyond the buttresses on the other side
of the sluice, the entrance of the tunnel yawned

46 THE BOKDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

blackly. Like a great mouth it swallowed the
raging flood as it swept through the sluice.

"Bud! Bud! Look!" cried Jack, pointing.

"Great jumping side-winders ! I forgot the tun-
nel!" groaned Bud, his usually emotionless face
working in his agitation. He had been handling
the sluice desperately, but without result.

"We must close the gates within a second, or
it will be too late !" shouted Jack, above the roar
of the water. Ralph's despairing face was very
close now.

"My poor kid, we can't !" wailed Bud.

"Why not?"

"The double-doggoned, dash beblinkered fool
as looks after 'em has padlocked 'em, and we can't
git 'em closed without a key!"

There was not a second to think.

Even as the discovery that it would be impos-
sible to close the gates was made, Ralph's white
face flashed into view almost beneath them.

Bud made a quick snatch at Jack's lariat, which
the boy still retained, and snaked it down over
the racing water.

A EACE POE LIFE 47

"Missed!" he groaned, as Ralph's upturned
face was hurried by.

At the same instant there came a splash that
the cow puncher heard even above the roar of the
water as it tore through its confines.

Bud glanced quickly round.

Where Jack Merrill had stood a moment be-
fore were a pair of shoes, the boy's coat and his
shirt.

But Jack had gone — he had jumped to Ralph's
rescue. As Bud, with a sharp exclamation of
dismay, switched sharply round, he was just in
time to see the forms of the two boys swallowed
in the darkness of the irrigation tunnel.

CHAPTER IV.

THROUGH THE GREAT DARKNESS.

Little given to emotion as he was, Bud Wilson
reeled backward as if about to fall, and gripped
the woodwork of the sluice till the blood came
beneath his nails. His eyes were still riveted on
the yawning black mouth of the tunnel, and the
white-flecked, yellow water racing into it, when
the followers of the chase for life came galloping
up, leading the ponies of the two boys who had
vanished. Blank looks were exchanged as they
learned what had happened.

"Not a chance for them." was the concensus of
opinion.

Jack Merrill was not a boy who does things
without due thought, however. When he had
jumped into what seemed certain death he had
done so with a definite plan in his head.

In moments of infcense mental strain the mind
48

THEOUGH THE GREAT DARKNESS 49
sometimes acts with lightning-like rapidity, and
Jack had reasoned like a flash that the irrigation
tunnel, being built to convey water to the lands
of the Maguez Land and Development Company,
probabfy emerged on their lands, which lay not
more than a mile away. Of course, he was not
certain of this, but the life of his friend was at
stake.

Spent as his chum was. Jack thought Ralph
could hardly last throughout the passage of the
tunnel, while he, Jack, was fresh, and also a
stronger swimmer. These thoughts had all raced
through his mind while he kicked off his boots
and tugged his shirt over his head.

Then had come the swift flash below him of
Ralph's white, imploring face — and the leap.

For a second the current, as he struck it,
seemed to be tearing Jack limb from limb. The
undertow at the sluice caught him and dragged
him down, down, and held him under the turbid
water tJU it seemed that his head must burst
open. At last, however, he was shot to the sur-
face like a cork out of a bottle. JoyoKsly he
filled his lungs and began swimming.

50 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

As his hands struck out they encountered
something.

To his intense joy, the next instant Jack found
that the current had thrown its two victims, him-
self and Ralph Stetson, together, and none too
soon.

Ralph's eyes were closed, and though he still
floated, he seemed incapable of further effort.

Hardly had Jack time to note this, when the
light was suddenly blotted out, as if a grezt cur-
tain had been drawn across the sun. There was
a mighty roaring, like that of a thousand huge
cataracts in his ears, and he knew that they had
entered the water tunnel.

Where would it lead them ?

Fortunately, to Jack, fresh as he was, it was
not hard to support Ralph, who was almost ex-
hausted, and keep his own head above water at
the same time. All that the Western boy now
feared was that he would give out before they
reached the mouth of the tunnel, or a still more
alarming possibility which he hardly dared to
dwell on.

What if the tunnel narrowed?

THROUGH THE GREAT DARKNESS 51

In that case they would be completely sub-
merged, and if the water were enclosed in an iron
tube for any great distance, they would inevitably
be miserably drowned.. The roaring in the tun-
nel was terrific, but at least it meant one thing,
and that was that there was space for sound to
reverberate.

On and on they shot, borne like straws on the
surface of the mad torrent.

"Does this thing never end, or have they run
it clear through to the Pacific?" Jack began to
wonder.

It seemed to him they had been traveling for
hours. In reality it was only a few minutes.

All at once the boy was hurled against the side
of the tunnel, and his feet touched bottom. If it
had not been for the velocity of the current, he
could have stopped his mad course right there.
But the smooth sides of the tube afforded no
hand hold, and the rapidity of the stream pre-
cluded all idea of attempting to stem the tor-
rent.

But this incident meant to Jack that what he
had dreaded most was actually happening.

52 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

The subterranean watercourse was narrow-
ing.

Hardly had the thought flashed through his
mind before he felt himself sucked by what
seemed an invisible arm below the surface. At
the same instant Ralph was torn from his arms,
and both boys, submerged in a narrow part of the
tunnel, were drawn through the dark tube at the
speed of an express train.

"The end!" was the thought that flashed
through Jack's mind as he felt that his worst ap-
prehension had come true.

But it was not the end, for an instant later he
was shot jout of the terrible restriction of the
narrow irrigation tube into brilliant, blinding
sunlight.

"Why, this is a sort of scenic railway !" was the
whimsical idea that sped across the boy's mind
as he gazed about him. The current had ceased
dashing him about, and he was floating in a large
pool from which ramifications of sluiceways led
in every direction. It was the main retaining
basin of the irrigation >yorks. Weakened though
he was, Jack found no difficulty in swimming

THEOUGH THE GEEAT DAEKNESS 53
here, and, to his delight, not many feet from him
Ralph was still struggling feebly for life. A
few strokes brought the boy to his chum's side,
and a few strokes more brought them both
ashore.

They reached the shallow bank, and Jack laid
Ralph down. As he did so, the other boy fainted
in good earnest. As Jack bent over his chum he
was startled to hear a voice above, and looking
tip, saw a man in irrigation boots, with a big
shovel in his hand, gazing at them curiously.

"Say, are you real, or just what the ground
grew ?" demanded the stranger. "The advertise-
ments of this land company say their land'll grow
anything, but dear land of Goshen ! I didn't know
it grew boys. That's a crop I've no use for. I've
four of my own, and "

"We're real boys, have nothing to do with any
land company, and don't want to, either, after
our experience in their water tunnel ; and if you
can help me get my chum up on the bank and help
me revive him, I'll be much obliged," rejoined
Jack, all in one breath,

"Well, if you came through that tube, it hasn't

54 THE BOKDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
hurt your wind any," said the rancher admir-
ingly, dropping his irrigation tool and clambering
down the bank. Together he and Jack soon had
Ralph stretched out on the warm sandy soil in a
big peach orchard, and it was not long before
the Eastern boy opened his eyes and looked about
him. It was longer, though, before he recollected
what had happened. When he did, he knew that
it was Jack who must have held him above water
at the most critical stage of their wild trip
through the tube.

"Thank you. Jack," he said simply.

"Oh, pshaw!" said Jack, reddening. "Didn't
you trip up that Mexican and save me getting a
bullet through my head?"

At this moment a great shout caused them
both to look up. Riding toward them among the
trees were a hundred or more mounted men, who
broke into cheers as they saw the boys. They
were the men who had found Bud Wilson at the
sluice gate, and who had at once insisted on his
mounting and riding on to the end of the tube to
ascertain if by some marvelous chance the boys
had survived. When Jack and Ralph stood up —

THEOUGH THE GREAT DAEKNBSS 55
for they had been sitting on the ground, relating
to their interested host their adventures — the
cheers broke out afresh.

Bud Wilson did not say much. He was not a
man of words, but his face expressed what he
felt when he exclaimed in a voice that trembled a
little in spite of his efforts to keep it steady.

"Waal, I knowed you'd come out of it all right,
Jack Merrill."

"I wasn't so sure of it myself, I can tell you !"
laughed Jack.

"Say," said Ralph, after the first outburst of
questions and answers had subsided, and the boys
had had to tell over and over again every detail
of their perilous trip, "what I can't understand is
why you call that plug," pointing to the now
downcast Petticoats, who had been led along with
the party, "why you call that animal 'quiet.'
What do wild horses do out here, eat you alive or
breathe fire?"

"There was a blamed good reason fer Petti-
coats' ructions," said Bud slowly; and while the
eyes of all were fixed intently on him, he held up
a red-stained spur.

56 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"A Mexican tickler !" cried Jack.

"That's what, and some one placed it under
Petticoats' saddle blanket before the boy mount-
ed," rejoined Bud solemnly.

"Poor beast! No wonder she cut up didoes,"
said Ralph.

"I should say not. Look at this."

The cowboy lifted the hind flap of Petticoats'
saddle, and raising the blankets, showed her back
raw and bleeding from the cruel roweling she
had received.

"But however did that spur get there?" gasped
Ralph.

"Not hard to guess. Can't you imagine?"
asked Jack Merrill.

"No, unless "

"It was that greaser you knocked out," Jack
finished for him.

"Consarn the heathenish rattlesnake!" ex-
claimed the livery stable keeper, who had been
among those to follow the wild chase of the canal-
carried boys. "I seen him monkeying around
your ponies just before he rode out of the barn.
If I ever get my hands on him "

THEOUGH THE GREAT DAEKNESS 57
A low growl running through the crowd fin-
ished his threat for him. It would have fared
badly with Black Ramon had he been there then.
But he was far away, riding for the mountains,
where he would be safe from the ranchmen's ven-
geance.

"Waal, we'll run acrost his tracks some day,"

growled Bud Wilson, "and when we do

Waal, let's talk about the weather."

The boys said nothing, but their faces spoke
volumes. By this time, such was the heat of the
sun, Ralph's clothes had almost dried out, and
he was assured that he would suffer no ill effects
from his immersion. As Jack was also almost
dry, the rancher, who, it turned out, was a friend
of Mr. Merrill's, invited the Agua Caliente party
in to have something to eat while their houses
were rubbed down and fed. After more congrat-
ulations and expressions of wonderment, the
horsemen from Magiiez rode back to town, and
when they had spread the story, the atmosphere
of that part of the country would have proved
very unhealthful for Black Ramon. Indeed,
there was talk of fitting up an expedition to go

58 THE BORDBE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

out and get him, but it was surmised that the
Mexican had probably ridden over the border
and taken sanctuary in one of his retreats,

"Speaking of irrigation, I'm afraid we are go-
ing to have serious trouble with the water some
day," Mr. Hungerford, the rancher, remarked as
they sat at their meal.

"You mean your orchards will be overflowed ?"
inquired Jack.

"Oh, no. I'm not afraid of that. That pool in
which you landed from the tunnel is drained by a
score of small ditches which ought to be capable
of handling any overflow. No, the ranches I
mean are the ones back under the hills — the cattle
ranges. The dam back near Grizzly Pass is none
too strong, I am told, and if at any time follow-
ing a cloudburst the sluiceways should not be
opened in time, the retaining wall might burst,
and the whole country be swept by a disastrous
flood. Damage to thousands of dollars' worth of
property and the death of scores of men and
cattle might also be a consequence."

"But surely the dam is well guarded?" asked
Ralph.

THROUGH THE GREAT DARKNESS 59

"That's just the trouble," said Mr. Hungerford
seriously. "At night, I understand, only one old
man is on watch there, and if he should meet
with an accident there would be no one to watch
for the safety of the ranchers in the foothills."

"Yep, if she'd carry away, she sure would raise
Cain !" agreed Bud Wilson.

"Engineers are figuring on some means of
strengthening the retaining wall now, I under-
stand,'* rejoined Mr. Hungerford. "I hope they
will complete their work before any storm
breaks."

Soon after, the subject was changed, and at
the conclusion of their meal, after thanking their
hospitable host, the little party set out for Agua
Caliente."

"What does Agua Caliente mean, anyhow?"
asked Ralph, as they rode out of Mr. Hunger-
ford's place.

"Hot water," rejoined Bud; "and it looks to
me as if we didn't have to go as far as the range
to get in it."

"There are some hot springs on one part of
the ranch," explained Jack.

60 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIE

As the sun grew low they were still in the
saddle. The desert had now been passed and
they were traversing foothills — rough, broken
ground, covered with scrub oak and split and
riven by dried water courses. Behind were the
dark slopes of the Sierra de la Hacheta. They
appeared black and menacing in the dying light.

"They look like regular robbers' roosts," said
Ralph, regarding them as the horses picked their
way over the rough road, which was scarcely
better than a track.

"Robbers' roosts, I guess so," laughed Bud;
"and there are some robber roosters among 'em,
too," he went on. "Those mountains are on the
border, and some place over beyond them is the
most pestiferous band of cattle rustlers and horse
thieves that ever bothered a nice, peaceable com-
muiiity. Why, before Sam Hickey shot Walter
Dodge at "

But the boys had broken into a roar of laugh-
ter at Bud Wilson's idea of a peaceable com-
munity.

Their merriment was brougkt to a sudden
halt, however.

THROUGH THE GREAT DARKNESS 61

From the road ahead had come the sudden
clatter of a horse's hoofs. The animal was evi-
dently being urged ahead at full speed.

Bud's hand slipped swiftly back to his hip
pocket. The boys realized by this almost auto-
matic action that they were in a country where
men are apt to shoot first and ask questions after-
ward.

Presently a little rise brought the galloper into
view.

At the sight of the advancing party, he too
slackened speed, and his hand made the same
curiously suggestive movement as had Bud Wil-
son's.

"Howdy!" called Bud tentatively to the dark
form outlined against the sombre background of
brown, scrub-grown foothill and purple moun-
tain.

"Howdy, Bud Wilson!" came back the hail.
"I'll be switched if I didn't think it was Black
Ramon and some of his gang, for a minute!"

"Why, hello, Walt Phelps!" hailed Bud cheer-
fully, as the other advanced. "I didn't know

63 THE BOEDEK BOYS ON THE TEAIL

but you was some sort of varmint. How be

yer?"

"First class, 'Frisco to Portland, Oregon.
Hello, Jack Merrill ! Well, you're looking natu-
ral. Welcome to our city!"

The stranger spurred his horse nearer, and
Ralph saw that he was a boy about their own
age, on a big, raw-boned gray horse that seemed
capable of great efforts. Fast as the other had
been advancing, the gray's flanks hardly heaved.

"Ralph, this is Walt Phelps. He and I used to
play ball together when we weren't off on the
range some place," said Jack, turning in his
saddle to make the introduction. "He's a neigh-
bor of ours. Lives on the next ranch. What are
you hurrying so for, Walt?"

The other shoved back his broad sombrero, and
the evening light shone on a freckled, good-na-
tured face and the reddest hair Ralph had ever
seen.

"Guess you ain't heard the news?" he asked
curiously.

"No, what?"

"Why, those cattle rustlers have broken out

THEOUGH THE GREAT DARKNESS 63

again. Raided Perkin's last night and got away
with fifty head."

"Phew!"

"And that's not all. They know who's at the
head of the gang now."

"Who?"

"Why, that bullying greaser — what's his
name? That Mexican who's been in trouble a
dozen times "

"Black Ramon De Barrios?"

"That's the rooster! We heard he had the
nerve to show up in town, and I'm riding in to
see if I can't pick up some fellows and head him
off."

"I guess you're too late, Walt."

"How do you know ? You only just got in to-
day from the East. I met your father a while
back, and he told me."

"I know, but we've had time to meet Black
Ramon and put something on our side of the
book against him."

"Say — tell me." The other's tone held amaze-
ment.

"Come on and ride back with us, and I'll tell

64 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

you as we go along. Black Ramon's on Mexican
soil by this time or soon Will be."

Their adventures were soon related, and by
the time Jack's narrative was concluded, the
lights and welcoming voices of Agua Caliente
were before them.

CHAPTER V.

the; rustivErs at work.

"Jack!"

"Um-um-um-huh !" from Jack Merrill, as he
turned over in his cot.

"Listen! There it is again What is i«?"

Ralph Stetson sat bolt upright in bed, listening
with all his might to the strange and shivery
sound which had awakened him. It was shortly
after midnight, following the evening of the boys'
arrival, and both were sleeping — or rather had
been sleeping — in a room set aside for them in
one wing of the low, straggly ranch house in the
foothills of the Sierra de la Hacheta.

"Wow- wow-wow !" came the cry once more
from somewhere among the dreary, moonlit hills
outside.

"Oh, that !" said the ranch-raised boy, with a
laugh. "That's coyotes!"

65

66 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"Oh," rejoined Ralph wisely. "Coyotes, eh?"
But he did not lie down again. Instead, he
listened more intently than before. Presently
came another howl from some distance off.

"They're conversational beasts, aren't they?"
inquired Ralph.

"What do you mean ?" sleepily muttered Jack.

"Why, some friend of the one I just heard is
answering him. Hark!"

■ Jack Merrill became suddenly interested as he
lieard the second howl. His eyes grew round as
he listened intently, and he, too, sat up in his
bed.

"Say," he remarked, "that is funny. And
hark! there's another one — off there to the
south."

"What do you suppose they are up to?"

"I've no idea, but I tell you what — if you like,
we'll take the rifle and sneak out and see. What
do you say?"

"Um-well, it's a bit chilly to go coyote hunting,
but I should like to get one. Professor Winter-
green said at supper last night that he would like

THE EUSTLEES AT WOEK '67

to have the hide of one of the beasts for his col-
lection. Let's go !"

"All right. Just slip on a few clothes. The
magazine of my rifle's full. Don't make a racket
getting out of the house, though. I don't just
know how dad would take it."

"But he'll hear the rifle if we shoot one."

"That's so; but it will be too late then."

Silently as cats, the two boys got out of bed
and dressed, an operation which was performed
by slipping on trousers, shirts and boots over
their pajamas. Then, with their sombrero hats
on, they were ready to creep outside. The moon
had been up for an hour, and was shining down
in a radiant flood, illuminating the heaving sur-
face of the foothills as if they had been a silver
sea.

"Which way will we go?" whispered Ralph, as
they stole along in the dark shadow of the low
timber house like two culprits.

"Over there. Down toward the corral. The
chicken house is down there, and those four-
footed thieves are fond of chicken au naturel."

Taking advantage of every bit of shadow that

68 THE BORDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL'

offered, the two lads crept toward the corral, a
big inclosure about half an acre in extent, in the
center of which stood a fenced haystack. The
horses of the ranch were generally turned loose
in it to browse about at their will. Usually not
more than enough for the use of the ranch-house
family were kept there, the rest being driven in
from the "remuda" as required.

"Say, it's silent, isn't it?" whispered Ralph, as
they crawled along behind a big stack of wild-oat
hay.

"Well, you didn't expect to find a roaring city
in the heart of the foothills of the Hachetas, did
you.^" inquired Jack, with vast sarcasm. "Hush!
Now I think I saw something!"

"Where?"

"Off there to the south. It was slipping along
among the hills. There, there it is again !"

Ralph strained his eyes into the darkness, but
could see nothing of the object Jack had indi-
cated. It had gone as utterly as if it had not been
there.

Suddenly the wild howls that had awakened
Ralph broke out once more. This time they came

THE KUSTLEES AT WORK 69

quite close at hand, and neither boy could re-
press a start at the sound. It gave an impression
of an outburst of demoniac mirth.

"Wow ! ow-ow-ow-ow-ow !"

The cry was immediately echoed from the di-
rection in which Jack had declared he had seen
a gray shadow flitting in and out. The next in-
stant both boys gave an involuntary shout of sur-
prise, which they hastily checked, realizing that
they were face to face with a stern necessity for
silence.

Outlined as clearly against the moonlight as if
it had been cut from black paper, the figure of a
horseman had momentarily appeared, and then
as abruptly vanished.

At the same instant there came a wild disturb-
ance of hoofs in the corral, and before the boys'
astonished eyes four more horsemen dashed from
it and swept off toward the south. Behind them
there trailed half a dozen of the animals which
had been feeding or sleeping in the corral. To
the neck of each was attached a lariat, and they
followed their captors at breakneck speed.

"Horse thieves!" shouted Jack, springing to

70 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

his feet and giving the alarm by firing a volley

of bullets after the retreating rustlers.

Instantly the sleeping ranch galvanized into
active life. Lights flashed here and there, and
from the bunkhouse on a hillside below the main
house there poured a strangely assorted score of
hastily aroused cowboys. Some of them were
trouserless, but all carried their revolvers.

"What's the matter? What is it?" shouted
Mr. Merrill's voice.

"Dad, it's horse thieves !" shouted Jack.

"Some of Black Ramon's bunch, for a bet!"
roared Bud Wilson, emerging with a lantern and
vaulting into the corral.

"Oh, the dirty scoundrels!" he broke out the
next instant.

"What is it? What have they done. Bud?"
cried Jack, who realized from the usually im-
passive vaquero's tone that something very much
was amiss.

"Why, they've taken the pick of the bunch!
Look here. Firewater's gone, my calico, and "

"But they've left some horses. Qji.ick! Let's
get after them. We can overtake them !" urged

THE EUSTLEES AT WOEK 71

Mr. Merrill, who had hastily thrown on some
clothes, and, followed by the professor, was now
down at the corral.

"We can't," wailed Bud; "the precious rascals
have hamstrung all the horses they didn't want."

A chorus of furious voices broke out at this.
Black Ramon, if it were he or his band that had
made the midnight raid, had planned it cleverly.
It would be hours before fresh horses could be
rounded up from the "remuda," and the poor ani-
mals remaining had been crippled fatally. Few
minds but that of a Mexican could have conceived
of such a fiendish act. The unfortunate animals,
uncomplainingly, as is the manner of horses,
were lying about the corrall, looking up at the
men about with mute agony in their large eyes.

"Oh, blazes ! if I could get my hands on that
greaser !" roared Bud Wilson.

"Steady now. Bud, steady !" said Mr. Merrill,
though his own frame trembled with rage at the
needless brutality of the raiders. "Hard words
will do no good now."

"Let's keep quiet a minute. Maybe we can
hear the clatter of their hoofs," said one of the

73 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

cowboys, a young chap who had come to the ranch
from a peaceful California range not long be-
fore.

"Not much chance of that," said Bud Wilson
bitterly. "Those chaps had the hoofs of their
own mounts and the ones they stole all muffled —
you can bet your Sunday sombrero on that."

"That's why they made so little noise when
they led them off," said Ralph. But in the gen-
eral agitation no one paid any attention to him.

Everybody was rushing about asking questions,
giving orders, hastening this way and that with
lanterns. Even the Chinese cook was out with
a frying pan in his hand, seemingly under the
impression that it was up to him to cook some-
thing.

It was Mr. Merrill who first found his head.

"Silence!" he cried in a stern, ringing voice.
"You, Bud, select two men and put these poor
brutes here out of their pain."

"If it's all the same to you, boss, will you give
that job to some one else ?" said Bud, with a queer
little break in his voice. "I've rode some of them
plugs."

THE EUSTLERS AT WORK 73

"All right, then. Your job will be to round up
a dozen of the best nags you can find from the
Escadillo pasture. Get a bite to eat, take two
men with you, and start right now. Don't lose
a minute."

Bud Wilson hastened off. He didn't want to be
near the corral when the shots that told that the
ham-strung beasts were being put out of their
misery were heard.

"What are they going to do?" whispered
Ralph, as two cowboys finally climbed into the
corral with their revolvers drawn.

"Kill those poor brutes. It's the only thing to
do with a hamstrung horse," said Jack bitterly,
turning away.

Ralph, having no more wish than his friend
to see the final chapter of the raiders' visit, fol-
lowed him. As they turned they almost ran into
the professor.

The estimable scientist, in his agitation, had
just thrown aside a valuable book, and held tight-
ly to a piece of straw, under the impression that
he had thrown away the straw and kept the book.
Jack picked up the volume and handed it to the

74 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL
professor. To his surprise, however, the man of
science waved the book aside, and the boys could
see in the moonHght that a new light, foreign en-
tirely to their usual mild radiance, beamed in his
eyes.

"No, no !" he said in a pharp voice, one which
the boys had never heard him use before. "No
books now. What I want is a rifle and a horse.
I never knew I was a man of blood till this mo-
ment, but — ^but I'm hanged if I wouldn't like a
shot at those — ahem — I believe they are called
greasers, and a good name for the rascals !"

"Good for you, professor!" exclaimed Jack;
"and if we have our way, you'll get your chance
before long. We're going to take the trail after
those rascals as soon as Bud and the others get
the horses."

"Oh, Jack, are we to go?" gasped Ralph.

"Well, if we don't, something's going to drop !"
said Jack in a determined tone. "They've taken
my little Firewater, and I've got something to
say to them on my own account."

"Say," exclaimed Ralph suddenly, as the pro-

THE EUSTLEES AT WOEK 75

fessor and the boys hastened toward the house,
"I want to take back something I said yesterday."

"What's that?"

"That there are no adventures left in the mod-
ern West."

Jack, even in the midst of his agitation, could
not help laughing at Ralph's earnest tone.

"I wonder what they'd think at Stonefell if
they could see us now," he mused. Suddenly he
pointed toward the professor, who was angrily
shaking a fist at the Southern sky, where the saw-
like outline of the Hachetas cut the moonlit
horizon.

"And what would his Latin class say if they
could see him ?"

"That he was all right !" rejoined Ralph, with
deep conviction.

Inside the great living room of the ranch house,
with its brightly colored rugs on the dark wood
floor and walls, and a blaze leaping in its big open
hearth, for the night was chilly, the Chinese cook
was already setting out a meal, when the boys
entered. Mr. Merrill, his brow furrowed with
deep thought, was walking up and down. He

76 THE BOKDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

looked up as his son and Ralph entered, and spoke
quickly,

"You boys had better remain at the ranch," he
said. "We are not likely to be gone long
and "

He stopped short. The blank faces of the two
lads had caused him to break into a broad smile
despite the seriousness of his mood.

"Why, why," he said amusedly, "surely you
didn't expect to come along?"

"Why, dad, of course. They've taken my Fire-
water, the rascals, and I've got a personal interest
in the thing."

"And I, sir," began Ralph, "I am out here for
experience, you know."

"Well, you certainly seem to be getting it. I
am half inclined to allow you to come. I must
attach one condition to it, however, and that is
that you obey orders implicitly, and if any danger
arises that you will do your best to conceal your-
selves from it."

"What, run away — oh, dad !" began Jack, but
his father cut him short.

"Accept my conditions or stay here, Jack."

THE EUSTLEES AT WOEK 77

"Very well, then, dad, we accept— eh, Ralph?"

The Eastern boy nodded. Not for the world

would he have missed what was to come. And

now the professor spoke up.

"Mr. Merrill, sir, I shall take it as a favor
if you will provide a horse for me. In my young
days I was not unaccustomed to equine pursuits,
and I feel that I should make one of your party.
I could wish, sir, to be in at the — the finish — if I
may say so — of those ruffians."

"There is small likelihood of our catching
them, professor," said Mr. Merrill, smiling at the
other's excitement. "They have a long start. I
am afraid you would only have a long, tiring ride
for your pains."

"I am willing to chance it," said the professor
simply. "I feel, in fact, that such a dash across
the er — er, Rubicon would be classic, sir, classic,
if nothing else."

"That being the case," said Mr. Merrill, check-
ing his amusement, in view of the professor's
evident earnestness, "you shall certainly come.
But now breakfast, or supper, or whatever one
may call the meal, seems to be ready. Let us sit

78 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

down and eat, for we have a long ride ahead of
us."

During the meal Mr. Merrill was plied with
questions by the eager boys. In fact, so nu-
merous did the queries become, that he was re-
lieved at last when a diversion offered in the
shape of a clattering of hoofs outside the door.

"Rap !" came at the portal.

"Ah, the horses at last !" exclaimed Mr. Mer-
rill, eagerly rising to his feet, and betraying by
his haste how anxious he was to be off, despite
his assumed indifference.

"Come in !" he called in answer to the rap.

The boys looked expectantly confident of seeing
the familiar features of Bud Wilson.

To their astonishment, however, the newcomer
was a total stranger. A small, swarthy Mexican.
He wore bear-skin chapareros, and seemed to
have ridden far and hard. At the sight of him
they all sprang to their feet, so complete was
their surprise at the unexpected nationality of
their visitor.

CHAPTER VI.

TAKING UP The; TRAIIv

The new arrival replied to Mr. Merrill's look of
inquiry by a voluble flood of Spanish. When he
paused for breath, the rancher, who understood
the language perfectly, turned to the professor
and his young companions.

"This man, if he is to be relied upon, has fur-
nished us with a valuable clue," he said. "Ac-
cording to him the rustlers passed him headed
for Grizzly Pass not more than an hour ago. If
this is so, then we stand a good chance of over-
taking them. The ground there is rough, and,
not expecting pursuit, they will take it easy. In
fact, this fellow says that when he saw them
they were camping."

"You think he is to be relied on?" asked the
professor.

"Well, that remains to be seen. He tells a

79

80 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

straight enough story. He says he is a sheepman
who has a few hundred head in the highlands
near the canon. While camped in a small pass
leading off the main canon, he overheard these
fellows talking about the trick they played, and
decided to inform me at once. He sneaked quietly
out of his camp, saddled a horse he had there,
and rode hard till he arrived here."

At this moment a fresh trampling of hoofs an-
nounced that Bud and his companion had re-
turned with the "remuda" horses, and soon after
Bud himself entered the room.

In leather chapareros, high-heeled riding-
boots and jingling spurs, he looked every inch
the cow-puncher as he handled his revolver
grimly.

"We're about ready when you are, boss," he
said.

"Oh, yes — all right, Wilson. But I've got
something I want to tell you."

Rapidly Mr. Merrill ran over the story of the
Mexican sheep-herder.

"What do you think of it ?" he asked, as he con-
cluded.

TAKING UP THE TEAIL 81

"Wa'al, it sounds all right," admitted Bud re-
luctantly, "but this yer feller's a greaser, boss,
and — -"

"Oh, I know, Wilson, but after all, what can
happen to us? We will be a strong party, and
we'll take him along with us. He says he's
willing to go."

"Of course, that makes it different," admitted
Bud ; "but my advice would be to make him ride
with a lariat round his neck, so that at the first
sign of treachery we can string him up with neat-
ness and dispatch."

"We can't do that," smiled Mr. Merrill, while
Bud glared at the Mexican, "but we can have him
ride right with us, and then there will be no
danger of his playing us false."

"You understand what will happen to you if
you ain't on the level with us?" demanded Bud
of the Mexican, placing his hands about his
own throat with a ferocious and significant ex-
pression.

"Si, senor," nodded the Mexican.

"All right, then. That being the case, you can't

82 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL

blame us if anything comes off that don't happen
to be on your future schedule of events."

Soon after this conversation the expedition
started. Dawn was just breaking as they clat-
tered out from under the cottonwoods that sur-
rounded the ranch house. They were a grim, de-
termined-looking band. On each man's saddle he
carried slung before him his rifle, and with the
exception of Ralph and the professor, every one
of those ten riders was a crack shot. Behind each
cow-puncher's cantle was tied a roll of blankets,
and besides their lariats each saddle horn held
suspended a quart canteen full of water. Two
pack animals, selected for their speed, carried a
camping outfit and cooking utensils. Complete
as was the organization, it had taken little more
than half an hour to get it ready for the start.

"Hi-yi!" yelled Jack, bringing down his quirt
over his pony's flanks. "It's good to hit the trail
and get some action."

"Same here," rejoined Ralph, pressing up
alongside of him.

The two boys urged their ponies to an easy
lope. As for some miles to come there was no

TAKING UP THE TEAIL 83

necessity for them to travel with the main body
of the men, they kept it up till they were some
distance ahead. Mr. Merrill had decided that
there was no danger to be apprehended till the
mountains were actually reached, and his con-
sent had been gained before the boys loped off
alone.

Suddenly another rider spurred into view, com-
ing from the opposite direction to the boys and
the Merrill party.

"Walt Phelps !" cried Jack with a glad shout.

The other returned the greeting and soon
learned the news from Agua Caliente.

Soon the three boys were riding forward to-
gether. Walter Phelps, it appeared, had heard
rumors that the rustlers had. been abroad in the
night, and had risen early and saddled for a
ride to the Merrill ranch. He was much con-
cerned when he learned of the rancher's loss, and
volunteered to join the party.

To this Mr. Merrill entered no objection, and
the three boys rode side by side all the morning.
The noonday camp was made in a small arroyo
immediately below a frowning spur of the

84 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

Hachetas. The foothills had been growing more
and more rugged as the advance was made, and
now the party might fairly be said to be in the
mountains themselves. By skirting two more
spurs they would be in Grizzly Pass in less than
an hour. The character of the scenery was
gloomy and grand in the extreme. The rugged
and mysterious mountains, clothed darkly, almost
to their summits, with scrub-oak, fir and piiion
trees, seemed to Ralph to promise all kinds of
adventure.

The noonday meal was a hasty one. As soon
as it was dispatched the party pressed on with-
out pausing for further rest. The road now
grew so rough that the trail of the stolen horses,
which had at first been plain and clear, could no
longer be seen. The Mexican guide, closely
guarded by Bud Wilson and a cowboy named
Coyote Pete, rode in front. Close behind came
Mr. Merrill, the three boys and the professor,
and in their rear followed the half-dozen cow-
boys who formed the remainder of the expedi-
tion.

"Are we getting near the place now, Jose?"

TAKING UP THE TEAIL 85

asked Mr. Merrill, addressing their guide by the
name he had given, about the middle of the after-
noon.

"Si, seiior," rejoined the guide, who soon after
directed the cavalcade toward the mouth of the
pass through which he said the stolen horses had
been driven.

If the mountains had been gloomy and sinister
to the view while riding along the base of them,
the northern entrance to Grizzly Pass itself threw
a damper over the spirit of even Coyote Pete, who
had hitherto larked about and displayed a great
fund of high spirits. The dark wall of the canon
rose perpendicularly to a height of more than a
hundred feet on the right side of the rough trail.
At the other hand was a deep and dark abyss
at the bottom of which a hidden river roared.
Beyond the formidable pit reared another frown-
ing rampart of sheer rock. Deep down could be
heard the murmuring of water.

"That's the overflow from the big dam," ex-
plained Walter Phelps, pointing over into the son-
orous depths.

86 THE BOEDER BOYS ON" THE TRAIL

"The dam is up in this direction, then?" in-
quired Ralph.

"Yes, it is located in a small canon, off to the
right of the pass. I'll show you the place when
we reach it."

For some time they rode on without a word.
The deep gloom and oppressive silence was not
encouraging to conversation. The sound of a
stone dislodged by a pony's hoof in that dismal
place caused several of the party to give a nerv-
ous start more than once.

Suddenly the right-hand wall of the canon
opened out — as they rounded a sharp promontory
of rock — and another deep chasm cut abruptly
into Grizzly Pass almost at right angles. The
deep rift which this caused across the trail had
been bridged by a span of rough logs which
crossed the intersecting canon at a height qf fully
three hundred feet. A scene of wilder and more
impressive grandeur than the canon presented at
the point they had now reached not one of the
party had ever beheld. Even a whisper went
echoing and reverberating among the gloomy

TAKING UP THE TEAIL 87

rocks in startling contrast to the brooding silence
of the spot.

The frowning black walls, the melancholy-look-
ing trees clinging to the almost perpendicular
walls, the bottomless chasm, and the deep dusk of
late afternoon, all combined to make it the most
oppressive scene into which any of the boys had
ever penetrated.

They had reached the bridge and the feet of
the Mexican guide's horse were upon it, when
from behind them there came a sudden startling
sound.

The loud report of a rifle, followed by another
and another, re-echoed behind them seemingly
high up among the rocks.

Bang ! Bang ! Bang ! came the explosions.

Instantly, Mr. Merrill and Bud wheeled their
horses sharply and faced round toward the
danger. At the same instant Coyote Pete set up
a yell :

"Buncoed, by ginger !"

He pointed ahead as he dashed across the
bridge in pursuit of their treacherous guide, who
was galloping off up the canon at top speed.

68 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
He had taken advantage of the confusion to es-
cape. Without an instant's thought as to what
they were doing, the three boys pressed spurs to
their animals and thundered across the flimsy
structure after the cow-puncher. The professor's
horse became unmanageable in the excitement.
The creature gave one tremendous plunge and
with the unhappy scientist half on and half off
its back, dashed across the bridge after the
others.

In the meantime, Mr. Merrill and the cow-
punchers had galloped back to where the firing
still kept up. They all feared that they had been
led into an ambush, and that the attack was from
the rear.

"That yellow-skinned varmint betrayed us,
after all," ground out Bud Wilson, as they dashed
back. "Those shots were meant for us, and came
from Black Ramon's men."

"Yes, we were wrong to trust him," rejoined
Mr. Merrill, "but now we've been led into a trap,
we've got to fight out of it the best way we can."

"You bet we will, boss," was Bud Wilson's re-
joinder.

TAKING UP THE TRAIL 89

The firing on the hillside had now ceased, and
the little cavalcade came to a halt.

"Not a soul to be seen," exclaimed Mr. Merrill.

"Well, that's funny," commented Bud. "This
is where the firing was, for sure."

"Yep, right up above there," rejoined another
cowboy, Sam Ellis, pointing upward on the hill-
side.

"What do you make of it, boss?" was Bud's
next query.

"I don't know what to think," rejoined Mr.
Merrill. "Perhaps we were mistaken, and the
firing we heard came from hunters up on the hill-
side."

"Hunters! Not much chance of that," said
Bud grimly. "Hunters who made all that racket
would soon scare all the game in the country
away. No, boss, you'll have to guess again. By
/e^-hosophat !"

Slinking through the underbrush far above
them. Bud's keen eyes had discovered the furtive
form of a man who by his gay sash and high-
coned hat seemed to be a Mexican. To think,
with Bud, was to act. His rifle jerked up to his

90 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON" THE TEAIL

shoulder as if automatically. As the weapon
cracked sharply the man on the hillside gave a
loud scream. Throwing his hands helplessly
above his head, the next instant he came plunging
and crashing downward through the brush.

"Got him!" gritted out Bud, grimly blowing
through the barrel of his rifle to clear the smoke.

"Yip-ee !" yelled the cow-punchers at the suc-
cessful shot.

Mr. Merrill looked grave.

"I didn't want any bloodshed, Bud," he said.
"The boys — great heavens ! where are they?"

He had wheeled suddenly and discovered that
they were missing.

"Yes, and where's Pete, and where's the pro-
fessor ?" chimed in Bud.

Alarm showed on every countenance.

In the excitement, the absence of the mem-
bers of the party who had spurred onward over
the bridge had not been noticed. But now blank
looks were exchanged. If they had galloped on
— as there seemed to be no doubt they must have
< — by that time they were probably in serious
straits.

TAKING UP THE TEAIL 91

"Wait till I get that varmint, and then I'll be
with you," cried Bud, swinging off his pony.

The cow-puncher plunged up the hillside a few
feet and picked up the Mexican, who had rolled
down the steep incline to within a short dis-
tance of the trail.

"Is he dead?" asked Mr. Merrill anxiously, for
the Mexican showed no sign of Hfe.

"Not dead, but pretty near it," Bud rapidly
diagnosed, ripping open the Mexican's shirt.
"The bullet went right neighborly to his heart."

With surprising strength for one of his wiry
build. Bud picked up and slung the wounded man
over the saddle before him with a grim idea in
his head that at some future time the fellow might
be needed.

"Now then, boys!" cried Mr. Merrill, "those
others may be in a bad pickle by this time. It
may have been the purpose of this trap to get
them over the bridge. It's up to us to get them
out of it. I know you'll do all that lies in youi
power to help."

"You bet we will, boss," spoke up Ellis.

"Yip-yip-y-ee-ee !"

92 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

The cow-puncher's wild yell came from the
bronzed throats with a will. The next instant the
little cavalcade was off, clattering up the trail
toward the bridge.

They swept rapidly round the small bluff o£
rock which had hidden the bridge from them
while they had been investigating the mysterious
shots. As the trail came full in view, a groan
of disappointment burst from them.

The pass beyond the bridge was empty of life.

Of their friends there was not a trace.

A terrible feeling that the worst had happened
filled every heart.

"Come on, boys, we'll get 'em if we have to
go to Mexico City for 'em," yelled Bud defiantly.
"Wow!"

"That's the stuff— wow !" yelled the others.

With his exultant cry still in his throat, and his
arm still waving. Bud drove in his spurs. He was
about to dash upon the bridge, when suddenly
the structure heaved upward before his eyes and
the whole world seemed to turn to red flame. A
fiery wind singed his face.

There was a roar that filled the air, the sky —

TAKING UP THE TEAIL 93

everything. The earth rocked and breathed hotly
under the cow-pony's feet. Bud felt his broncho
suddenly fall from under him and himself drop-
ping like a stone into space. Desperately he
clutched, grasped something solid, and drew him-
self up. Then, everything went out from his
senses and the whole world grew dark.

CHAPTER VII.

IN THS HANDS OP THE SN^MY.

"What happened, Bud?"

Mr. Merrill, stanching a wound in his head
with his hand, sat upright on the edge of the dark
gorge across which a few moments before there
had been a bridge. Now there was none. Only
sullen wisps of yellowish smoke curling upward
and a strong, acrid smell in the air.

Sheer below the rancher, the naked rocks
shot down, bare of foothold. Deep down at the
bottom rushed the river which carried water from
the land company's dam down to the valley. The
dam lay up the canon to the west.

Bud Wilson was crawling about dazedly on his
hands and knees. All about were plunging
horses and rock-wounded men. The still stupefied
Bud looked up as the rancher impatiently repeated
his question.

94

IK THE HANDS OP THE ENEMY 95

"Dynamite! — the yellow-skinned reptiles," he

growled, "and if that charge had been touched

off right we should all have been, at the bottom of

that gorge with my poor horse."

He gazed over the ragged, explosive-riven
edge, and shuddered, as far below him he sighted
a dark mass lying among the brush and trees at
the bottom of the gulch.

"Yes, it was dynamite beyond a doubt," agreed
the rancher ; "but how did we escape the dreadful
fate they had prepared for us?"
Bud Wilson shrugged his shoulders.
"I reckon the feller they left to press the button
got rattled and touched it off too soon," he re-
joined. "They're a jumpy lot, these greasers."

"Thank Heaven that none of us is seriously
hurt," said Mr. Merrill, looking about him. "I
do not believe that any one has suffered more
than a few cuts from flying rocks."

This proved to be the case; The escape of the
party when the bridge had been blown up had
indeed been miraculous.

"Why should they have delayed to set off the
charge till we came back? Why not have set it

96 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL

off when we were all on the bridge, before we
wheeled round to discover the origin of the shots
on the hillside?" asked Mr. Merrill.

"Well, boss, it looks this way to me," said Bud,
after a period of deep thought. "Them fellows
had the trap all set and calculated that when we
heard the firing we should stop and hesitate —
as we did. Well, that, I take it, was the time
that that charge should have been touched off,
but somehow connections missed. We weren't on
the bridge. That fellow with the rifle fired too
quick. Then, too, them boys and Pete taking off
after that treacherous varmint wasn't calculated
on by them, in all probability, and what with one
thing and another they missed their guess on the
first charge."

"And on the second, too, by Christmas!"
chimed in Ellis. "There ain't a pony missin' but
the one you rode, Bud, and there ain't a man of
us hurt; even that greaser you had on your sad-
dle-bow got bucked off when your pony was
blown over the edge."

"By the great horn spoon, that's right," said

IN THE HANDS OP THE ENEMY 97

Bud, walking over to where the wounded Mexi-
can lay.

"Still unconscious," he said, after a brief ex-
amination. "If only he could talk, boss," the
cow-puncher added whimsically.

"That would do us no good. Bud," rejoined
Mr. Merrill. "It would give us no clue to the
fate of my poor boy and the others."

"Wouldn't it, boss?" echoed Bud. "Wa'al, in
my opinion this saffron coyote here deserves care-
ful keeping for future reference, for I believe he
holds the key to the whole mystery."

"Heaven grant he does," breathed Mr. Merrill,
his heart sinking as he thought of the possible
destiny of Jack and his friends. "Without his
aid I don't see what we are to do."

"Well," said Bud cheerfully, "ain't no good
worryin'. We'll get 'em out of it all right, never
fear, boss."

"Thanks, Bud, I hope we will," said Mr. Mer-
rill, bravely putting his anxiety from him as best
he could. "But the thing to do now is to find a
safe place to camp for the night. We should not
be overtaken by darkness in such a trap as this."

98 THE BORDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL

"I guess there's not much danger of an attack;
now," said Bud bitterly. "I wish there was. I'd
give a new saddle for a crack at one of them
greasers."

Soon afterward, with Bud riding double behind
Ellis, and Mr. Merrill's saddle bearing the
wounded Mexican, the sorrowful party began the
journey back down the canon. With every sense
and muscle aching for action, they were com-
pelled to await the decision of time. The clew to
the attack, and the whereabouts of Black Ramon
and his gang, lay in the hands of one man, and
that man was unable to speak. No wonder that
as they rode, the thought in Mr. Merrill's mind
was to get medical attendance for their wounded
foe as soon as possible, and in the meantime g^ve
him the best of care.

As Bud had said, he might be valuable for

future reference.

******

As their ponies' hoofs hammered over the
rough bridge the Border Boys' minds had burned
with but one thought. They must capture the
treacherous guide who, it appeared only too evi-

IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY 99

dently, had led them into a trap. As their mounts
flew by a dense brush mass on the rocks at the
farther side of the precipitous gorge, they had
gHmpsed for a second a crouching figure. But
such was their wish to catch up with the treach-
erous Jose that they paid the fignre no attention.
Yet had they done so, they might have prevented
the destruction of the bridge. The crouching
man was one of Black Ramon's followers, and in
the brush was concealed the battery from which
led the wires which were to blow up the bridge.

"I'd give a new lariat right now to have my
fingers on that sneaking coyote's throat," gritted
out Walt Phelps, as the ponies loped swiftly
along.

A little ahead of the Border Boys, rode the
large, angular figure of Coyote Pete, bestrid-
ing his big, raw-boned bay with the careless ease
of the old plainsman. The ends of his scarlet
handkerchief whipped out behind his neck, and
he gnawed his long, straw-colored mustache
nervously as he kept his keen, blue eyes, with a
maze of little desert furrows round them, cen-
tred on the crouching figure of the Mexican

100 THE BOEDER BOYS OK THE TEAIL
ahead. The professor having by this time
checked his horse and recovered his equiHbrium,
gazed about as eagerly as the rest.

The treacherous Jose, however, seemed to have
a good mount, for even Coyote Pete's powerful
bay, and the active little ponies bestrode by the
boys, failed to draw up on him even after a mile
of fast riding.

"That horse-stealing son of a rattlesnake has
a good bit of horse flesh there," grunted the cow-
boy, turning in his saddle without slackening
speed.

"Say," said Walt, "we've come quite a dis-
tance, Pete, and there is no sign of the others.
Don't you think it would be a good idea to turn
back and see what has become of them ?"

"Don't know but what it might," answered
Pete, reining in his horse till it was going ahead
at a gentle, "single-footed" trot. He gave his
mustache a perplexed tug and an apprehensive
look came into his eyes.

"What's the trouble, Pete?" asked Jack.

"Why, I was just thinking that we've come too
far as it is," rejoined the plainsman in a worried

m THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY 101

tone. "If any of Ramon's men are sneaking
around here now they've got us in a fine trap."

He pointed down the trail. A backward view
of the way they had come was cut off by a pro-
jecting promontory of rock. For anything they
knew to the contrary, the trail behind them might
be full of Mexicans, ready to capture them.

"We're in a bad place for sure," agreed Walt
Phelps, shoving back his sombrero and scratch-
ing his red thatch. "Let's be getting back.
There's no chance of catching that miserable
Jose now, anyway."

"Yes, let's get back," agreed Ralph, who was
beginning to feel anything but easy in his mind.

They wheeled their wiry little horses and Pete
swung his big bay. As they faced about, a sim-
ultaneous exclamation of astonishment broke
from each one of the party.

From behind the projection of rock there had
suddenly appeared five figures. Slightly in ad-
vance of the others rode a tall man on a magnifi-
cent black horse, whom the party from the foot-
hills, with the exception of the professor, had no
difficulty in recognizing as Black Ramon himself.

102 THE BOKDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

With a quick exclamation, Pete reached for his
revolvers, but Ramon checked him with an elo-
quent wave of his hand behind him. Each of his
followers held a rifle, and these weapons covered
the Border Boys and their older companions.

"Another move like that, Sefior Pete," said
Black Ramon, "and four of your party are food
for the buzzards. I myself will attend to the
fifth."

While Pete hesitated, the ruffian from across
the border whipped out a silver-mounted pistol
from his sash and held it leveled, while a somber
smile flitted across his countenance.

"Yesterday it was your turn — now it is mine,"
he said, turning to the alarmed Ralph.

At the same instant there sounded a sullen,
booming roaf, and the earth beneath their feet
quivered as if an earthquake had shaken it.

"What was that?" exclaimed Pete involun-
tarily.

"That," s^aid Black Ramon, "was the wiping
out of the J^#£ link that bound you to your
friends."

IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY 103

"You — you've blown up the bridge!" gasped
out Jack, realizing what the other's words meant

"Yes. It will be some time, I fancy, before
the gorge is passable once more. In the mean-
time, you are to be my guests across the border."

As he spoke, a score more of the cattle-rustlers
came clattering down the trail, hidden behind the
rock from which the others had appeared. They
had been concealed there, as Pete now bitterly
realized, while the Border Boys and the cow-
puncher had blundered blindly into the Mexican's
trap.

"I'll never forgive myself. Jack," he said un-
der his breath to the rancher's son.

"Oh, pshaw, Pete, it wasn't your fault," re-
joined Jack. "We'll find some way out of it."

"I dimno,"" grunted Pete. "We're going across
the border, and there's precious little law there
but what you make for yourself."

A few moments later, resistance being worse
than useless, the fvarty had been relieved of its
weapons, and with ten or more cattle-rustlers rid-
ing in front, and th* rest trailing behind the
prisoners, the ride through the pass was resumed.

CHAPTER VIII.
BLACK Ramon's mission.

As darkness fell they emerged from the gloomy
shadows of the divide into a country not unlike
that on the American side of the range. Foot-
hills covered with scanty growth, and here and
there a clump of scraggly cottonwoods intersected
by deep gullies, and dry watercourses, were the
chief features of the scenery. There was little
conversation among the prisoners as they rode
along, nor indeed did their position bear discuss-
ing. Pete's mind was busy with self-reproach,
Jack's with trying to devise some means of es-
cape, Walt Phelps' with what his father would
imagine had become of him, and Ralph's and the
professor's with real alarm.

"I am a man of considerable reading," mut-
tered the professor gloomily, "yet our present

104

BLACK EAMON'S MISSION 105

position goes to show that all the book-learning
in the world is of no use to men in our position."

"No, I guess Coyote Pete, or Jack Merrill, or
Walt Phelps could get us out of this a whole lot
quicker than all the classical authors that ever
classicked," said Ralph disgustedly.

"I have a fine library at home in the East,"
said the professor suddenly, and with the air of
a man in whose mind a great hope had sprung
up. "Do you imagine that this Black Ramon,
or whatever his name is, would consider taking
that in exchange for our liberty?"

"I'm afraid not," moaned Ralph disconsolately.
Yet he could not forbear a smile at the old man's
simplicity.

"Library," grunted Pete, who had overheard
the professor's remark ; "the only kind of library
he'd have any use for would be an edition de
luxury of a complete issue of greenbacks, bound
in calf and horse hide."

"Where can they be taking us?" wondered
Jack, as hour after hour passed, and the proces-
sion still wound on along the foot of the moun-
tains.

106 THE BOEDER BOYS OK THE TEAIL

"I've no idea," rejoined Walt Phelps, "I've
never been on this side of the range before."

"I was over here oncet," said Pete, "after some
strays, but I don't recollect this part of the coun-
try."

"How far have we come?" inquired Ralph,
more for the sake of saying something than any-
thing else.

"Not more than ten miles, I guess," rejoined
Jack; "at night, and among these foothills, dis-
tances ai-e very deceptive."

"They ain't so deceptive by half as these
greasers," growled Pete. "I can't think of any-
thing I'd rather be doing this instant than pound-
ing the stuffing out of that Jose."

"I can't think why father trusted him," ex-
claimed Jack.

"Why, that was natural enough," was Pete's
rejoinder. "There didn't look to be a chance of
his playing us false. If it hadn't been for that
fusillade behind us we'd never have lost him.
As it is, if only I hadn't lost my head and gone
gallivanting off arter the critter, we'd have been
safe now."

BLACK RAMON'S MISSION la

"Always providing that nothing has happened
to father and the others," said Jack sadly.

"Yes. But cheer up, lad. Your father and
Bud Wilson are two of the best plainsmen I knov ,
They wouldn't go blundering blindfold into ni'
trap, you can bet."

"I hope not," rejoined Jack, "but that ex
plosion sounded ominous to me. If the bridge,
is gone they may have gone with it."

"I don't think so," replied Pete. "Sounds
travel a long distance in a narrow-walled pass like
that, and the sound of a horse going over a bridge
can be heard a big ways off at any time. If
they'd been on the bridge when the explosion
occurred we'd have heard their hoofbeats, any-
how, before they touched off the stuff."

"Well, I'm not going to give up hope till I
know," said Jack bravely, though at the moment,
had he not known the uselessness of it, he could
have given way entirely to his apprehensions.

Suddenly, on rising from a dark gully, they
came full in view of a low white building with
a tower at one end. The rising moon tipped the
structure with silver and showed its every outline

108 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
plainly, the black shadows sharply contrasted to
its white walls and tiled roof.

"The old San Gabriel Mission!" exclaimed
Pete, as his eyes fell on the venerable structure.
"I thought I began to recognize the lay of the
country a way back."

"You've been here before, then?" asked Ralph.

"Yep, after stray horses, as I said. I never
knew, though, that Black Ramon and his gang
hung out here."

"Well, they evidently do," rejoined Jack ; "see,
we are headed right for it."

They had begun to take a by-path which lay
straight and white in front of them toward the
old mission door. As they drew nearer, they
could see that in the turret were hung several
bells, probably part of a chime brought from
Spain in the days when the mission was occu-
pied by Holy Franciscans. It now appeared to
be in half ruinous condition, however. Great
cracks were in its walls, and several of the bell
niches were empty. Here a:nd there tiles had
fallen from the roof, and the gaps showed black
in the moonlight.

BLACK EAMON'S MISSION 109

"A splendid specimen of Mission architecture,"
exclaimed the professor, lifting his hand irj ad-
miration, as they drew closer. "Rarely have I
seen a finer, and in my younger days I spent some
time exploring the Spanish remains in Califor-
nia."

"Well, I reckon it's going to be a splendid speci-
men of a jail for us," grunted Pete, with a side-
long glance at the professor, who had quite for-
gotten his anxiety in his admiration of the old
building.

Pete's words proved correct. A few minutes
later the party — the prisoners carefully guarded
in the center, drew up in front of the mouldering
door, and Black Ramon gave three raps with a
rusty knocker.

"Who's there?" inquired a voice from within,
in Spanish.

"The Black Kings of The Pass," rejoined Ra-
mon in a loud tone.

The door creaked open and a squat figure stood
revealed. But the door opener was not a Mexi-
can, but a white man, and no very favorable spec-
imen of his race, either.

110 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"Jiin Cummings!" gasped Coyote Pete, as his
eyes fell on the other, "Well, the dern rene-
gade!"

There was no time to ask questions just then.
With a few rough words the prisoners were
ordered to dismount, and were ushered under
close guard into what seemed to have been the
main body of the mission church. It had a high-
vaulted ceiling, and a few windows high up from
the floor and closely barred. Otherwise, it was
bare, except for some straw thrown about as if
for beds.

"You will stay here to-night," said Ramon,
gruffly addressing the prisoners, "and in the
morning we will talk."

Without another word he turned away, and
the Border Boys and their companions heard the
door close with a bang. Then came a metallic
clang, which told that a heavy bar had been put
in place outside.

"Bottled!" said Pete laconically, and with a
calm that amazed Ralph.

"And corked!" added Walt.

Jack Merrill and Walt Phelps followed Pete's

BLACK EAMON'S MISSION 111

lead in taking the situation calmly. As a matter
of fact, it was the only thing to do, but small
blame can attach to Ralph for sinking down
despondently on some of the straw as he heard
the bar clang as if proclaiming their doom. As
for the professor, he was strolling about, poking
the walls with an inquiring finger and gazing in
rapt admiration at the blackened beams of the
roof above them.

"Well, there's one thing to be glad over," said
Jack suddenly, "they haven't tied us."

"No need to," rejoined Pete. "We couldn't
get out of here in a week, and Hark!"

They all listened intently. Outside they could
hear the steady tramp-tramp of a man pacing up
and down.

"A sentry !" exclaimed Walt Phelps.

"That's what. We're too valuable to Black
Ramon for him to have us get away."

There seemed to be some hidden meaning un-
derlying the cow-puncher's words, and the boys
looked at him inquiringly.

"What I mean is," said the cow-puncher, "that
this varmint sees a chance to make some money

112 THE BOEDBE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
out of us. He knows your father would give a
pile to get you back safe and sound, and I'll bet
a busted sweat-leather he's going to hold you
for ransom."

"But you, Pete?"

"Wall, I reckon he'll make chile-con-carne out
of me," rejoined the cow-puncher with a grin.
"I'm too tough for anything else."

A careful examination of the place, made as
well as they could in the moon-checkered dark-
ness, showed that Pete's diagnosis of their prison
as "a bottle" was a correct one. The walls were
solid, and appeared, just judging by the depth of
the window embrasures, to be several feet thick.
The windows themselves were far too high up to
reach, even had they not been barred. The floor,
after a careful tapping, yielded no sign of being
hollow in any place.

"I was hoping we might find a hallow place
somewhere," said Pete, in explaining this last
maneuver. "You know these old padres lived a
scary kind of life, and every once in a while their
Indian converts would up and backslide and at-
tack the church mission. So as they could do a

BLACK EAMON'S MISSION 113

quick getaway when such contingencies came
loping along, they used to make tunnels, but I
guess if these fellers that built this place tun-
neled they did it some other part."

"What you say is correct," chimed in the pro-
fessor, more as if he was in the lecture room
than a prisoner across the border, in the hands
of ferocious cattle-rustlers ; "the padre sometimes
dug these tunnels so that they covered consider-
able distances. Burrows of this character, a
mile or even more in length have been found in
California."

"Wa'al, I wish we had the tools handy and
we'd bore one ourselves," said Pete; "but as we
ain't, the best thing we can do is to make our-
selves as comfortable as possible and go to sleep.
Things won't get no better for fretting over
them, and we're in a fix now where things is
bound to get a lot worse before they get better."

The cow-puncher, suiting the action to the
word, lay down, and in a few moments his snores
proclaimed that he slept. One after the other,
the rest dozed oflf, till only Ralph remained awake.
Jack Merrill had done his best to cheer the East-

114 THE BOKDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
ern lad up before he sought refuge in slumber,
but Ralph's position weighed on his mind too
keenly to permit him to sleep. While the others
lay stretched out in slumber he arose and began
pacing the old church. He was not a supersti-
tious lad, but the silence of the empty vaulted
place, their position, and the uncertainty of their
fate, all combined to fill him with a nervous dread.

Suddenly he stopped short in his pacing to and
fro. Every nerve in his body tingled and his
scalp tightened with alarm at a sudden sound
he had heard.

Proceeding, it seemed, from the very masonry
of the edifice itself, there had come a sound,
which heard as it was, in those gloomy surround-
ings, was as terrifying as could be imagined.

"Who is there?" shouted the boy in frightened
tones.

But the sound which he had heard ceased in-
stantly. Nor, though he listened alrnost till
dawn crept into the sky, and sleep overcame him,
was it repeated.

CHAPTER IX.

A MOMENTOUS INTERVIEW.

"What can you compare the sound to?" asked
Jack.

It was the next morning, and Ralph was re-
lating his experiences.

"Well, it sounded like some one 'tap-tapping,'
as well as I can explain it," replied Ralph.

"Whereabouts ?" asked Walt, leaning forward
from the interested circle.

"I don't know. It seemed to come from every-
where at once."

"But it stopped right off when you hollered?"
asked Pete.

"Yes. I didn't hear another sound."

"What do you suppose it could have been,
Pete ?" asked Jack.

"Dunno. Mexican woodpecker, maybe,"
grinned the cow-puncher, "or maybe a little over-
dose of im-ag-in-at-ion."

115

116 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"I tell you I couldn't have been mistaken," ex-
claimed Ralph hotly. "I heard it as clearly as I
hear your voice now."

At this moment the clank of the metal bar of
the door falling announced that the portal was
about to be opened, and they all gazed upward
expectantly as the studded oak swung back. Two
figures appeared. The first was that of a Mexi-
can carrying a big tray of steaming food and a
water-cooler. The other newcomer was the rene-
gade cowboy, whom Pete had recognized the
night before.

"Well, they don't mean to starve us, anyhow,"
said Jack, as his eyes fell on the food.

"Hum, poisoned, like as not," put in Ralph.

"I confess that I would dare even poison, such
are my pangs of hunger," spoke the professor.

Pete did not say a word, but kept his eyes fixed
on the renegade cow-puncher.

"Nice business you're in, Jim Cummings," he
growled. "Since when have you become a cattle-
rustling, tamale-eating greaser ?"

"Now, see here, Pete, don't rile me," growled
the other, a short, red-faced man with bow legs

A MOMENTOUS INTBEVIEW 117 '

and whiny voice. "What I'm doing is my own
business, and I reckon I can mind it."

"Yes, some folks don'l mind what they do,"
observed Coyote Pete grimly, "even down to asso-
ciating with a bunch of cattle thieves and horse-
rustlers.

"There's a real nice specimen of the human
toad," he went on, turning to his companions.
"That feller yonder, Jim Cummings, was once a
decent white man, punching cattle and shooting
up the town on pay nights, like a Christian. Now

look at him "

But Jim Cummings had turned and was run-
ning for his life. He could not stand the raking
cross fire of Pete's biting sarcasm. The Mexican
who had brought them their food followed him
out.

"Why, we could have overpowered those fel-
lows and escaped," said Jack, "If we could once
get our ponies, we'd give these ruffians a race to

the pass, and "

"Yep, but that If is a big word, sonny," said
Pete grimly. "I reckon you didn't see something.
I did when that door opened."

118 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"No — ^what ?" chorused the boys.

"Why, four of the handsomest looking rascals
unhung parading up and down with rifles. But
let's get some of this grub down. That Black
Ramon is likely to pay us a call after grub time,
and if I'd see him first he'd take my appetite
away."

Despite Ralph's gloomy fears of poison, they
made a good breakfast, although some of the
dishes were so peppery and fiery they could hardly
eat them.

"If Peary could have had some of this at the
North Pole," said Jack, as he hastily swallowed
several gulps of water.

"Or Doc Cook," grinned Walt.

"Yes, and if we could be in Albuquerque right
now," laughed Coyote Pete.

As he spoke the door opened once more, this
time to give entrance to the Mexican leader him-
self. As if he was not inclined to take any
chances in trusting himself with the Americans,
Ramon de Barrios was accompanied by two
other of his countrymen. He lost no time in com-
ing to the point.

A MOMENTOUS INTEEVIEW 119

"You boy there, Stetson," he said, pointing to
Ralph, "how much is your father worth?"

"I suppose about five miUion dollars," said
Ralph wonderingly.

"Phew!" exclaimed Coyote Pete, "I didn't
know there was so much money in the world."

"Silence," growled Diego, looking at him from
under his black brows. "And your father loves
you?" he went on to Ralph.

"Yes, of course," rejoined the Eastern boy.
"Himi! Well, if you ever want to see him
again you must do as I say."
"What is that?"

"Write him a letter telling him to send a mes-
senger with twenty thousand dollars to a place I
shall designate. If he does so I will let you go

free. If not — well "

Black Ramon compressed his lips and gave
Ralph a look not pleasant to see. It seemed to
promise ominously for the future.

"But what about my friends?" demanded
Ralph.

"The same condition applies to Merrill, only

120 THE BORDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL
in his case, as his father is poorer, I shall be con-
siderate and only demand ten thousand dollars."

"You can have my answer now," spoke up
Jack. "It is— 'No'!"

"The same goes here," chimed in Ralph
slangily, but with conviction.

"What, you won't do it? Boys, you must be
mad. You do not know the means I can use to
enforce my demand. If you fear to cause your
parents alarm, I can cause them more suffer-
ing by sending them word that you are dead."

The Mexican gave a smile of triumph as he
saw a serious look cross the boys' faces. The
thought of what this would mean^of the grief
into which it would plunge their families, made
them shiver, but neither hesitated when the cattle-
rustler asked once more:

"Well, what do you say?"

"Still— no," said Jack.

"That's me !" snapped Ralph.

"In any event," demanded Jack, "suppose we
did sign, what would you do with our friends?"

"That would concern me only," said the Mex-
ican. "As for this cow-puncher here "

A MOMENTOUS INTEEVIEW 131

"Mister Pete De Peyster is my name," spoke
up Coyote Pete, caressing his yellow mustache.

"Well, De Peyster, then, I have an old score to
even up with you "

"Oh, you mean about the time I snaked you off
your horse when you were going to ill-treat a
pony," said Pete. "Yep, I reckon the bump you
landed with must have left some impression on
your greaser mind."

Black Ramon stepped forward. It looked for a
second as if he was going to strike the venture-
some cow-puncher, but instead he restrained him-
self and remarked in a calm voice, even more
terrible than a raging tone would have been :

"As you are in my power to do as I like with, I
will not discuss the matter with you. I will think
it over. You know I am good at thinking up
original punishments."

Jack shuddered at the level, cold-blooded tones
of the man. Some of the most terrible tales of
the border had to do with the fiendish tortdres
thought of by the man before them. But Pete
was undismayed, at least outwardly.

"Anyhow, Ramon," he said, "you ought to get

122 THE BORDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIIi
somebody to touch off your dynamite who will
be on the job when wanted. That fellow you
had on the battery at the bridge must have got
cold feet at the critical moment, eh? If he had
touched off the charge at the right time he could
have blown us all to Kingdom Come. As it is,
Mr. Merrill and Bud Wilson are safe, and sooner
or later they'll take it out of your yellow hide,
whatever you may do to us now."

Now Pete had an object in talking thus. He
wanted if possible to find out what had become
of the ranch party when the bridge was blown
up. If he expected to learn anything, however,
he was disappointed, as the Mexican was far too
crafty to be led into so easy a trap.

"Oh-ho. you are trying to draw me out to
learn what became of your friends," he grinned.
"Well, what if I should tell you they were blown
up?"

"Wa'al, personally, I'd say you were an all-
fired liar !" drawled Pete.

"Before long, what you say will not matter,"
snarled the Mexican, "you, or the boy Walt
Phelps. I owe your father a grudge," he contin-

A MOMENTOUS INTEEVIEW 123

ued, turning to the red-headed ranch boy, "and I
mean to avenge myself with you."

Walter gazed back at the wretch as calmly
as had Pete. He said nothing, however. He did
not wish to betray by even a quaver in his voice
that his feelings were in a state of tumult.

"As for you, you bony old man," said the
Mexican, turning to professor Wintergreen, "I
have a mind to marry you off to an old Indian
squaw, and keep you 'round here as our medicine
man."

"In that case I know the medicine I should
prescribe for you," said the professor calmly.

"What, if you please?" asked the Mexican,
with mock humility.

"Six bullets in the region of your black heart,"
snapped out the man of science.

"Bully ! Good for you !" yelled Pete, capering
about and giving the professor a slap on the back
that sent the savant's spectacles flying.

"I will give you boys till to-morrow to think
this over," said the Mexican, deciding, appar-
ently, not to tamper any more with such an edged
tool as the professor. "In the meantime, I have

124 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIB
decided to separate you. Merrill, you and this
cow-puncher I shall confine elsewhere; you are
too dangerous to leave with the rest of them."

He gave a shrill whistle and instantly ten men
appeared from the door. Under Black Ramon's
directions they botmd and blindfolded Pete and
Jack Merrill.

"I have a place where I keep such firebrands
as you two," said Ramon in his most vindictive
tone, as amid exclamations of dismay from their
companions the cow-puncher and the ranchman's
son were led from the old chapel

CHAPTER X.

IN THE BthL TOWER.

Blindfolded, and almost bereft of the power
of thought by the sudden order of the chief of
cattle-rustlers, Pete and his young companion
were led forth by Black Ramon's men. To Jack's
surprise — for he had not noticed any building
near to the old mission the night tiiey had ar-
rived — ^they seemed to travel some distance be-
fore they halted. Presently he felt their guides
impelling him forward over what seemed to be a
threshold.

Suddenly their eye bandages were roughly re-
moved, and the two prisoners were able to look
about them. They found themselves in a small
chamber lighted by one tiny window high up on
a whitewashed wall. The floor was of red tiling,
and gave out a solid ring beneath the feet.

"I guess you'll be safe enough in here,"
125

12 G THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL
grinned Ramon, gazing at the substantial walls
and the huge door of iron-studded oak. "If you
escape from this place you'll be cleverer than the
cleverest Yankees I ever heard of."

After giving their guards some brief direc-
tions to keep a close watch on the door, Black
Ramon strode out of the place. The pertal was
immediately banged to, and the prisoneii-s were
alone.

"Well, Jack, out of the frying-pan into the
fire, eh?" said Pete, looking about him with a
comical expression of despair.

"It certainly looks that way," agreed Jacl ;
"and what's worse, we're cut off from oui
friends. I wonder what measures Ramon wili
use to compel Ralph to write that letter to his
father," went on Jack.

"Kind of a weak sister, that there tenderfoot,
ain't he ?" asked Pete with a grin.

"I griess you've never seen Ralph charging
down the gridiron in the last half, when the
whole game hung on his shoulders or you
wouldn't say that, Pete," reproved Jack. "There
isn't a boy alive who is cleaner cut, or grittier

IN" THE BELL TOWER 127

than Ralph Stetson, but he's not used to the West
and I'm afraid that lemon-colored rascal may
work some tricks on him."

"That's what I'm afraid of, too," chimed in
Pete. "These greasers can think up some great
ways to make a feller change his mind."

"If only we knew that dad and the rest were
safe, I would feel easier in my mind," said Jack
after a brief interval, during which neither had
spoken.

"Boy," said Pete, in a tenderer tone than Jack
had ever heard the rough cow-puncher use, "as
I told you a while back, it's my solemn belief that
Mr. Merrill and the rest are alive, and at this
minute figuring out some way to get us out of
this scrape. But if anything has happened to
them, it's going to be the sorriest day in their
lives for these Border greasers. There isn't a
cow-puncher in New Mexico, or along the bor-
der from the Gulf to the Colorado River, that
wouldn't take a hand in the trouble that's going
to come."

This was an unusually long and an unusually
earnest speech for Coyote Pete to make, and as

128 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

if ashamed of his display of emotion, he at once

set to work looking busily about him.

What he saw was not calculated to elevate his
spirits. The room, or rather chamber, was so
small that its dimensions could not have exceeded
six by seven or eight feet. It was, in fact, more
a cell than a room.

In the massive oak door was a small peephole,
high up, through which every now and then the
evil face of one of their guards would peer.

"I wonder what he thinks we are up to ?" asked
Pete with a quizzical grin. "Not much room in
liere to do anything but think, and precious little
of that."

"Where are we, do you think, Pete?" asked
Jack, after another interval of silence.

"Haven't any idee," rejoined Pete. "I reckon
we're quite some distance from the mission,
though."

"Let's take a peep out of the door," said Jack
suddenly. "That fellow hasn't looked in lately;
maybe he's gone to dinner, or something."

"Well, there's no harm in trying, anyhow,"
said Pete, going toward the portal. "I can pull

IN THE BELL TOWER 129

myself up to the hole by my hands, and if he's
there the worst that greaser can give me is a
crack over the knuckles."

But as he placed his hands on the edge of the
peephole Jack suddenly held up his hand.

"Hark !" he exclaimed.

From outside came a deep nasal rumble.

"Ach-eer, Ach-eer !"

"He's snoring !" exclaimed Pete.

"Off as sound as a top," supplemented Jack.
"Up you go, Pete."

But the cow-puncher, after a prolonged scru-
tiny, was only able to report that the passage out-
side was too dark for him to see anything.

"We'll try the window," suggested Jack.

"How are we going to get up there?"

"You boost me on your shoulders. I can see
out then."

"All right," said Pete, making "a back."

Jack nimbly mounted the cow-puncher's shoul-
ders and shoved his face into the window. As his
eyes fell on the scene outside he gave a gasp of
amazement.

In the distance were the rugged outlines of the

130 THE BOEDEK BOYS ON THE TEAIL
Hachetas, with the rolling foothills lying be-
tween. Beyond that rugged barrier — how far
beyond Jack realized with an aching heart — lay
the United States. But all this was not what
caused him to gasp with surprise. It was the fact
that, peering out of the window, he was looking
directly down upon the tiled roof of the mission.
Despite the fact that they had appeared to have
been marched for a distance from it, they were
still imprisoned in Black Ramon's stronghold in
an upper story. In the belfry tower, in fact.
f^. "Consarn it all," muttered the cow-puncher
angrily, as Jack told him this, "I might have
known they'd have adopted that old trick of blind-
folding you and then walking you round in a
circle. I defy any one to tell how far he's gone
when those methods are used."

"Gee, I'd give a whole lot to be that fellow
down below there," mused Jack, looking about
him from his vantage point.

"What's he doing?" asked Pete.

"Practicing at a post with a lariat. He look?
as happy as if- "

IK THE BELL TOWER 131

"He hadn't a sin on his greaser soul," Pete
finished for him.

"Hullo!" exclaimed the Border Boy suddenly,
still from his post on Pete's shoulder, "I can see
Ramon going up to the lariat thrower. He's
pointing up here."

The boy ducked quickly. An instant later he
again looked out cautiously.

"I guess Ramon was changing the guard," he
said. "I saw him point up here, and now that
fellow's coming up to the tower entrance by a
flight of open steps."

"Is he still carrying that lariat?" asked Pete,
in a quick, eager voice.

"Yes; why?"

"Oh, never mind. I just wish I had it, that's
all. It would help pass the time away. Say, get
down, will you. Jack, if you've done enough
gazing. You're getting to be a heavyweight."

"Well, if we stay here much longer I'll bant
a few pounds," replied Jack. "I'm sure it's long
after dinner time, and I'm hungry."

As if in answer to his words, the door opened
and the same man he had seen practicing with

132 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL
the rawhide in the yard below suddenly appeared.
He put some food and water before them with-
out a word, and withdrew silently. Not before
Pete's sharp eyes had noticed, however, that at
his waist was fastened the rawhide rope he cov-
' eted.

"Starvation isn't part of Ramon's plan, evi-
dently," said Jack, as he ate with an appetite un-
impaired by the perils of their situation.

"He's just waiting till to-morrow to see how
a day's imprisonment has affected you," said Pete
grimly. "If you still refuse to write to your
father, he'll begin to put the screws on."

"Poor Ralph," sighed Jack.

"Oh, what wouldn't I give for a corncob pipe
full of tobacco," sighed Pete, as their meal was
ooncktded.

"What, you mean you could smoke with all
thifi trouble hanging over us?" exclaimed Jack.

"Why not? It would help me to think, When
I'm figgering out anything I always like to have
a smoke."

"Then you have a plan?"

"I didn't say so."

IN THE BELL TOWER 133

"Oh, Pete, tell me what it is. Do you think
we can escape?"

"Now, Jack, don't bother a contemplative
man," said Pete provokingly. "I ain't going ter
deny that I was indulging in speculation, but
what I've been thinking out is such a flimsy
chance that I'm downright ashamed to talk about
it."

Jack, therefore, had to be content with sitting
still on the floor of the cell, while Pete knitted his
brows and thought and thought and thought.

So the afternoon wore away somehow, and it
grew dark.

In the meantime. Jack, from Pete's shoulder,
had taken another survey through the window,
if such the hole in the solid wall could be called.
A desperate hope had come to him that in the
darkness they could squeeze through it, and in
some way reach the ground. But it was an as-
piration that a short survey of the situation was
destined to shatter.

A sheer drop down the walls of the tower of
a hundred feet or more lay between them and the
ground. The only hope of escape lay by the door-

134 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
way, and the chance of that was so remote that
the Border Boy did not let his thoughts dwell on
it.

"I guess we don't get any supper," said Jack,
as the light in the cell faded out and the place
became as black as a photographer's dark room.

"Guess not," assented Pete gloomily. "I could
go a visit to the chuck wagon, too. Curious how
sitting in a cell stimerlates the appetite. I'd
recommend it to some of them dyspetomaniacs
you reads of back East."

"I should think that the disease would be pre-
ferable to the cure," said Jack.

"Reckon so," said Pete, and once more
their talk languished. Two human beings, con-
fined in a small cell, soon exhaust available topics
of conversation.

Suddenly the door opened, and the man who
had brought them their dinner appeared. As he
came inside the cell Pete rapidly slipped to the
door. As the cow-puncher had hardly dared to
hope, a brief glance showed him the passage was
empty.

Then things began to happen.

Backward he fell, and lay sprawling on the floor like some
ungainly spider.

IN THE BELL TOWEB 135

The Mexican, with a quick exclamation, had
faced round as the cow-puncher made a dart for
the portal, and leveled his pistol. Before he
could utter the cry which quivered on his lips,
Coyote Pete's knotty fist drove forward like a
huge piston of flesh and muscle. The force of
the blow caught the Mexican full in the face,
almost driving his teeth down his throat. Back-
ward he fell, and lay sprawling on the floor like
some ungainly spider. The terrific concussion
of the blow had rendered him temporarily un-
conscious.

"Quick, Jack," cried Pete, under his breath,
swiftly shutting the great door.

"What are you going to do ?" gasped the boy.
Events had happened with such lightning-like
rapidity that he had hardly had time to compre-
hend what had taken place, and stood staring at
the limp form on the floor of the cell.

With quick, nervous fingers Pete, who had
stooped over the fallen Mexican, seized the raw-
• hide rope he carried at his waist — the one with
which Jack had seen the fellow practicing.

136 THE BORDEE BOYS ON THE TRAIL

"Now then, up on my shoulders, Jack, and take
the rope with you," he ordered.

Jack didn't know what was to come, but obeyed
the resourceful plainsman without a question.

"Through the window," came Pete's next com-
mand, and then Jack began to understand the
other's daring plan. Without waiting for further
orders from Pete, he crawled through the open-
ing. He no sooner found himself on a ledge out-
side before he turned cautiously and lay on his
stomach across the broad embrasure and ex-
tended both his hands within. Pete grabbed
them, and bracing his feet against the wall, soon
clambered up. As the cow-puncher climbed and
got a grip on the sill. Jack retreated along the
narrow ledge outside. Presently Pete, too, clam-
bered through and joined him.

"What next?" asked Jack in a low voice.

"Blamed if I know," rejoined Pete cheerfully.

The two adventurers were in about as insecure
a position as could be imagined. Their feet
rested on a ledge of masonry not much more than
six inches in width, which circled the bell tower.
The ground was a hundred feet or more below

IN THE BELL TOWEE ISr

them. The lariat they had with them, and which
was securely fastened in Pete's belt, was not
more than thirty feet at the most.

As they hesitated in the darkness, scarcely dar-
ing to breathe on their insecure perch, there came
a sudden shout from within the tower.

"Wa'al, they've found out that something's
up," grunted Pete, while Jack's blood seemed to
turn to ice in his veins. Below them was empty
space; above, the Mexican outlaws.

CHAPTER XI.

A DROP IN TH^ DARK.

"Hark!"

It was Jack who uttered the exclamation.

The shouts were growing louder. Evidently
the Mexicans had kept a closer watch than he or
Pete had imagined, and had quickly taken alarm
at the prolonged absence of their companion.

The boy could hear them battering the oak door
of the cell they had so recently occupied.

"Let 'em batter away," muttered Pete. "I
shot the bolt on the inside."

To his amazement, Jack actually heard his
companion chuckle. What could the cow-
puncher be made of, steel or granite, or a com-
bination of both!

And now Pete began to wriggle along the
ledge, pressing with all his weight against the
wall.

138

A DEOP IN THE DARK 139

"Come on," he breathed to Jack, "throw all
your weight inward and don't look up or down."

In mortal fear of finding his body hurtling
backward into vacancy at any moment, the boy
followed the intrepid cow-puncher along the nar-
row footpath. Perhaps it needed more pluck
on his part to proceed along the insecure ledge
in the pitchy blackness than it did on the part of
the nervy cow-puncher. Who shall take the ex-
act measure of courage ?

At last they reached the angle of the tower,
and Pete stood still. To proceed round the sharp
angle, on no wider pathway than that which they
trod, would be manifestly impossible. Yet go on
they must. Suddenly Pete gave a cry of joy.
Looking down into the darkness, he had seen, not
more than ten feet beneath them, the sharp ridge
of an addition to the old Mission church. If they
could reach that he knew, from calculating the
height of the tower, they would not be far from
the ground.

Behind them the yells and shouts were growing
louder.

To think, with Pete, was to act. With a mut-

140 THE BOEDBK BOYS ON THE TEAIL
tered prayer, one of the few he had ever uttered
in his rough life, the cow-puncher crouched as
well as he could on the ledge. Putting over first
one leg and then the other, he deliberately
dropped downward, till his hands gripped the
edge of the ledge on which a second before he
had stood. His muscles cracked as the sudden
strain came on them, but he held fast, and a sec-
ond later let go. He landed to his intense joy, on
a rough tiled roof, after an easy drop of not more
than four feet.

"Come on," he breathed upward to Jack, who
had watched the cow-puncher's daring act with
horrified eyes.

"I — I can't," shivered the boy, who, plucky as
he was, dreaded the idea of a drop into the dark.
"You go on, Pete, and leave me."

"Not much I won't. You make that drop, or
I'll give you the biggest hiding you ever had. Jack
Merrill, when I get hold of you."

The cowboy had hit on just the words to bring
Jack to the proper pitch to take the leap,
'"Yqu ain't scared, are you?" whispered up

A DEOP IN THE DAEK 141

Pete, determined to brace the boy up in the way
he knew would prove most effective.

Just as Pete had done a few moments pre-
viously, Jack, without a word, knelt for one awful'
second on the brink of space and then gingerly
put over first one leg and then the other. Then
followed the same terrible rush into blackness
that Pete had experienced, and the same soul-
sickening jolt and heart-leap as his fingers
gripped, and he hung safe.

"Drop!" snapped Pete.

Jack's fingers obediently unclasped their des-
perate grip, and he shot downward to be caught
in Pete's arms.

"Not so bad when you get used to it," whis-
pered the cow-puncher. "Now then, slide
down."

"Slide down— where?"

"This rope. While you were getting ready up
there" — even in the dark Jack felt his cheeks
flush — "while you were getting ready up there, I
fastened that greaser's rope to this old water-
spout. All you got to do is to slide down."

A second later Jack flashed down the side of

U2 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

the old church to the ground, where, almost as
soon as he had landed, Coyote Pete joined him.

"What now?" asked Jack amazedly. He had
never dreamed when they stood on that dizzy
tower that in less than ten minutes they would be
on firm ground. Nor did he forget how much of
the so-far successful escape was due to Coyote
Pete's skill and resourcefulness. But the hardest
and most dangerous part was yet to come.

Already the whole of the old church was aglow
with lights, flashing hither and thither, and
outside, shout answered shout from a dozen
points of the compass.

"We'll run in the direction where there is the
least racket," wisely decided Pete.

"Crouch as low as you can, Jack," he ordered,
as, doubled almost in half, he darted off into the
idarkness.

Imitating his guide as best he could, Jack fol-
lowed, but as ill-luck would have it, their way led
past an old well. In the pitch blackness the boy
did not avoid what Pete seemed to have steered
clear of by instinct. With a crash that woke the
echoes, he blundered headlong into a big pile of

A DROP m THE DAEK 143

tin buckets and pails which had been placed there
that day. A bull running amuck in a tin shop
could hardly have made more noise.

"My great aunt alkali, you've done it now!"
growled Pete, as the terrific crash sounded close
behind him.

"Oh, go on, Pete ! Go on, and leave me," cried
Jack miserably. "I'll only hamper you. Go on
by yourself."

"I'll go with you or not at all," was Pete's
firm rejoinder. "Come on, now, hurry. They're
bound to have heard that, and they'll be 'round
here like so many hornets in a minute."

Pete's prophecy proved correct. Hardly had
the clanging, clashing echoes of the avalanche of
dislodged tinware died out, before they heard
Black Ramon's voice shouting:

"Over there! Over there by the well. Fire
at them."

Jade did not know much Spanish, but he could
comprehend this.

"Fire away," muttered Pete grimly, as they
rapidly wormed their way along among the scrub.
"You'll not do us any harm by shooting at the

144 THE BORDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

well, but you'll drill your rotten tinware full of
holes."

But the Mexicans having now recovered from
their first excitement, turned their thoughts to
other ways of getting back the fugitives than by
firing into the darkness after them. To the ears
of Jack and Pete was soon borne the trample of
horses, and the rattle of galloping hoofs, as Black
Ramon's men spread out through the darkness
looking for them.

"They're going to form a ring," he whispered,
as they squirmed their way along; "that's what
they're going to do. They know we are without
horses or weapons, and that if they only make
the ring large enough they're bound to get us."

On and on they crept, so close to the ground
that the burning dust, which had a plentiful ad-
mixture of alkali in it, filled their eyes and nose.
Pete was more or less used to the stuff, having
ridden sometimes for days at a time in it behind
herds of cattle or horses, but to Jack the smarting
sensation in mouth and nostrils was almost un-
bearable. The stuff fairly choked him.

Suddenly Pete's hand shot out and gripped

A DEOP IN THE DARK 145

Jack's arm with a viselike pressure. Jack inter-
preted the signal without a word.

"Stop!"

Down they both crouched in the alkali dust
among the brush, hardly daring to breathe.

Long before Jack's ears had caught a sound,
Pete's quick eye had detected something. He laid
his ear to the ground.

"Too dry," he muttered, after holding it there
an instant.

Then he drew from his pocket his knife and
opened both blades. The larger he thrust into
the earth and placed his ear against the smaller
bit of steel.

"Just as I thought. Coming this way!" he
muttered. "We'll have to he low and trust to
luck."

Presently the trampling that the cowboy's
rough-and-ready telegraph had detected became
distinctly audible, and against the star-spattered
sky Jack saw two black figures on horseback
slowly rise up from a hollow. They came into
view as slowly as fairies rising to the stage from
a trap-door in a theatre.

146 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

Neither Pete nor Jack dared to breathe, as
the two figures appeared and paused as if unde-
cided which way to go. Suddenly one of them
began to speak.

"No sign of 'em in here, amigo. Say ombre,
I tell you what — ^you ride off to the right, and
I'll take the left trail. We've covered all the
other ground, and that way we're bound to get

em.

The Mexican grunted something and rode off
in the direction the other had indicated.

"It's Jim Cummings, the dern skunk," whis-
pered Coyote Pete to Jack, his indignation at
the idea of being hunted by the renegade cowboy
getting the better of his prudence.

For one terrible minute Jack thought they had
been discovered. Jim Cummings, who had been
riding off, stopped his pony abruptly and faced
round in the saddle.

"Queer," he said to himself; "thought I heard
something. Guess I'll take a look and see if the
critters left any trail through hereabouts. I
wouldn't trust myself alone with Coyote Pete,
but I know he's got no shooting iron., and I reckon

A DEOP IN THE DAEK 147

this will fetch down a dozen like him, or the kid
with him."

He patted his revolver — a big forty-four — as
he spoke, and dismounted. Throwing his pony's
reins over his head, in plainsman's fashion, the
renegade struck a match and bent down toward
the ground. He was looking to see if Jack or
Coyote Pete had passed that way.

What happened then came so quickly that af-
terward, when he tried to tell it. Jack never could
get the successive incidents arranged clearly in
his own mind. All that was audible was a fright-
ened gasp from the renegade as the glare of a
match fell on Coyote Pete's face. Wet with
sweat, plastered with dust, afid disfigured by
righteous anger at the renegade, Pete's counte-
nance was indeed one to inspire terror in the per-
son suddenly lighting upon it.

Before the gasp had died out of Jim Cum-
ming's throat, and before he could utter the cry
that somehow refused to come. Coyote Pete, with
a spring like that of a maddened cougar, was on
him, and bore him earthward with a mighty
crash.

148 THE BOEDBE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"Take that, you coward, you sneak, you
traitor !" he snarled vindictively under his breath,
as the unfortunate Jim Cummings struggled and
his breath came in sharp wheezes. As he spoke.
Coyote Pete, temporarily transformed by rage
and scorn to a wild beast, savagely hammered
Jim Cummings' head against the ground.

He was recalled to himself by Jack, who, after
his first moment of startled surprise, realized
that unless he interfered Cummings would in all
likelihood be killed.

"Pete, Pete, are you mad ?" he gasped, seizing
the other's arm and staying it, as the furious
cow-puncher was about to bring it crashing down
into the renegade's face.

"Mad!" repeated Pete, looking up, "well, I
guess so. But I'm glad you brought me to my
senses, son. I'd hate to have the blood of such
a varmint as this on my conscience."

He rose to his feet, still breathing heavily from
his furious outburst.

"Phew ! but that did me good," he said, rolling
the unconscious Cummings over with a contemp-
tuous foot. "I reckon this coyote won't go hunt-

A DEOP IN THE DAEK 149

ing his own people with a pack of yellow dogs
for a long time to come."

Pete was right, it was many a day before Cum-
mings got over his thrashing, but in the mean-
time the delay occasioned by Pete's outbreak
came near to costing them dear.

A sudden trampling in the darkness behind
them made them turn, and they saw dimly the
figure of a horseman behind them. The star-
light glinted on his rifle barrel as he aimed it at
them and covered both the fugitives beyond hope
of escape.

"Up your hands !"

The command came from the new arrival in
broken, but none the less vigorous and unmis-
takable English.

CHAPTER XII.

A RIDE FOR THE HII,I,S.

But instead of complying with the demand,
Coyote Pete did a strange thing. He waved his
hands above his head and rushed straight at the
man with the rifle. As he had expected, the
pony the Mexican bestrode was, like most west-
ern animals, only half broken. The sight of this
sudden figure leaping toward it out of the brush
caused it to wheel sharply with a snort of dismay.

So tmexpected was the maneuver that the Mex-
ican, no less than his horse, was taken by surprise.
His rifle almost slipped from his fingers as he
tried to seize the reins and control his pony.
When once more he turned, it was to find himself
looking into the business-like muzzle of Jim Cum-
mings' pistol, which Pete had quickly jerked from
the unconscious man's holster.

"Now, then, amigo," ordered Pete, "get off.
Pronto!"

150

A EIDB FOE THE HILLS 151

"But, hombre " began the Mexican.

"Get off!"

Pete accompanied this command by baring his
white teeth in such terrifying fashion that the
other quickly dismounted.

"Give me his lariat," ordered Pete to Jack, but
never for an instant taking his eyes off the Mex-
ican.

Jack, glad of a chance to be of some use,
sprang forward. In a trice he detached the Mex-
ican's lariat from his saddle horn and waited
Pete's next order.

"Tie him, and tie him good and tight," ordered
the cow-puncher. "Don't mind hurting him.
These greasers have got a hide as tough as Old
Scratch himself."

It did not take Jack long to bind the follower
of Black Ramon hand and foot, and then, with a
sarcastic apology, Pete tore off a strip of his not
overclean shirt, rolled it in a ball, and shoved it
into the Mexican's mouth.

"There, he is hog-tied and silenced, with neat-
ness and dispatch," he said. "Now for Cum-
mings, and then we're off."

153 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL,

Cummings was still insensible, and the opera-
tion of tying him with his own rawhide, and for-
cing a gag into his mouth didn't take long.

"I hate to ride without a lariat," said Pete,
"but it can't be helped. And anyhow, we've got
two good cayuses by as big a stroke of luck as
ever a cow-puncher had. You take that plug of
the greaser's, Jack. I've got a fancy to this fel-
low of Cummings', here. And mind, if anybody
says a word to us you let me do the talking."

Soon afterward, both, on a further suggestion
of Pete's, wrapped in the bound men's scrapes — •
or cloaks, — the two adventurers set forward to-
ward the north.

"Now we're headed for God's country,"
grunted Pete, as he kept his eyes fixed on the
north star, which is the plainsman's as well as
the sailor's night guide.

"How can you locate it without a compass?"
asked Jack, as Pete informed him how he had
located their direction.

"By the outside stars of the Dipper, Jack,"
said Pete. "The good Lord put 'em there, I
reckon, so as white men situated as you and I

A EIDB FOR THE HILLS 153

are should have no trouble in finding the way to
his country. For, you mark my words, Jack,
there ain't no God's country south of the border.
It all belongs to the other fellow, and they're
working for him in double shifts."

The ponies which they now bestrode were fine
little animals — quick as cats on their feet and
evidently hard as nails, for their coats were as
dry to the touch as kindling wood, despite all
the excitement they had undergone.

"Feels good to have a horse between your legs
again," said Pete, still in a low, cautious voice,
for they were by no means out of danger as yet.

"Yes," whispered Jack, "I've heard it said that
a cow-puncher without his pony is only half a
man."

"I guess maybe you're right," agreed Pete,
urging forward his little animal by a dig in the
sides.

"Say, Pete," whispered Jack suddenly, as they
rode slowly forward under the star-sprinkled
heavens, "I do wish we could go back and make a
strike for the freedom of the others. It seems
kind of mean for us to be safe and sound here,

154 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

and leaving them back in the lion's mouth, so to

speak."

"Don't worry about that, Jack. By getting
over on to good Yankee soil we are doing more to
help them than we could in any other way. If
we turned back now we might spoil everything,

and as to being safe and sound Hark !"

! JBoth reined in their ponies and listened in-
tently. From far behind was borne to their ears
the distant noise of shouts and cries. Standing
on the elevation to which they had now attained,
the sounds came through the clear night air with
great distinctness.

[ "They're making a fine huUaballoo," com-
mented Jack. "Do you think thev've found Cum-
mings and the other ?"

i ; "Don't know. Guess not, though. The sounds
seem to be coming from more to the eastward
than where we left them ; but say. Jack, don't you
hear anything else but hollering?"

"Why, yes, I do seem to hear a kind of queer
sound; what is it?"

"The very worst sound we could get wind of,
Jack — it's bloodhounds.

»

A EIDE FOB THE HILLS 155

"Bloodhounds!" gasped Jack, who had read

and heard much of the ferocity and tracking

ability of the animals. "They will trace us down

and tear us to pieces."

"Hum, you've bin readin' Uncle Tom's Cabin,
I reckon," sniflfed Pete. "No, they won't tear us
to pieces, Jack, but what they will do is to round
us up and then set up the almightiest yelling and
screeching and baying you ever heard. They'll
bring the whole hornet's nest down around our

ears."

"What are we to do, Pete?" breathed Jack,
completely at a loss in the face of this new peril,
which seemed doubly hard to bear, coming as it
did when escape had seemed certain.

"Dunno. Just ride ahead, I reckon, that's all
we can do, and thank our lucky stars it ain't day-
light. If only we was a spell farther into the
hills, we might strike water, aad that would
throw them off."

"How would that confuse them ?"

"Well, hounds can't track through water. It
kills the scent. I'd give several head of beef crit-
ters for a sight of a creek right now."

156 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

All this time they had been riding ahead, and
although it was pitchy dark they could tell that
they were rising. Whether they were on a trail
or not, they had no means of knowing. That
"the ground was rough and stony, though, they
knew, for the ponies, sure-footed as they were,
stumbled incessantly.

"Good thing none of Ramon's men reached
out as far as this;; or we'd sure be giving our-
selves away every time one of these cayuses
shakes a foot," grunted Pete.

"I wish it wasn't so black," whispered Jack,
who was riding a little in advance. "I can't see
a thing ekhead. I wonder if Oh!"

His pony had suddenly given a wild leap back-
ward, missed its footing, and slid down some
sort of a steep bank.

"Jumping gee whilkers, what in blazes!" be-
gan Pete, when in just the same way he went
sliding forward into space.

Both ponies fetched up, after stumbling sev-
eral feet down a steep declivity, and the sound
that their hoofs made as they did so was one of

A EIDE FOE THE HILLS 157

the most welcome that the fugitives could have
heard.

Splash ! splash !

"Water !" exclaimed Pete. "Our blind luck is
just naturally holding out."

"Is it a watercourse?" inquired Jack, "or just
a hole."

Pete leaned over, holding on by crooking his
left foot against the cantle of his saddle.

"It's a creek, and flowing lively, too," he an-
nounced, as he held his hand in the water, "and
incidentally, as the newspaper fellers say, I'm
thirsty."

"So am I," agreed Jack. "Let's have a drink.
Besides, we don't know how long it may be be-
fore we get another."

"You've the makings of a cow-puncher in
you," approved Pete, slipping from his saddle.
Side by side the two lay on the brink of the stream
and drank till they could drink no more. The
water was cool, though tainted with a slightly
alkaline taste common to most mountain creeks
in that region. Refreshed, they stood up once
more and listened. The baying still came in-

158 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
cessantly, accompanied by shouts of encourage-
ment from the riders behind the dogs. It was
getting unpleasantly near, also.

"Time for us to cut stick," grunted Pete,
swinging himself into his saddle once more. Jack
did the same.

"Now to fooT 'em," chuckled the cow-puncher.

The ponies' noses were turned up stream, and
the sure-footed little animals rapidly traversed
the slippery rocks and holes of the creek bed.

"These are great little broncs," said Jack with
a sigh, "but don't I wish I had Firewater. I
wonder if I'll ever see him again?"

"Sure you will, boy," comforted Pete, although
in his own heart he had serious doubts of it.
Pete knew that a Mexican loves a good pony
above all things, and that once having possession
of Firewater, Ramon would let him pass out of
his hands willingly, seemed unlikely.

Every now and then, as they stumbled for-
ward in the darkness, they paused and listened.
The baying had suddenly stopped, and then broke
out afresh with renewed vigor. It had a puzzled
note in it, too.

A RIDE FOE THE HILLS 159

"They're stuck for a time," grunted Pete, "but
we haven't shaken them off yet. Yip-ee! hear
them dogs holler ! They've found the place where
we entered the water."

"Then we are out of danger?"

"Not yet, boy. We'll not be out of danger till
we're over the border and among our own folks.
These greasers are no fools, and in a few min-
utes they'll realize that we've taken to the water,
and be along the bank after us."

"But if we turn out here they won't know in
which direction we've gone," argued Jack. "Let's
leave the creek here and turn north again."

They had been traveling due east through the
night, and he waved his hand as he spoke, toward
the left bank of the stream.

"Kiddie, you've got horse sense, all right,"
approved Pete. "I guess that's the best thing
for us to do. Anyhow, we've gone as far as we
want to in this direction, and it's time to head
for home again."

Home — never had the word held so sweet a
sound for either of the two imperiled fugitives.

CHAPTER XIII.
the; hermit 01!* The; canyon.

After some difficulty they found a place in the
side of the watercourse up which the ponies
could scramble. The little animals were soon
once more among the rough, broken ground and
stiff scrub brush of the upper foothills. The way
was steeper now, and even the inexperienced Jack
knew that they must be approaching the moun-
tains themselves. Presently in fact, the darker
outlines of the range could be seen dimly against
the night, looking at first more like a darker por-
tion of the sky itself than a solid body reared
against it.

"Rough going," muttered Pete, "but these little
skates are jack rabbits at the work."

"There goes Ramon and his outfit," exclaimed
Jack a minute later, when after one of their list-

160

THE HEEMIT OP THE CANYON 161

ening pauses they heard a clattering of hoofs and
confused shouts and baying far below them,

"Yep, and I guess he's a worried greaser right
now," grinned Pete. "You see he'll be figuring
that if we get clear away it won't be long before
he has the soldiers after him and his precious
bunch."

"The soldiers?" asked Jack, "United States
cavalry men? Why it will take a week to get
them."

"No, sonny, not United States chaps, more's
the pity. A few of our blue breeches would clean
out that confabulation in double-quick time. No,
the military I refer to are the Mexican troops.
If it's a Saint's day or anything, when they get
the order to move they won't budge."

"What, they'll refuse duty?"

"Yep. They'll sit around and smoke cigarettes
and play dice till they get good and ready to
move, that's the kind of soldier men they have
over the border."

"Well, why can't some of our fellows get after
Ramon?"

"If they could, sonny, the wMole question of

162 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
trouble on the border would be over and done
with. But you see there's some sort of law —
international law, they call it — that works all
right in Washington, and so the big bugs there
figure out it must be all right here. We couldn't
send troops into Mexico after those greaser cat-
tle-rustlers any more than they could send after
the rascals that get from Tamale land into the
States."

"Then it works both ways ?"

"That's just the trouble, it don't. All the
Mexican rascals get cotched when they cross into
the States, but all kinds of rascals, white, black,
yellow and red, escape all their troubles by skip-
ping inter Mister Diaz's country."

"That doesn't seem fair."

"Nor does lots of things in this old world,
son, but we've got to grin and bear it, I reckon,
just as Ramon ull have to do if he don't pick up
our trail."

Such progress did the fugitives make that
night that by the time their guiding star bfegan
to fade in the sky they found themselves in a
wild canon, rock walled, and clothed, in places

THE HEEMIT OF THE CANYON" 163

where vegetation could find root-hold, with the
same fir, madrone and pifion as Grizzly Pass.
The rising sun found them still pressing onward.
They did not dare to stop, for although they were
pretty sure none of the Mexicans would have fol-
lowed thus far, they were aware that it would be
folly to halt till they had put all the miles possible
between them and their enemies.

"There's one thing we know now, anyhow,"
said Pete with some complacency, as they rode
on over the rocky ground among the pungent-
smelling mountain bay bushes, "and that is that
the canons in these hills split north and south, so
that we won't stray that way."

"I read somewhere, too, that you can tell the
north because there's more moss on the trunks of
the trees on the north side than any other," an-
nounced Jack with some pride.

To his chagrin, Pete burst into a laugh.

"That might be all right in Maine, son, for
city hunters, but what are you going to do out
here where all the water these hills and trees get
is needed for something else than moss-making?"

It was about noon, and in that deep gulch the

164: THE BORDEE BOYS ON THE TRAIL

sun was beating down oppressively, when Jack

gave a sudden cry.

"Look, Pete, look — a trail !" he cried.

Sure enough, winding among the brush there
v/as a small trail just wide enough for a horse
to travel in. The brush scraped their legs as they
rode along it.

"Might as well follow it, I guess," said Pete,
after a careful scrutiny. "Only one man been
along here, so far as I can see. We're still on
the Mex. side, though, so have your shooting iron
ready in case we run into trouble."

With every sense alert, they rode on for a
mile or more, when suddenly the trail gave an
abrupt turn, and they saw before them a small
hut fashioned roughly out of logs, stones and
brush. From its chimney blue smoke was pour-
ing, scenting the woods about with a pleasant in-
cense.

"Cooking," cried Pete, "and that reminds me
that my appetite and my stomach have been fight-
ing like a cat and a dog for the last two hours."

"I could eat something myself," said Jack.

THE HBEMIT OF THE CANYON 165

"We haven't had a bite since yesterday noon, you
know."

"That's so," assented Pete. "We've been so
busy, though, I never noticed it till just now."

"That's queer," said Jack, noting the same
curious fact; "neither did I. But I do feel rav-
enous enough to eat a rhinoceros now."

"Wonder where the boss of this sheebang is?"
queried Pete, as on a closer approach no sign of
life was apparent about the place.

"Well, he can't be out calling on neighbors,"
laughed Jack.

"I guess there's no harm in just looking in and
taking a peep."

"Better be careful," said Jack. "I've heard
that these mountain hermits are a queer lot, and
this one might shoot us."

"Hi-yi!" yelled Pete suddenly, "look at that!"

Jack looked, and saw that projecting through
a cranny in the stone wall was the rusty muzzle
of a rifle, seemingly of big caliber.

There was something uncanny in the sight of
this sinister weapon, aimed dead at them, with
apparently no human hand to guide it.

166 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL

"Better get out of range, son," warned Pete,
reining over his pony; "that feller might be nerv-
ous on the trigger."

But as they swung to one side of the trail the
ominous rifle barrel followed, still keeping them
covered.

"Confound the fellow !" burst out Jack, hardly
knowing whether to be amused or angry, "what
does he mean ?"

"Business, apparently," grunted Pete dryly.

"Hi, amigo!" the cow-puncher suddenly
shouted.

A rude query in Spanish came back from inside
the hut,

"Wants to know who we are," he said in an
aside to Jack. Then to the hermit:

"We are hunters, and lost in the moimtains.
Can we get food and water and some fodder for
the ponies?"

An almost unintelligible answer came back.

"Wants us to lay down our rifles," translated
Pete. "What do you say ?"

"I guess we'll have to," said Jack. "I'm so

THE HEEMIT OF THE CANYON 167

Kungry that I feel as if I'd risk anything for a
square meal."

"That's the way I feel," agreed Pete. "The
ponies, too, are pretty well played out. Reckon
we'd better do as he says."

Accordingly, the rifles were dropped on the
ground at the ponies' sides, and presently the
rusty rifle barrel was withdrawn.

"What now?" wondered Jack.

The solitary canon-dweller presently appeared
at the door of his hut. He was an old man in
ragged garments, so tattered as to here and there
expose his flesh. His face was wrinkled till it
resembled a monkey's more than a human being's.
The lower half of his countenance was completely
covered by a huge matted growth of white beard.
He still kept his aged rifle in his hand as he faced
his visitors, as if he was afraid of some treach-
ery.

"Better tell him that we don't mean him any
harm," suggested Jack.

Pete translated the boy's remark to the hermit,
who chattered rapidly in Mexican in response.

168 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

While he was talking Jack eyed the queer old
man.

"I believe he is crazy," he said to himself. The
hermit's beady eyes had a malevolent glare in
them, and when they fell on him Jack felt a
creepy sort of sensation.

"I don't half like the idea of going into that
old fellow's hut," he told himself, "but I gness
there's no help for it."

Pete, however, it seemed, felt no such appre-
hensions, for he was now leading the two ponies
round to a small shelter in the face of the moun-
tain which served the old man as a stable. A
disreputable-looking "clay-bank" mule, with only
one ear and a half, was standing in it disconso-
lately flopping her whole organ of hearing.

"He don't look very good, but I guess he's all
right," said Pete in a low tone, in response to
Jack's whispered comment on the old hermit.

Inside the hut they found a smoky sort of stew
cooking in a big iron pot. The old Mexican ex-
plained that the meat in it was deer flesh, and
the vegetables, which were corn, tomatoes, and
peppers, came from a small patch he cultivated

THE HEEMIT OP THE CANYON 169
behind his lonely hut. Although they had to eat
with one spoon out of the great pot itself, neither
of the travelers was in a critical or fastidious
mood, and they made a hearty meal.

The food disposed of, Pete, to his huge delight,
discovered that the old man had some home-
grown tobacco, and having borrowed a black pipe
from him, he fell to smoking. All this time Jack
was nervous and apprehensive. Once or twice he
had caught the ragged old fellow's beady eyes
fixed on him, with their strange burning look.
His impression that the lonely hut-dweller was
insane grew upon him. But Pete seemed quite
at his ease. Suddenly the cow-puncher said :

"I'm as sleepy as the Old Scratch, Jack. What
do you say if we take forty winks ?"

"Better be getting on, Pete; we can sleep
later," warned Jack with a wink in the direction
of the old man, to show he mistrusted him.

"Ho-ho-ho-hum !" yawned the cow-puncher.
"We didn't get enough sleep for a cat last night.
Anyhow, the ponies have got to rest up a bit."

As he spoke he threw himself at full length
on a rough couch, covered with skins, at one end

170 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL

of the hut, and which apparently served the old

hermit for a bed.

Before Jack could remonstrate, Pete, with the
quick adaptabihty of the plainsman, was off in
a deep slumber, snoring till the roof of the place
shook.

"Well, there's no use waking him if he's as
sleepy as all that," thought Jack, who, to tell the
truth, was feeling very drowsy himself.

After making a scanty meal, the old man with
the shifty eyes shouldered a hoe, and, mumbling
something, made off. Jack watched him and saw
that he took his way up the hillside to his garden
where he set to work among the cornstalks.

The occupation seemed so harmless that Jack
felt half ashamed of his suspicions. Neverthe-
less, he was determined to keep a keen lookout.
Seating himself in a big chair, roughly fashioned
out of logs, with a big bearskin spread over it,
the boy prepared to keep his vigil. But alas ! for
the best determination of man and boy. It g^ew
very still in the hut. Far up on the hillside came
the monotonous tap-tap of the old man's hoe.
Insects buzzed drowsily in the warm afternoon

THE HEEMIT OF THE CANYON 171
air. The whole world seemed in a conspiracy to
put the tired boy to sleep.

Once Jack caught himself nodding, and awoke
with an angry start at his own neglectfulness.
A second time the same thing occurred, but this
time his start was not quite so abrupt. Presently
his deep regular breathing was added to the son-
orous snores of Coyote Pete.

Not long afterward, the worker in the corn-
patch dropped his hoe and started down the hill-
side toward the hut. A malevolent smile flitted
across his apelike features as he heard Pete's
snores. Approaching the hut from the back, the
hermit cautiously raised himself, till his wild face
was peering into a small, unglazed window. His
grin grew wider as he noted Jack's slumber-
stilled form. Then he dropped from the window
and walked rapidly away.

How much later it was that Jack awakened
he did not know. All that he was aware of was
that the hut seemed singularly dark, and that the
fire on the hermit's hearth was out. The cause
of the darkness soon became apparent. The door
of the place was shut.

173 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

Jack hastened across the floor to open it. To
his consternation, it resisted his stoutest efforts.
It had been barred on the outside. The window
through which the hermit had peered was Uttle
more than a hole, and too small to permit egress
of either his own or Pete's body.

Hastily the boy awoke Pete, who at once began
blaming himself bitterly for being the cause of
the catastrophe. There was small doubt in the
minds of either that the old hermit had locked
Ihem in ; though for what purpose they could not,
at the moment, imagine.

"We'll have to break the door down," said Pete
as he hastily rose, brushing the sleep out of his
•eyes.

He gave the door a terrific shake, but it did
not tremble. It was stronger than they had sup-
posed. Pete, mustering every ounce of strength
in his muscular body, crouched himself half
across the room, and then with a terrific rush
tried to break it down with his shoulder.

Still it did not budge.

For the second time in twenty-four hours the
fugitives were prisoners.

CHAPTER XIV.

TRAVEI/S WITH A MUI,:^.

"Well, was I right?"

"Oh, say, don't rub it in. Jack. 0£ course yott
were. I was a fool to have gone to sleep,,
but "

"Never mind reproaching yourself now, Pete,"
said Jack soberly. "The thing to do is to get out
of here as quick as possible."

"Yes, we've no time to lose," said Pete, a seri-
ous look coming over his ordinarily cheerful
countenance.

Jack caught a more serious meaning under-
lying the words than they seemed to hold in them-
selves.

"I should say so," he rejoined. "We've got to
catch that old ruffian and give him the thrashing
of his Hfe. The idea of shutting us in here. I
thought he was crazy, and now I know it."

173

•174 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"Not so crazy as you think, Jack," replied Pete
gravely. "I'm afraid he's got more sense than we
gave him credit for, and that right now we are in
more serious danger than at any time since we
escaped."

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind now. I don't want to scare you
to death without there being any necessity for it.
What I want to impress on you is that there is
no time to lose."

"Of course, I appreciate that," rejoined Jack,
not quite making out what Pete meant, but think-
ing it wiser to abstain from asking questions at
the moment, "but how are we to get out ?"

"Dunno right now," said Pete, scratching his
head abstractedly.

"I have it," cried Jack suddenly. "We'll burn
the door down."

"What about matches?"

"There are still some embers on the hearth
there, and a pile of brush beside it. I'm sure
we can do it."

"Well, let's get to work, then." said Pete, who
seemed strangely ill at ease.

TEAVELS WITH A MULE 175

A goodly pile of brush was soon piled against
the rough door and ignited by means of taking
an ember from the fire and blowing on it till it
burst into flame. Up roared the flames, the tim-
ber fire crackling against the stone roof and fill-
ing the hut with a choking smoke. Luckily, most
of this escaped by the window, or they might have
run a good chance of being suffocated.

"Say, it'll take a year to burn through the door
at this rate," choked out Jack, after fifteen min-
utes or so of this.

"It would if we were going to burn through it,
but we ain't," chuckled Pete. "Let the fire burn
down now — or, better still, there's some water in
that jar ; just throw it over the blaze."

This being done, the fire soon died out, and
then Pete, wresting one of the heavy loose stones
from the hearth, battered with all his might
against the charred wood. It took a long time,
but at last a chink of daylight appeared.

"Hooray!" shouted Jack, as they attacked it
with a piece of iron found near the cooking-
hearth. Soon quite a hole appeared, and Pete,
reaching through, encountered a heavy wooden

176 THE EOEDEE BOYS ON" THE TEAIL
bar leaned against the door from the outside,
placed to hold it firmly closed. It was the work
of but a few seconds to dislodge this and emerge
into the open air.

Their work, however, had taken so much time
that it was dusk when they stepped out of the
door. Without a word, Pete, as if he had gone
suddenly mad, darted off toward the old hermit's
stable. He emerged in a second with an angry
cry on his lips.

"Just as I thought," he exclaimed, "they're
gone !"

"Gone!"

"Yes, the ponies and our rifles."

"Great Scott, what will we do?"

"Get away from here as soon as possible. If I
don't miss my guess, that leathery-skinned old
squeedink has recognized those ponies and started
back to Black Ramon with them."

"Good gracious, that means "

"That we'll have the whole boiling of them
round us if we don't skeedaddle out of here pretty
jerky. We lost a lot of valuable time getting that
door down."

TEAVELS WITH A MULE 177

"But we've no ponies ; how are we to travel on
foot and keep ahead of them?"

"Well, there's that old one-and-a-half-eared
mule out there. I reckon we won't be busting no
code of ethics by borrering her. I'll get a saddle
on her, and you just fill your pockets with what-
ever you can find in the way of grub, then we'll
start."

In a few minutes all was ready, and the old
mule, with a ragged saddle on her angular back,
stood waiting with drooping head. Pete swung
himself into the saddle, and Jack, being lighter,
leaped up behind, holding on to the cantle.

"All right, conductor. Ring the bell and we'll
start this here trolley," grinned Pete, digging his
feet into the old mule's ribs. She started off at a
gait surprising in such a disreputable-looking
animal.

"Well, we've got a start they never calculated
on us getting," grunted Pete as they loped along.
"If only our luck holds to the end, we'll beat them
out yet."

The old mule plunged upward along the canon,
clambering over the rough ground with remark-

178 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL
able agility. One of the first things that Pete
had taken care to do was to leave the trail in a
rocky spot, where no telltale hoofmarks would
show, and his course was now along the bottom
of the gorge, where a small watercourse trickled.

"Well, we won't want for water, anyhow," he
observed, with some satisfaction.

It grew dark rapidly, and nightfall found them
in a wild part of the gorge with the main crests
of the range reared forbiddingly above them. So
far there had been no sign of pursuit, and both
fugitives were beginning to hope that they had
got clear away, when from far down the canon
they heard cries and shouts, and, looking back,
saw a bright glare of light.

"Well, there they are," grinned Pete, "in a
fine way of taking, I guess, over the fire."

"The fire," echoed the boy, puzzled; "is that
what the glare is?"

"Yep," snorted Pete, "I reckoned we'd have to
pay that old scallawag out some way, so I just
scattered a few hot embers about his hut before
we vamoosed. I reckon by the looks of things

TRAVELS WITH A MULE 17?

they're catching up. Guess he's sorry he left us

now.

Pete, you're incorrigible," exclaimed Jack, not
knowing whether to laugh or be angry at the
cow-puncher's wanton act. True, it was wrong
to burn down the old hermit's hut, but still the
lone dweller of the canon had betrayed their trust
by an act of base treachery.

"I guess the books are about balanced," said
Jack to himself.

Aloud he asked :

"Do you think they'll come on after us to-night,
Pete?"

"Reckon not," rejoined the cow-puncher; "if
they do, 'twon't do them no good. We've killed
out the trail in this watercourse, and even if they
have the dogs they couldn't pick us up. Wisht
we had a couple of good rifles. We could lay up
there on the hillside as snug as you please and
pick 'em out as we chose."

It soon became manifest that they cotild not
travel much farther that night. Not only was
the old mule giving signs of fatigue, but it was
so dark that, as Pete said, they "ran a chance of

180 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

breaking their necks any minute." They were
now high on the eastern slope of the canon, and a
tumble down its steep sides might have had dis-
astrous results. They therefore decided to camp
where they were.

Making camp was a simple matter with their
scant paraphernaha. The old saddle had a coil
of rope attached to its horn, and this cord was
made fast to the old mule's neck. Neither of the
campers was thirsty, so after eating some of the
provisions Jack had hastily stuffed in his pocket,
and which consisted mostly of a pasty, sticky
corn paste, Pete made their bed.

Rolled in the ragged saddle blanket, with the
saddle for pillow, and the stars above them, the
wanderers slept as peacefully as if in their beds
at home, although their couch was a rocky one.
Before turning in, Pete took the precaution of
wrapping the old mule's rope around his wrist, so
that in the event of a surprise during the night
she would give the alarm by tugging on it.

"Isn't she liable to start off home without cere-
mony?" asked Jack as he observed this.

TEAVELS WITH A MULE 181

"Not she," rejoined Pete wisely; "she's too
tired to move a step."

All of which goes to show, as we shall see later,
that it takes a wise cow-puncher to know a mule.

It was about midnight that Jack was awakened
by a most unearthly yell. He sprang to his feet,
with every nerve in his body tingling, and the
first thing he observed was that Pete was miss-
ing. The cause of absence was not long in doubt-
A sudden fit of homesickness had seized the old
one-eared mule in the night, and she had started
without delay for the hermit's hut, dragging with
her the luckless Pete. The cow-puncher's yells
filled the canon.

Small wonder was it that he cried out in an-
guish, for the side of the hill down which the
old mule was loping was as steep as the side of a
house, and plentifully bestrewn with rocks, inter-
grown with rough scraggly brush. Jack was
fully dressed, just as he had lain down, and he
leaped off into the darkness in the direction in
which Pete's hideous yells and the clattering of
the old mule's hoofs proclaimed them to be. But
before he reached them, the abrupt descent of the

182 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

mountain by Pete had ceased. The old mule had
been halted in midcareer by the rope becoming
entangled in a small, low-growing pinon, and she
had been checked as effectively as if a hand had
been laid on the rope.

"Here, for goodness sake, get me cut loose
from this she fiend incarnate," begged Pete, as
he heard Jack coming toward him.

"Well, do make less noise, then," said Jack,
who could hardly keep from laughing at Pete's
doleful tones.

"Noise," groaned Pete ; "it's a wonder I'm not
making the all-sorrowfulest caterwauling you
ever heard. If there's a sound bit of skin on my
poor carcass, I'll give you a five-dollar gold piece
for it, and no restrictions as to size, either.
Ouch!"

He gave a painful exclamation as he rose to
his feet.

"Consarn that mule," he grumbled, "I'm going
to get me a good thick club, and her and me will
argue this thing out. Look at that, will you, for
pure cussedness."

No wonder the bruised and battered Pete was

TEAVBLS WITH A MULE 183

indignant. The runaway mule stood only a few
paces from them, unconcernedly cropping some
sort of prickly bush, which no animal but a mule
would have had the courage to tackle.

"Mule's ain't human, as I've often observed,"
grunted Pete, in intense disgust ; "they're a mix-
ture of combustibles, hide and devilment, with a
dash of red fire thrown in."

"Well, why did you tie the rope round your
wrist, then?" asked Jack, untangling the tether,
and starting to lead the mule back.

"Don't ask me any questions," roared Pete,
rubbing himself affectionately, "or if you do, ask
me why I was ever a consarned, peskyfied, locoed
idjut enough to cross that bridge."

A sudden disturbance in the brush below them
caused them to start and listen intently.

The noise sounded like several animals of some
sort making a kind of stampede through the
brush.

"The Mexicans!" was the first thought that
flashed through Jack's mind. But the next in-
stant he knew it was impossible that it could be
they.

184 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"Those are no Mexicans, boy," whispered
Pete.

"What was it, then?"

"Hold on, thar, or I'll shoot," unwisely yelled
Pete. Unwisely, because they, neither of them,
had a weapon.

In reply a bullet sang past his ear, fired, judg-
ing by the momentary flash, from the direction of
the trampling animals.

"Waal, what do you know about that?"
grunted Pete amazedly. "This valley must be
full of enemies of our'n."

"Better not do any more shouting," warned
Jack.

"No, I reckon not. Wow! I heard the bees
sing that time, all right."

"What do you suppose it could have been?
Not Mexicans, certainly."

"Nope. At least I don't think so. Maybe In-
juns."

"Indians!"

"Yes, every once in a while they stampede off
the reservation and roam around promiscuous.
But anyhow, whatever it was, or whoever it is.

TKAVELS WITH A MULE 185

he's more scairt of us than we are of him.
Hark!"

There was a mighty clattering of dislodged
stones and rustling pf brush coming out of the
darkness, and diminishing in loudness every min-
ute.

"Git thar, Fox! You ornery son of a side-
winding rattler!" they heard an angry voice
grunt under its breath, from the direction of the
retreat.

"A white man, by Jee-hos-o-phat !" exclaimed
Pete, his face lighting up. "Now what in thun-
der is he doing up here?"

CHAPTER XV.

A GATEWAY TO FREEIDOM.

It was not for some time after the abrupt re-
moval of Pete and Jack Merrill that any one of
the little party in the old church spoke. Then it
was the professor who broke the silence.

'T trust that no harm is meant to our young
friend and his breezy companion," he said.

"Harm!" broke out Ralph indignantly, "you
seem to take it easy enough. I — oh, well, I beg
your pardon, professor, I guess this has got on
my nerves. I didn't mean to be so short. But
I do wish there was something we could do. Sit-
ting here Hke this and not knowing what is go-
ing to happen is maddening."

"No use letting it get on your nerves, Ralph,"
counseled the quiet and deliberate Walt Phelps,
"worriting about it isn't going to help any "

The professor got up and paced about the old
186

A GATEWAY TO FREEDOM 187

chapel, examining its walls with care. In one or
two places were the remnants of old paintings,
and these he examined with great interest.

"If we should ever get away from here I think
that I should have some interesting discoveries
to report to the Hispanic Society," he remarked
amiably.

Walt Phelps nodded. The most interesting
discovery he could have made at that moment
would have been a door leading into the open
air and a good horse standing outside it.

At noon a Mexican entered with their dinner,
a similar meal to that which we have already seen
served to the prisoners in the tower. Few words
were spoken over the meal. Their hearts were
too heavy for that. The uncertainty as to what
was to be their ultimate fate was almost madden-
ing. In addition, they had to bear the suspense
of speculation over the destiny of Jack Merrill
and Coyote Pete. Without the broncho buster's
cheerful face and whimsical manner to cheer
them the castaways were indeed in a gloomy
condition.

About the middle of the afternoon they re-

188 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TBAIL
ceived another visit from Black Ramon. This
time he brought paper and some ink. The paper
was some odd sheets, half torn and very dirty,
which looked as if they might have been ripped
from an old blank book. The ink was a faded,
rusty colored composition. Evidently, writing
materials were things for which the cattle rust-
lers had little use.

In a few brief words, spoken with brutal in-
cisiveness, Black Ramon informed Ralph that
his offer still held good. The boy had till the
next day to make up his mind to write the letter
to his father, demanding the payment of the ran-
som. A messenger would convey it to the near-
est railroad station as soon as it was written. It
was for this purpose that the ink and writing ma-
terials had been brought. As Jack had feared,
the Mexican was going to work upon Ralph's
sensitive nature by every means in his power, and
as a step toward that end he had removed Jack
and the cheerful cow-puncher.

"I've half a mind to write the letter and have
it over with," said Ralph, as the door closed and
they were once more alone.

A GATEWAY TO FEEEDOM 189

"Don't you do it," said Walt Phelps decisively.
"I've heard of fellows in a worse scrape than
ours getting out of it all right. What's the use
of your alarming your folks? After all, it may
only be a bluff on the part of Black Ramon."

"I agjee with our young Western friend," put
in the professor, "this Mexican would hardly
dare to commit any offense against the laws, and
I firmly believe that if we show ourselves to be
determined to resist his will, that he will ulti-
mately let us go."

Walt Phelps had other ideas about the Mexi-
can's character. The Western boy knew the man
by reputation, and the general character of the
wild outlaws who make their homes along the
border. He said nothing, however, wisely think-
ing it best to let the professor encourage Ralph
all he could.

As the afternoon waned away, therefore, the
paper still lay scattered in the same spot on the
floor where the leader of the cattle rustlers had
placed it. By and by, a little ray of sunshine
shot in through the window as the sun grew
toward the west, and illumined the interior of the

190 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL
old chapel with a cheerful radiance. The rays
played, as if in mockery of their captivity, upon
the old sheets of paper, on which the thin, blue
lines with which they had been ruled when they
were new, were still visible.

"Wonder where Ramon picked up that paper,"
mused Ralph idly. "It reminds me of our ex-
ercise books at school. Looks like it might have
been torn out of one of them, too. Heigh ho, I
wish I was back at old Stonefell again. Don't
you, professor?"

"Eh — oh !" gasped the professor, coming out of
a brown study in which he had had his eyes fixed
abstractedly on the paper, "yes, yes, of course.
But, young man, your eyes are better than mine,
and I want to ask you a question — do you notice
anything on that paper ?"

"Why, yes, a few marks ; looks like dirt," said
Ralph carelessly. "The sunlight shows them up.
Nice sort of correspondence paper." He laughed
mirthlessly.

"No, but," insisted the professor, "it looks to
me as if characters of some kind were inscribed
on them and "

A GATEWAY TO FREEDOM 191!

Ralph had suddenly risen and snatched up one
of the sheets. A closer scrutiny had shown him
that the papers were indeed covered with some
sort of writing which they had not noticed before.

"You're right, professor," he exclaimed, "they
are written on. See! the marks are getting
clearer. But — but why didn't we see any writing
before."

"Because," exclaimed the professor, "the pa-
pers have been written on with invisible fluid of
some kind. Their exposure to the warm rays of
the sun has brought out the writing."

"It's getting clearer," said Ralph, eagerly pe-
rusing the sheet he held. "I can't quite rnake it
out yet, though."

He exposed the sheet he held to the sunlight,
while Walt Phelps leaned interestedly over his
shoulder.

"Why-why," the boy stuttered, "it's something
about this church. Look here, I can see the
'Church of St. Gabriel, the old mission,' as plain
as anything, and-and, why, professor," shouted
the boy, half wild with excitement, "I believe that

192 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

this paper, by some wonderful chance, may be

the means of getting us out of here."

"Let me see," demanded the professor, taking
the paper from the boy's trembHng hands. Sure
enough, it was covered with characters written
closely, and seemingly hastily.
j, " 'This record, made the seventeenth day of
August, 1909,' " he read out, " 'is to be kept in
case of accidents. The secret passage lies four
squares from the fifth square from the last win-
«dow on the right hand side toward the altar. The
old altar rail pulls back, exposing the trapdoor.
Treasure in passage, one hundred paces from
north of tunnel in wall, to right' Give me that
other page, Ralph, quick!"

The professor's voice shook strangely, and his
dim eyes shone behind his spectacles. Rapidly he
warmed the page Ralph handed him in the sun-
light, and more writing leaped into view.

"'Written by me with onion juice on above
date. Jim Hicks, prospector, formerly of Pres-
ton Hollow, N. Y. State. This to be an instru-
ment for my heirs, if any, and if this is ever

A GATEWAY TO FEBEDOM 193

found.' And here is something that seems to
be a postscript," gasped the professor, amazedly.

" 'Will have to leave this in church and trust to
luck. Place not deserted as I had thought, but in
possession of Mexicans, If chance should bring
this to an American's notice, let them search out
Jim Hicks, the prospector, rightful owner of
treasure by right of discovery, and legacy of Don
Manuel Serro y Fornero, the last descendant of
the old monk, Brother Hilarito.' "

"Good gracious, does that mean this church?"
breathed Walt Phelps, his eyes as round as two
marbles.

"Evidently," said the professor, who seemed
strangely excited, "as nearly as I can make out,
Jim Hicks was, or is, a miner or prospector who
in some way was willed this missing treasure,
whatever it is, by the last heir of one of the old
monks who formerly lived in the mission. He
must have come here to dig up the treasure and
been surprised by the Mexicans. Fearing discov-
ery when he would have been searched, he wrote
thi^ record in some old book he had with him and
then stuffed it in a recess in the wall or other hid-

194 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
ing place. In some way the Mexicans found it,
and not knowing what it was tore some leaves
out, which providentially happened to be these,
and gave them to Raloh to write his last mes-
sage on."

"I guess you must be right, professor," agreed
Ralph, "I've often heard that the old monks,
when their Indians were giving trouble, hid their
treasure in secret places. And this Brother Hila
— whatever his name was — must have been the
last survivor of the monastery. He willed the
secret to his heirs, who, in turn, gave it to this
old miner, Jim Hicks."

"This is the strangest thing I ever heard of,"
exclaimed Walt Phelps, "but now that we have
found it, what good does it do us ?"

"Why, why," blurted out Ralph, "don't you see,
Walt, what the invisible writing has done? It
has pointed out to us a way to escape."

"How?" asked the blunt Walt.

"How — ^why, through the tunnel."

"Yes, if this is the right church, and if the
tunnel has an exit at the other end," rejoined the
practical Walt. "I don't want to throw cold water

A GATEWAY TO FEEBDOM 195

on your hopes, Ralph, but this looks to me as if
it might be a trick of Black Ramon's."

"I hardly think so," said the professor. "At
any rate, it is worth tr3dng. We will make a test
as soon as possible."

They did not dare, however, to try to test the
secret of the old book till they could be sure they
were not watched from without by one of Ra-
mon's spies. Not till after dusk did they feel
perfectly secure from observation. Then, with
the professor leading, they sought out in the tes-
selated floor the designated square. It was easily
found, and following the directions which had
been memorized, for, of course, the invisible writ-
ing had disappeared with the fading of the
warmth that brought it into being, the eager seek-
ers went over the prescribed ground.

There was a moment of painful suspense as the
professor laid hold of a moldering altar rail, fol-
lowed by a moan of disappointment.

The rail did not yield. It was anchored solidly
in its base.

"Sold!" ejaculated Ralph. Walt Phelps did
not speak, but his disappointment was keen.

196 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

The professor said nothing, but thought deeply
for a few minutes. Then he spoke.

"1 have it," he exclaimed suddenly, "it's we
that have been wrong, and not the book." •

"What do you mean?" asked Ralph, "we fol-
lowed directions. I memorized them carefully
myself."

"Yes, my boy, we did, but if you recollect the
book said nothing about the color of the squares.
We counted on the black ones, assuming that to
be correct. Now might it not just as well have
been the white ones that the directions meant?"

"That's so," agreed Ralph eagerly, with new
hope; let's try it that way."

"We'll have to be quick. It will be dark as
pitch in a few minute?," said Walt.

Once more the three bent over the floor and
counted carefully, this time using the white tiles
as counters. Their enumeration brought them to
another old brass rail, standing upright in what
had once been the chancel of the old church.

Not one of that party drew a breath, as in the
dying light the professor laid his hand on the
upright pillar and pulled.

'A GATEWAY TO FREEDOM 197

"Fooled again," burst out Ralph ; but suddenly
the professor, who had put his utmost strength
into the task, went toppling backward, waving his
arms like a scarecrow in a high gale. He fell
on the marble floor with a crash, but was up again
like a jack-in-the-box.

"Hooray ! hooray ! the old miner's writing was
true !" burst out Ralph.

"Hush !" exclaimed Walt, "you'll have Ramon
and his men in here in a moment."

As he spoke there came a sudden trampling of
feet outside and shouts echoed.

"They've fotmd us out!" gasped Ralph, with
blanched cheeks.

"No, they're running past the door," exclaimed
Walt. "Listen, something else is the matter."

"What can it be?" wondered Jack.

"No time for speculation now, my boy,"
warned the professor, who had recovered him-
self. "It's now or never. Are we going to chance
the secret tunnel?"

"Yes," chorused both boys, gazing without hes-
itation into the black square which the swinging
back of the rail had revealed. From the mouth

198 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

of the dark pit a fetid, foul-smelling air rushed

upward. It was the breath of the dead centuries.

"One moment," said the professor, staying
Ralph as he was about to plunge forward undis-
mayed into the abyss; "let some of that deadly
gas out."

In apprehension of momentary discovery, the
adventurers waited, starting at every sound.
Outside the disturbance still went on. Feet could
be heard rushing hither and thither. What could
be happening?

"Now !" said the professor, after a few breath-
less minutes had passed.

Led by Ralph, they plunged downward, their
feet encountering a flight of steps.

As they vanished into the unknown, the trap-
door, actuated by some hidden machinery, which
must have acted as their weight came on the long
disused steps, swung silently back into place.

At the same instant there were several loud
shouts from without, followed by a fusillade of
rifles.

The escape of Jack and Pete from the tower
had just been discovered, and while the ranch boy

A GATEWAY TO FREEDOM 199

and the cow-puncher were surrounded by the
perils through which we have followed them, the
other members of the beleagfuered party made
their way forward into a blackness so utter as
to feel almost solid.

CHAPTER XVI.

SHORT RATIONS.

As soon as it grew daylight next morning the
two fugitives, Jack Merrill and Coyote Pete, not
to forget the one-eared mule, from the effects of
whose stampede Pete was still limping, made a
careful reconnaissance. From their lofty perch on
a ledge of rock far up the canon they could see
behind them a thin thread of distant blue smoke,
which still marked the scene of the destruction of
the treacherous old hermit's hut.

A few bluejays hopped about here and there,
eying the intruders inquisitively, a badger rushed
grunting and grumbling through some nearby
scrub. Otherwise the canon, under a blinding
blue sky, was still as a desert noon.

"Wa'al, all's quiet along the Potomac from the
looks of things," commented Pete, "and now let's
get down to the creek, and I'll wash off some of

200 -

SHOET EATIONS 201

the dirt that one-eared Maud there plastered me
with last night, and then we'll hit up that pocket
chuck-wagon of yours."

"And after that?" asked Jack.

"Why, then, we'll keep right on going. Let's
see, it was to-day that you was to have written
home for money, wasn't it?"

"Yes," said Jack, with a sigh, thinking of
Ralph, who, if he had only known it, was at that
moment beyond Back Ramon's reach.

"Wa'al, now, if that Easterner can only stick
out, we'll win home yet," gritted out Pete, "and
be back with help by day after to-morrow."

"Now, then, you one-eared, cock-eyed imp of
Satan, if you want a morning drink quit pulling
back on that halter and come down to the creek,"
went on the cow-puncher, addressing the mule,
which by common consent had been christened
Maud.

The mule flopped her one ear wisely at Pete,
and docilely allowed herself to be led to water.
Both travelers drank and laved themselves, and
then seated on a rock at the edge of the water-

203 THE BORDBE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
course made a meal off the remnants of Jack's
stock.

"Last of the grub, eh?" inquired Pete, as the
final morsels vanished.

Jack nodded.

"Well, we'll have to tighten our belts a few-
notches then, I reckon," was all Pete said. It
took more than the prospect of a little hunger
ahead to alarm the old plainsman.

All at once his eyes fell on an object lying some
distance up the creek. It reposed on the flat top
of a rock and seemed to be a shallow metal basin
of some sort.

"Hello!" exclaimed Pete, as he sighted it,
"there's a clew to our neighbor of last night — the
one who dug out so unsociable when Maud be-
gan cutting up."

"Cutting you up, I guess you mean," laughed
Jack, gazing at Pete's scratched countenance, and
a further facial decoration he carried in the
shape of a big goose tgg over one eye.

"Hum, I guess my style of beauty has been
considerably damaged," grinned Pete, "and look

SHOET EATIONS 303

at that one-eared demon will you, grinning at us
as if she enjoyed it."

They both had to burst out laughing, forget-
ting their other troubles at the queer sidelong
glance Maud bestowed on them. It was as if
she said:

"Didn't I have a lark last night?"

"Say, Jack," said Pete suddenly, after an in-
terval of looking about to see if any chancie
crumbs had been overlooked, "I'm going to have
a look at that thing on the rock up there. It may
give us a clew to our friend who lit out so un-
premeditated,"

"That washbowl, you mean?" asked Jack.

"Well, it ain't exactly a wash bowl. It's what
prospectors use to wash out gold in. They take
a handful of mud and some water from any creek
they think looks good, and then they wash it
about. Of course, the gold, being heaviest, sinks
to the bottom and stays there after all the other
stuff has been washed away."

An examination of the basin showed that it
was an old one and much battered. On one side

204 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL

it bore scratched deep in its surface the initials

J.H.

"Feller had quite a camp here," said Pete, look-
ing about him. "Funny we didn't sight him when
we first came up. Must have had three ponies,
two to pack and one to ride."

"How can you tell that?" asked the boy.

"S'prised at you, a Western kid, asking such a
question," grinned Pete, who was in high good
spirits since they had apparently thrown off the
Mexicans ; "look at those hoofs."

"That's right," said Jack, after a short scrut-
iny, "there's one with only half a shoe on the
off forefoot, one unshod on the hind hoofs "

"That's one of the packers," put in Pete.

"And another the same way. Another pack-
er," concluded Jack.

"You'll make a vaquero yet," approved Pete,
"but come on, it's time for us to be up and get-
ting. I only wish we hadn't scared J. H., who-
ever he is, out of ten years' growth, and we'd
have been in the way of getting a hot breakfast."

"You wouldn't have wanted to have lighted a

SHORT EATIONS 205

fire," cried Jack; "wouldn't the Mexicans have
seen the smoke?"

"Wa'al, I guess you're right, kiddo," said Pete ;
"cold victuals are safe victuals in a fix like ours.
Just the same, a slapjack and some frizzled bacon,
with a cup of hot coffee, would appeal to yours
truly right now."

"Don't talk of such things," laughed Jack ; "we
may be eating piiion leaves by sundown."

"And that's no childish dream," agreed Pete.
"Now, let's saddle up Maud and be on our way."

A few minutes later, with Pete's heels drum-
ming a tattoo on her bony sides, Maud was once
more ambling over the trail, her one ear mov-
ing backward and forward as if some sort of
clockwork contrivance was in it.

"Lot of waste of power there," observed the
practical Pete. "Hitch that ear to a sewing ma-
chine or a corn sheller and you'd have any motor
ever built beat a mile."

By a sort of mutual but unspoken agreement,
neither of the two mentioned eating when the
sun, by its height in the sky, showed that it was
noon. Without a word, though. Jack, from his

g06 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
position behind the cantle, tightened up his belt a
notch. Short rations were beginning to tell on
him. Pete, however, seemed cheerful enough.
He even hummed from time to time a few lines
of that endless cow-puncher's song which begins :

"Lie quietly now cattle;
And please do not rattle;
Or else we will drill you
As sure as you're born."

Such good progress did they make, notwith-
standing Maud's deliberate method of procedure,
that by mid-afternoon they found themselves al-
most at the summit of the range, and in a narrow
gorge formed by the closing in of the walls of
the canon. They had been following a sort of
trail, which had once — so Pete guessed — ^been an
Indian way. It was, however, overgrown almost
continuously with brush, and they had been com*
pelled to turn out a dozen times in every hundred
yards. Now suddenly the path same to a stop al-
together at a spot where, for a distance of twenty
feet or more, the side of the canon had slipped
down. Nothing but a smooth shaly wall, impossi-
ble even for Maud's goatlike feet to attempt, lay

SHORT EATIONS 207

between them and the resumption of the trail on
the opposite side.

"Have to go around," decided Jack, who had
dismounted and was surveying the break in the
road.

"That means going back three miles at least,"
grumbled Pete. "Consarn the luck."

"Well, we can't go ahead."

"There's no such word as can't when you've ,
gotter, son," rejoined Pete, gazing about him,
while Maud philosophically cropped some patch
grass that grew on the steep side of the trail.

"Let's see," mused Pete. "No, there wouldn't
be no sense in trying to climb around it. Even
this one-eared jackrabbit couldn't make it. Could
you, Maud?"

The one ear shook vigorously.

"No, she's made up her mind she couldn't, aftd
that ends it. Marry an old maid, argue with a
school teacher, reason with a rattlesnake, but
never try to persuade a mule of the error of her
ways," said Pete solemnly.

"There's that old dead tree up there," said Jack
suddenly, pointing to the steep shaly bank, where

308 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL
a big dead pine lay precariously balanced where
the last washout that had destroyed the trail had
left it.

"Well, what of it?"

"Why, it's long enough to bridge the gap and
broad enough for Maud to get across on if we
lead her."

"And if she'll go," said Pete. "Just the same
I think your idea's a good one, Jack."

"Well, we can try it, anyhow. It wouldn't
take more than a shove to dislodge that trunk,
and the way it lies it ought to roll so that its two
ends will catch on each end of the trail and con-
nect them."

"By Jee-hos-o-phat, I think it'll work!" ex-
claimed Pete, warming up to the idea.

As he spoke he got off the mule, who for the
last five minutes had had her one good ear and
the stump of the other cocked forward, listening
intently. Her nostrils and eyes were distended,
and as Pete's feet touched the ground she gave
a wild scramble in an attempt to climb the
bank.

SHORT EATIONS 209

"Whoa, whoa, Maud! what's the matter with
you, you one-eared locomotive on four legs,"
growled Pete,

"She's scared at something!" said Jack, with
a worried look, gazing nervously about him.

"Yep, that's right. Wonder what it is."

"Ph-r-r-r-r!"

Maud snorted and plunged about furiously.

"Well, it ain't Mexicans, that's a cinch, for the
wind is blowing up the trail," mused Pete, "and
whatever she smells is coming down. Well, no
use worrying about it. The sooner we get busy
and get that log across, the sooner we'll be on
our way. I'll just hitch old Maud to this tree, and
then we'll get to work."

Maud, still prancing and snorting alarmedly,
was tied to the tree in a few seconds. The two
adventurers, bracing themselves at every step,
started to climb up the shale toward the dead tree,
which they wished to roll down the incline to con-
nect the two ends of the broken trail.

"Now, I'll take that far end and you take this,
and when I say so, we both shove, see ?" said
Pete. After some difficulty on the slippery foot-

210 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

hold the shale afforded, they reached the log,
which was nothing more or less than a huge pine
trunk, sixty feet or more in length. Had it not
been for the manner in which it had been caught
on the pinnacle of two rocks at either end, they
could not have hoped to move it. Balanced as it
was, however, a touch set it rocking.

"Ready?" hailed Pete, after he had scrambled
to his end of the log. He laid his hands on the
fallen trunk and braced his feet and muscles for
a mighty heave.

"All right !" hailed Jack, doing the same, when
suddenly his expression of energy froze on his
face, and he grew pale under his tan.

"Oh, Pete! oh!" screamed the boy, "look be^
hind you!"

Pete, who stood with his back toward the up-
per end of the canon, faced around from his grip
on the timber. As he did so he echoed Jack's cry
of horror.

Standing at the opposite edge of the broken
trail — not twenty feet from him — was a huge,
gaunt grizzly.

As it gazed upon the prey on which it had

Standing at the opposite edge of the broken trail — ^not twenty feet
from him — was a huge gaunt grizzly.

SHOET EATIONS Sll

lumbered so unexpectedly, the horrible brute's
little pig eyes blazed malevolently, and its huge
fangs began to drip as if in anticipation of the
feast to come.

CHAPTER XVII.

TH^ TAL:e Olf A MUI,]^.

"Jee-hos-0-phat, a grizzly!" yelled Pete, as he
gazed at the quarter of a ton of angry bruin, "and
we've not got even a bean shooter."

"That's what Maud was scared at," was the
ridiculous thought, considering the circum-
stances, that came into Jack's mind. That Pete
had thought the same thing was evidenced the
next instant.

"Say, if we'd only paid attention to Maud," he
began, "we'd "

But a sudden interruption cut him short. The
big log they had been trying to dislodge was, as
has been said, yery delicately balanced. Already
by placing their hands on it and rocking it test-
ingly they had disturbed its equilibrium. Now
Pete, in his agitation, had placed a foot on it.
Both feet, in fact, as he jumped backward at the
sight of the huge bear

212

THE TALE OF A MTJLE 213

This was too much for the trunk. With a
crash and a roar, and accompanied by a might
cascade of dust and rocks, it rolled down the
steep, shaly bank.

A few moments before both Pete and Jack
had longed above everything else to see the trunk
spanning the break in the trail. Now, however,
when it landed fair and square in the position
desired, with its two ends resting on solid ground,
the natural bridge it formed was the last thing
in the world they wanted to see.

With the trail still open — that is, with the break
still in existence — they might have saved them-
selves from the bear, for it was extremely un-
likely that the creature could have foimd a foot-
hold on the loose shaly bank. Now that the
bridge was in existence, however, things were al-
tered, the bear could cross to them at will, even
if they took refuge on their own side of the gap.

"Make for those trees," shouted Pete, pointing
to a small clump of scrubby firs that grew out of
a pile of rock just above where Maud had been
tethered.

Without a word Jack turned and made the best

214 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
of his speed along the steep, slippery incline to
the spot indicated by the cow-puncher. Pete was
close behind him.

"Now climb," ordered Pete; "it's our only
chance."

As he spoke the grizzly, which had hesitated
for a moment when the bridge came tumbUng
down, had perceived the easy means it afforded
him of reaching his prey, and was cautiously test-
ing it with his foot.

"Wish the thing would give way and roll him
down to kingdom come," gritted out Pete, sav-
agely.

Both Pete and Jack in their haste had ^ound
refuge in the same tree, a small sapling fir, which
bent perilously under their weight. From this
insecure perch they watched bruin testing the
bridge cautiously. Finally having made up his
mind it was safe the immense brute started to
lumber across it.

"B-b-but," stammered Jack, "he'll get us in this
tree, Pete. Grizzlies can climb."

The boy was horribly frightened, and small
blame can attach to him therefor. Jack, as we

THE TALE OP A MULE 215

have seen, was far from being a coward, but even
the bravest of men might be pardoned for feel-
ing alarm when caught weaponless by a grizzly
bear — one of the most savage, merciless foes of
man in the Western Hemisphere.

"He can climb, all right," rejoined Pete, "but
a grizzly is the most cautious brute there is. He's
quite smart enough to see that this tree over-
hangs a steep slope that ends in a precipice, and
he knows, too, that if too much weight is put on
it we'll all go down together. Maybe he won't
try to dislodge us. That's our only hope."

"But even if he doesn't climb it he's liable to
sit below till we come down from hunger or drop
from fatigue."

"Well, that's a diance we've got to take,"
grunted Pete grimly.

The grizzly seemed in no particular hurry to
proceed. Having crossed the bridge he leisurely
sniffed about, only from time to time glancing
up out of his little red eyes at the two figures
in the flimsy fir tree.

All this time Maud had been plunging about

316 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

like a ,vild thing, but her rope held tight and she

could not escape.

"Poor critter," said Pete, as he watched her.
"If we'd only taken her warning we might have
been out of here by now."

"If we ever get out of this, I'll believe anything
a mule tells me," chimed in Jack miserably.

The grizzly apparently made up his mind sud-
denly that it was time that all delays were over.
With the peculiar lumbering gait of these huge,
but active, creatures, he rapidly made his way to
the foot of the little fir and placed his fore paws
on it. As Jack gazed downward at the huge
paws, armed with enormous claws, each as big
and sharp as a chilled steel chisel, he could not re-
strain a cry.

"Steady, kid, steady," groaned Pete. "Oh, if
only I had a rifle for you, me haughty beauty,
wouldn't I drill a nice hole in you."

He shook his fist at the bear, which growled
savagely back. But having tested the tree, the
bear, as Pete had expected, declined to risk his
weight on it. Instead he shook it a little in a
vain attempt to dislodge the two clinging oc-

THE TALE OF A MULE 217

cupants. Both man and boy hung on with grim
desperation, while a dreadful fear that the roots
Bo^ht give way gnawed at the heart of each.

"How long will he stay there, do you think?"
asked Jack, as the grizzly, grumbling angrily to
himself, sat down at the foot of the tree, for all
the world like a huge cat patiently watching a
mouse hole.

"Dunno," grumbled Pete; "longer than we'll
stay here, I guess."

Suddenly the bear seemed to tire of inactiv-
ity. With a savage roar he sprang at the tree,
which bent like a sapling under his tremendous
weight. To Pete's horror he distinctly felt the
trunk crack.

"It's all off," he groaned aloud; "one more
jump like that will finish us."

"When the tree hits the ground you run," whis-
pered Pete to Jack. The bc^ nodded his head.
He little dreamed what was in Pete's mind.

The acute mind of the grizzly soon perceived
that his attack on the tree had been effectual.
Roaring with dreadful note that sent a chill to
Jack's heart, he charged once more.

218 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

There came a dreadful crashing, crackling,
rending sound, and the small sapling gave way.

Like a stone from a catapult Jack felt himself
strike the ground violently.

"Run, Jack, run!"

It was the voice of Pete, but it came to Jack
like a voice in a dream. Mingling with it came
the triumphant roar of the grizzly.

Bruised and shaken by his fall, the boy man-
aged somehow to get to his feet and began run-
ning stumblingly forward. Suddenly he stopped.
What had become of Pete?

In the same instant his friend's unselfish brav-
ery flashed across him. Pete meant to stay be-
hind and deliberately sacrifice himself while Jack
got a chance to escape.

Jack turned and began to run back.

"Pete, Pete, you shan't do it !" he cried desper-
ately.

But even as he yelled he gave a shrill cry of
mortal terror. The huge black form was upon
the cow-puncher, and all Jack could see was its
huge, hairy arms as they shot out to envelope
Pete in their grip. Over and over rolled the two.

THE TALE OF A MULE .219

as the bear missed its footing on the treacherous
hillside and began toppling down toward the trail.
In this predicament it still gripped tight to its
prey, however.

Suddenly Jack gave another yell — a cry of ex-
ultation. An extraordinary thing had happened.

In its rolling plunge down the slope the bear
had come within the radius of Maud's iron-shod
hind hoofs. With a scream of mingled fear and
mulelike defiance, those formidable weapons
drove out as if impelled by steel springs.

Ker-flo-^p-p-p !

Both of those terrible heels struck the grizzly
fair and square in the top of his ferocious head.
With a howl of agony he dropped the man from
his deadly grip, and with the blood streaming
from the deadly wound went tumbling and claw-
ing in his death agony down the slope.

Faster and faster he crashed downward, tear-
ing out small bushes and trees as he went under
his huge weight. At last everything grew silent,
and Jack looked over the edge of the gulch.

At the bottom, half hidden among the ava-
lanche of brush he had brought with him, lay the

320 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL
carcass of the huge grizzly — quite dead, it
seemed, for when Jack hurled down a stone he
never moved.

At the same instant Pete sat up, a puzzled ex-
pression on his face.

"Am I dead ?" he inquired.

"No, thanks to old Maud !" shouted Jack, joy-
ously flinging his arms about Pete and doing a
war dance of exultation. "She's the best one-
eared mule in the world !"

"That's right," agreed Pete solemnly, after he
had been made acquainted with the happenings
of the last few moments, for he had lost con-
sciousness in the bear's mighty hug.

"And say, Pete," said Jack in a choky voice, "I
understand what you did, old man, and "

His voice broke, and tears came into his eyes
as he thought of Pete's act of self-sacrifice.

"Aw blazes," said Pete, with a bit of a quaver
in his own tones, "that's all right. But look at
Maud, will you?"

That intelligent animal, with her one ear
cocked erect as if in triumph, had thrown back
her head and opened her mouth.

THE TALE OF A MULE 221

"Is she going to have a fit?" asked Jack.

"Naw, she's going ter sing. Mules don't speak
often, but when they do, they do it about some-
thing worth while. Hark !"

He-haw-he-haw-he-haw-he-haw !

Maud's song of triumph, as Pete had described
it, went echoing up and down the canon in the
most discordant series of sounds known to the
ear of man. But if there had been a hundred
Mexicans in earshot, neither of the two fugitives
would have grudged Maud her vocal exercise,
nor have attempted to cut it short.

As it was, however, the mule's pean of victory
had evidently reached other ears than those of
Jack Merrill and Coyote Pete. They were still
petting her and wishing for lumps of sugar and
gold head stalls and all sorts of equine delicacies
when both were startled by a gruff voice address-
ing them.

"Hullo, strangers !"

"Hullo yourself!" rejoined Pete, considerably
surprised, and peering about him keenly.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE TRMSURE OP THEJ MISSION.

The effect of their first sudden immersion into
the total blackness of the tunnel was paralyzing
to Ralph, the professor, and Walt Phelps. The
air, too, was still oppressive and musty with the
accumulation of ages.

"Has any one got a match?" was the pro-
fessor's first inquiry.

"Don't know," rejoined Walt Phelps, "I most
generally have, but them greasers went through
me pretty thoroughly. Hold on, though; wait!
Hooray! I had a hole in my pocket, and some
slipped through into the lining of my coat."

"Light up," said Ralph eagerly, "and let's see
what sort of a horrible hole we are in."

A sputter, a crackle, and then a blessed flood
of light, as Walt Phelps lit one of the precious
matches of which he had found three or four.

233

TEEASUEE OP -THE MISSION 223

*Now, see how much you can take in in one
match-length," urged the red-headed ranch boy,
as he held the match high in the air.

Its radiance showed them that they were in a
narrow, walled tunnel, into which the steps from
the trap-door above had led them. Right ahead
stretched blackness, behind was blackness, only
in the little illuminated circle in which they stood
in fact, was there any relief from the gloom.
The professor uttered a sudden gleeful exclama-
tion, and at the same instant Walt dropped the
match with a loud exclamation of :

"Ouch!"

He had held on to it so long he had burned
his fingers.

"Never mind," consoled the professor; "that
match, Walter, has shown us one important
thing."

"And what is that?" asked Ralph.

"That there is an opening to this passage some-
where."

"Why, how "

"Simple enough. The flame flickered, as Wal-
ter held the match up. That shows there must be

824 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

a draught, and where there is a draught there

must be an opening."

"Then, for goodness sake, let's make for it,"
exclaimed Ralph, stumbling forward in the dark-
ness ; "I can't stand this blackness much longer."

With his hands spread in front of him the boy
started off, the others following. Walter would
have lighted another match, but this the professor
vetoed. He argued that, not knowing what lay
ahead of them, they had better reserve their store
for a real emergency. The boys agreed to this
readily.

They had gone about two hundred yards when
Ralph, whose hands were feeling along the walls
as he went, gave a sudden exclamation. Up to
this point the passage had been about six feet in
height, and four or more in width. Now, how-
ever, it contracted until they had to double up,
and could only just squeeze through. It grew
unendurably hot, too, and as the floor had stead-
ily declined as they went, they argued that they
must have reached a considerable depth.

Ralph's exclamation had been caused by a pe-
culiar substance with which his fingers had sud-

TEEASUEE OF THE MISSION 225

denly come in contact. Heretofore the walls had
been rough, and in places rocky. Suddenly, how-
ever, his fingers encountered a rounded, smooth
surface.

"What's the matter ?" asked the professor, who
was behind.

"I don't know. There's something odd imbed-
ded in the wall right here. Can we spare a
match?"

"I think under the circumstances we might,"
said the professor.

Walter accordingly kindled a fresh lucifer.

As its rays shone out, every one of the party
shrank back with a cry of horror.

From the wall a grinning skull was gazing at
them.

The ranch boy dropped his match with a cry
of terror and startled alarm. Even the profes-
sor's nerves were shaken by this sudden appari-
tion.

"F-f-for g-g-goodness' sake, strike another!"
stuttered Ralph.

With trembling hands Walt struck another
light, and this time they nerved themselves to ex-

226 THE BOEDER BOYS OK THE TRAIL
amine the wall more carefully. The skull was
imbedded in the rpck, and by its side they now
perceived was a skeleton hand, pointing down
the tunnel. The professor also noted some marks
at its side. There were five of them — short,
straight lines, scratched in the wall.

"Why, boys," he said, as the match died out,
"there is nothing to be alarmed at. The skull
is placed there as some sort of a pointer, or indi-
cator, as I take it. That hand shows the direc-
tion in which the treasure lies, and the five
scratches mean either five feet, or five yards, in
this direction."

This simple explanation nerved the boys won-
derfully, and they carefully paced off five feet,

"Another match, Walter," ordered the pro-
fessor,

"The last but one," said the boy, as he struck
it.

Hastily they gazed about them, but not a sign
could they perceive of any break in the wall or
floor, which might serve as a hiding-place for the
treasure indicated in the miner's invisible writing.

"Shall we try at five yards?" asked Ralph.

TREASUEE OF THE MISSION 237

"We will put it to a popular vote," rejoined the
professor. "It will mean burning up our last
match, but on the other hand "

"I'm willing to use it — how about you, Walt?"
came from Ralph.

"Sure," responded the ranch boy.

The professor made rapid mental calculations,
and then paced off the additional distance neces-
sary to make up the five yards from the original
starting-place.

"Now," he said, coming to a halt.

How carefully Walt Phelps nursed that tiny
yellow flame, as it burst into being. How eagerly
they glanced about them, greedy of every morsel
of its light.

Suddenly the professor gave a cry.

"Look!" he sputtered out.

He was pointing downward excitedly. Almost
at his feet was a mildewed iron ring. As the
light died out, he grasped it.

"Never mind the darkness, now; I've got it!"
he cried exultingly.

"Pull it up," urged Ralph, all else forgotten in
the mystic spell of hidden treasure.

228 THE BOKDEK BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"Yes, pull," urged Walt.

"I — ugh — ugh!" grunted the professor, put-
ting all his strength into it, but the ring never
budged an inch.

"Here, give me a hand, boys !" he cried.

"How are we to find you ?" asked Ralph.

"Here, extend your hands. Ah, that's it,"
went on the scientist, seizing hold of the boys'
wrists and guiding them down to the ring.

"Now, all together," he said; "pull!"

With all their strength the three adventurers
tugged with a mighty heave at the iron. At first
it seemed that it was going to prove obdurate even
to their combined efforts, but continued tugging
resulted in a slight quiver of whatever the iron
ring was fastened to.

"Now, once more — he-a-ve !"

There was a sudden give on the part of the
iron ring, and its foundation gave way with a
rush.

A strange, pungent odor filled the air !

"I — I — I'm choking," gasped Walt, gripping
his collar with both hands and tearing it open, to

TEEASUEE OF THE MISSION 239

relieve the terrible congestion that had suddenly
seized upon his throat.

"Run, boys; run for your lives!" shouted the
professor. "There's something deadly in there !"

They needed no second invitation. Forward
they plunged, gasping and choking, in the grip
of the unseen, destructive agent they had liber-
ated.

The professor, as he sprang forward, felt his
foot slip, and realized that he was falling back-
ward. As he fell into what he knew must be the
pit they had opened, and from which the noxious
fumes were pouring, he grasped at something —
it was Walt's leg.

"Hey, leggo my leg!" howled the red-headed
youth, half-crazy with fear. To his excited im-
agination, it seemed that in the darkness some
pulling arm had reached up from the pit and
seized him.

"Walt! Walt!" gasped the professor. "Save
me!"

The boy, in agony as he was from the horrible
gases^ pluckily reached round and felt about.
Presently he felt the professor's bony hand grip

230 THE BORDEE BOYS ON THE TRAIL
his. A second later, the scientist had been hauled
out of danger. But the suffocating fumes still
filled the passage. They were choking, blinding
and killing the adventurers.

"Forward, forward! It's our only chancel"
cried the professor.

Suddenly he felt Walt, who was just ahead of
him in the panic-stricken flight, collapse. Seiz-
ing the fainting boy in his arms, the professor
bravely struggled on. In the meantime Ralph
had hastened on ahead, and knew nothing of what
had occurred behind him.

Rapidly he ran from the unseen peril, cov-
ering the ground swiftly. Stumbling blindly for-
ward, he all at once felt the air grow fresh and
sweet, and at the same time a sort of glow pene-
trated the Stygian darkness of the tvmnel.

The boy glanced upward and gave a cry of de-
light. Above him, at the mouth of a circular
shaft, he saw the kindly stars blinking. Never
had the sight of the sky looked so sweet to him.
But even as he was congratulating himself, he
looked about for his companions.

They were not there!

TEEASUEE OP THE MISSION 231

*'Hullo, Walt — professor! Hurry," he called
bade into the blackness and the foul danger he
had left behind him.

To his dismay, his voice echoed hollowly upon
the rocks, and went booming mysteriously down
the tunnel. But human reply to his call, there
was none.

With a sinking heart, Ralph realized in an in-
stant what had happened. The professor and his
companion had been overcome, by whatever it
was that had emanated from the trapdoor in the
tunnel.

A sort of panic seized on the boy.

He shouted and shouted, again and again, re-
gardless of his voice being heard above. But
only the mockery of the echo to his frightened
cries came back to him.

It is no disparagement to Ralph to say that it
required some effort on his part to nerve himself
for what he did then. Summoning every ounce
of resolution in his body, he threw himself on
his hands and knees, with a vague recollection
of having heard somewhere, that deadly gases
were less deadly near to the ground.

232 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TRAIL

Thus extended, the Eastern boy, with a beating
heart and a dread sense of disaster oppressing
him, crawled back into the danger-filled darkness
from which he had just emerged.

As he proceeded, the air grew more and more
unbearable. His skin seemed to be on fire, and
his eyes were filled with an aching, "burning,
smart that was maddening. But the boy kept
repeating over and over to himself the words he
had uttered as he plunged back over the path of
danger.

"I must get them out. I must get them out !"

In the pitchy darkness, with mind and body
burning, he painfully wriggled on.

"I can't keep this up much longer," was his
thought; "where are they, oh, where are they?"

Suddenly he bumped into something soft. It
was a human body.

"Professor!" gasped the boy in a voice which
he knew must be his own, but which sounded
strangely like that of another person.

A faint groan answered him.

"You must come with me. I must get you out.
I must get you out," gasped Ralph. He seized

TEBASTJEE OF THE MISSION 233

the other's clothes and made a brave effort to
drag him forward. But as he did so, everything
seemed to race round and round in his head in a
mad whirligig, and the boy collapsed in a sense-
less heap beside the two he had come to save.

CHAPTER XIX.

JIM HICKS, PROSPECTOR.

The sharp eyes of Coyote Pete were not long
in discovering the cause of the startUng interrup-
tion to the adulation of Maud.

Through a clump of brush some distance above
the trail, a strange, wild face was peering at
them. Yet, despite its tangle of beard, and the
battered hat which crowned its tangled locks,
the countenance was a kindly one, and there was
friendliness in its blue eyes. Above all, it was
the face of an American. Pete, and Jack, too, for
that matter, would have thrown themselves re-
joicingly on the neck of the most disreputable of
their countrymen, if they had happened to meet
him at that moment.

"Traveling?" inquired the stranger, coming
out from his concealment and disclosing a well-
knit body dressed in plainsman's garb. The butt

234

JIM HICKS, PEOSPECTOR 235

of a revolver glinted suggestively on his left
thigh.

"Reckon so," rejoined Pete.

"Whar frum?"

"South."

"Whar to?"

"North."

"Ain't very communicative, be yer, stranger ?"

"Wa'al, you see, we ain't had a regular intro-
duction," rejoined Pete, with range humor, a
grin spreading over his countenance.

"My name's Jim Hicks; I'm prospecting up
through this yer God- forsaken place."

"Mine's Peter Aloysius Archibald De Peyster,"
rejoined Coyote Pete, and, although he then
gasped in amazement, Jack was later to learn
that this was the redoubtable cow-puncher's real
name. In fact, he had had more than one fight
on account of it.

"Don't laugh," he warned.

"Not a snicker," was the reply, "but that sure
is a fancy name, stranger. Sounds like a Christ-
mas tree, all lights, and tinsel, and glitter."

"Humph," rejoined the cow-puncher, glancing

236 THE BOEDBE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
sharply at the other, but, perceiving no sign of
amusement on that leathern countenance, he went
on, "and this is my young friend, Jack Merrill,
the son of Merrill, the cattle-man."

"Say," burst out Jack, who had been doing
some thinking, "are you J. H. ?"

"That is my usual initials," rejoined the pros-
pector, bending a keen glance on the boy.

"Ho — ho — ho!" laughed Pete, "I reckon we
crossed your trail to-day. Did you mislay a wash-
pan?"

"Why, yep," rejoined the other, a rather em-
barrassed look coming over his face, and a bit
of red creeping up under the tan, "you see, I was
camped down the trail last night, when the all-
firedest thing happened that I ever bumped into."

"What was it?" asked Jack mischievously,
scenting here an explanation of the occurrence?
of the night.

"Why, I was sound asleep down by the creek,
when, all of a sudden, I hear'n a fearful racket
above me. I looked up and I seen a devil with
red eyes and a blue tail, all surrounded by blue
fire, coming toward me, and

JIM HICKS, PEOSPECTOE 237

"Hold on, stranger — wait a minute. I ain't
through yit. Wa'al, sir, I out with my pepper
box and let fly, but the critter, whatever it was,
jes' giv' the awfulest laugh I ever heard, and
vanished in a cloud of blue smoke."

"Ha ! ha ! ha !" laughed Jack, while Pete joined
in the merriment, holding his sides.

The prospector looked at them suspiciously.

"Why — why — why," gasped Pete, "barrin' the
red fire and the trimmings, I reckon your devil
was jes' our old mule, Maud."

"That onery, one-eared critter yonder !" yelled
the prospector, "that perambulating, four-legged
accumulation of cats'-meat scare me out of two
years* growth ! Stan' aside, strangers "

"Why, what are you going to do?" exclaimed
Jack in a somewhat alarmed tone, as the pros-
pector's hand flew to his six-shooter.

"Jes' ventilate the promiscuous disposition of
that animal of your'n, stranger."

As he spoke, he coolly raised his pistol, prepara-
tory to sweeping it down and firing point-blank
at poor Maud. But Coyote Pete was on him with
a wild yell.

238 THE BOEDBB BOYS ON THE TEAIE

"Here, here, none of that in this camp, jstran-
ger," he bellowed, as his mighty arms bore the
astonished prospector to the ground, and they
rolled over and over ; "ef you've got any nuggets
lyin' loose you don't want, give 'em to us to deco-
rate that noble creature, but you'll shoot me afore
you shoot Maud,"

As for Jack, after his first alarm, all he could
do was to roar with laughter at the two big West-
erners rolling about on the ground, and filling
the air with vigorous expletives.

"Here, here, get up," he cried at length.
"Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?"

The two stopped their struggle for a moment
and scrambled to their feet.

"I'll take back my remarks about your mule,"
said the prospector, apparently unruffled by the
sudden strenuous interlude.

*And I'll withdraw my objection to you on
account of that bullet you fired at us last night,"
said Pete solemnly.

"Accepted," said the ranger with equal grav-
ity, "and now, if you two fellers feels like scof-
fin' "

JIM HICKS, PEOSPECTOR 339

"Scoffing?" said Jack. "I thought we'd had
enough of that."

"He means eating," chuckled Pete. "What a
question to ask !"

"Wa'al, then, I'm camped about a quarter of
a mile frum here, and will be glad to have your
company. I come down to find out what was the
matter, when I hear'n that mule critter of yours
a-singin' once more. Glad to have met congenial
company."

"We'll have to bring the mule," said Jack.

"All right. So long as she don't fight with my
outfit, I've no objection," rejoined the prospector;
"but come on, or that rabbit stew will be getting
burned."

"Rabbit stew !" exclaimed Coyote Pete. "Oh,
I never thought to hear them words again."

Rapidly they retraced their steps, leading
Maud by her hitching rope. Soon they reached
a small branch path, which they had not noticed
on their way up. It led back into the brush where
Jim Hicks, it appeared, had canlped. As they
neared it, a savory odor of rabbit stew became
apparent. Pete sniffed ecstatically.

240 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"Say, stranger," he asked in a trembling voice,
"is they — is they onions in that stew, or does my
nose deceive me?"

"Mr. De Peyster," rejoined the prospector,
"your organ of smelling is kerrict, sir. There is
four of the finest Bermudas obtainable in that
rabbit stew."

"Hold me," murmured Pete to Jack, a sudden
look of lassitude coming over his weather-beaten
face.

"Why, why, what's the matter?" exclaimed
Jack in some real alarm.

"I — I think I'm going to faint, and I forgot
to bring my smellin' salts," grinned Pete, favor-
ing the boy with a portentous wink.

The formality of the West did not permit Jim
Hicks to ask any questions of his guests. In
fact, in that section of the country such a pro-
cedure would have been adjudged a terrible
breach of good manners. On the border every
man's business is his own, and no questions
asked.

When, however, three or more helpings of rab-
bit stew had become a part of Coyote Pete, and

JIM HICKS, PEOSPECTOE 341

an equal number was being assimilated into the
person of Jack Merrill, the cow-puncher took ad-
vantage of"the temporary absence of Jim Hicks —
who had gone to see after his ponies — to ask Jack
if he thought it wise to tell the prospector some
of their story.

"I certainly do," replied Jack. "He is a queer
character, certainly, but under all his peculiarities
he seems to be shrewd and kindly."

"That's what I think, too," agreed Pete. "He
may be able to help us."

After Coyote Pete and Jim Hicks had their
pipes lighted, therefore, for the prospector car-
ried a good supply of "Lone Jack," Coyote Pete
began. The prospector listened with many excla-
mations of surprise to their story, till they
reached the part concerning the old Mission of
San Gabriel. Then he jumped to his feet, and,
dashing his pipe to the ground, applied a few
vigorous epithets to Black Ramon and his gang.

"That's the bunch of coyotes that drove me
out of there just as I was about to make my for-
tune," he cried.

"Drove you out of there?"

S42 THE BORDEE BOYS ON THE TRAIL.

"Make yer fortune?" cried his two puzzled lis-
teners.

"Yep ; listen," and Jim Hicks told them substan-
tially the story, which we have already perused
in his notebook, so providentially delivered into
the hands of the prisoners of the old church.
The man who willed it to him was a dying re-
cluse he had aided.

"And there the book is, written in with onion
juicp stuffed in a cranny of the wall for any one's
finding and nobody's reading," chuckled the pros-
pector in conclusion, "It was the only thing I
could do. You see, I didn't know whether those
greasers would catch me or not, so I concluded
the best thing to do would be to take no chances,
and hide it."

"You think you can find it again ?" asked Jack,
fascinated by the old prospector's strange* story.

"Why, I dunno, son. You see, I was in such
a hurry to get away when I heard them fellers
coming, that I just stuffed it in a crack in the
wall. If they got inquisitive they could easy get
it out, but they wouldn't suspect nothing, for the
book looked blank."

JIM HICKS, PEOSPECTOE 243

"But how did you escape without their seeing
you?"

"Ah, you've got to trust an old borderer for
that," grinned Jim Hicks. "You see, when I got
near the church, thinks I to myself, 'now, Jim
Hicks, you don't want to burn your bridges be-
hind you, so I just left my pony hidden in a little
arroyo about half a mile away. When I heard
them coming by the front of the place, I slipped
out the other side and into the brush. After a
lot of wrigging about through the scrub, I
reached my pony, and rode back up here to where
I had my outfit cached."

"Then you don't know whether there's treas-
ure there or not ?" asked Jack.

"Wa'al, there's treasure there all right, no
doubt o' that. That Spanish fellow — ^I told you
how I helped him when he was dying — swore he
didn't lie to me, and I believe him. But he hinted
at there being some sort of diffictdty in the way
of getting at it. The breath of death, I think he
called it. Guess he meant the greasers' garlic."

"I guess so," responded Jack; "how I wish

344 THE BOEDEE BOYS OK THE TEAIL

that we could go with you right now and explore
the secret tunnel."

"Wa'al, we've got to get in communication
with the ranch first, and then we can get the
greaser troops and get after that band of scally-
wags," said Pete.

"And we must be two days' ride from it now,"
sighed Jack. "In the meantime, what will be
happening to the others ?"

"That's the trouble," mused Pete, "if only we'd
had a chance, we might have struck out and got
the troops ourselves. But the greasers cut us off,
and we're of more use here, even as out of the
way as we are, than we would be in Black Ra-
mon's clutches."

"Tell yer what," exclaimed Jim Hicks sud-
denly, "you don't hev ter ride all ther way to ther
ranch."

"What's that?" asked Pete.

"No. I mean what I say. Use the telephone."

"What?"

Jack and Pete looked at the eccentric prospec-
tor as if they thought he had gone crazy in good
earnest.

JIM HICKS, PEOSPBCTOR 245

"Oh, I'm not locoed. Has your father got
talk bo' at the ranch, boy ?"

"Yes," rejoined Jack.

"Then it's easy."

The prospector spoke with such easy confidence
that, in spite of themselves. Jack and Pete began
to pay serious attention to his words.

"Oh, yes; I suppose we jes' climb a sugar-pine
and asked Central ter give us Grizzly one twenty-
three?" inquired Pete, sardonically.

"Nope," rejoined the miner, quite unruffled;
"but hain't yer never thought that there's a tele-
phone at the big water dam?"

"Thunders of Vesuvius, that's right!" ex-
claimed Pete, leaping to his feet and executing a

jig-

"How do we get there, though?" asked Jack.
"We must be miles from it."

"Not so very far. I know a trail across the
mountain that'll get us there a whole lot sooner
than you'd think possible."

"Oh-didy- dd diddy-dum; Dum-dididdy- dee!"
Iftimmed Pete cutting all sorts of capers, "oh, now
won't we get after those greasers."

846 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
"When can we start?" asked Jack.
"Sun up to-morrow."
"Good. I won't rest easy till I know that we're

on the way to save Ralph and the others."

CHAPTER XX.

RALPH A true; H^RO.

"Ralph!"

The voice sounded in the boy's ears like the
chiming of a far-away bell. Lying prone on the
floor of the tunnel, overcome by the foul gases, he
had been unconscious, he did not know for how
long, when he felt his shoulders roughly shaken
and Walt Phelps' voice in his ear.

His head ached terribly, and he felt weak and
dizzy, but he struggled to reply.

"Oh, Walt, what is it? What has happened?"

"Why, we've all been knocked out, I guess,"
said Walt; "but the gas must be escaping, now,
for although my head still feels as if a boiler fac-
tory was at work in it, I can think and feel."

The professor's voice now struck in as he re--
covered consciousness.

"Boys !" he exclaimed. "Are you there ?"'
247

248 ITHE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"Yes, yes, professor ; do you feel strong enough
to move?"

"I think so. It is important that we should
get out of here at once. I imagine that the gas
must have become so distributed by this time that
it has lost its harmful effect, but we must get to
the open air."

"I agree with you," chimed in Ralph.

"What, Ralph, my boy, you here?" exclaimed
the professor. "Why, you were far in advance.
How do you come to be with us now ?"

As modestly as he could, Ralph related how he
had turned back into the black tunneL

"That was bravely done, bravely done, my
boy," exclaimed the professor warmly.

Even in the darkness Ralph colored with pleas-
ure, as Walt added his praise to the scientist's.

Soon after they started for the entrance of
the tunnel once more, Ralph having told them of
his discovery of the shaft.

"Possibly there are steps cut in it. Let us
hope so," said the professor. "If there are not,
we shall be as badly off as before, for we cannot
get back through the tunnel."

RALPH A TRUE HERO 249

"No," said Ralph with a shudder, "I would not
face the horrors of the place again for a whole
lot."

A careful investigation of the shaft soon re-
vealed, to their great joy, that a flight of steps
had indeed been cut in it, doubtless to enable the
old Mission dwellers to ascend and descend from
the surface of the earth when they desired.

"The question now is," said the professor sud-
denly, "where are we? On what sort of ground
will these steps lead us out?"

"Give it up," said Walt. "I should judge,
though, we must have come a mile or more
through the tunnel."

"Quite that," agreed the professor.

"Well, the only way to find out our location is
to climb up and see what we come out on," said
Ralph, to put an end to the hesitation. "Who'll
be first up?"

There was quite an argument over this, the
professor declaring that, as he was the eldest, he
ought to assume the danger. Ralph ended it by
springing on to the first of the rough and slippery
steps himself.

250 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"Come on," he cried, though in a lowered tone.

A few seconds of climbing brought the boy to
the mouth of the shaft. It was quite thickly over-
grown with brush, and had evidently not been
used for many years. For an instant Ralph hesi-
tated before he shoved through the scrub sur-
rounding the entrance, but when he did so, and
stood outside the natural barrier with the profes-
sor and Walt Phelps beside him, he uttered an
exclamation of unbounded astonishment, which
was echoed by his companions.

Before them the moon was rising, tingeing the
tops of the distant range with a silvery light.
The illumination also flooded the scene before
them.

They stood in a sort of vast, natural basin, of
considerable extent, surrounded by rocky walls.

"It's a sunken valley," exclaimed Ralph.

And so it was, in fact.

"Look at the cattle and horses, will you?" cried
the practical Walt Phelps, who had been gazing
about him.

"Sure enough, There must be several score

EALPH A TEUB HEEO 251

head of stock in here," was Ralph's astonished
cry.

"Say," exclaimed Walt suddenly, "do you
know what I believe?"

"What?" inquired Ralph.

"That by accident we have stumbled upon
Black Ramon's pasturage."

"What! — the place where he keeps the stolen
cattle and horses?"

"That's the idea."

"Say, I believe you are right, and, speaking of
that, there's something very familiar looking
about that little buckskin pony, feeding off there."
Ralph pointed at a small animal cropping the
grass some ten rods away. "If that isn't Petti-
coats — the one that tumbled me into the canal —
I'll lose a bet, that's all."

"I believe you're right," cried Walt Phelps;
"and that other pony beyond, is the dead spit of
Firewater, Jack Merrill's favorite mount."

"And, if I mistake not, that large, bony animal
yonder, regarding me with a suspicious optic, is
the equine I bestrode at the time we were cap-

zo2 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

tured," exclaimed the professor, who had been
looking eagerly about him.

"Boys, this is a wonderful discovery," he went
on. "I have read of these sunken valleys, but
have never seen one before; I should like to ex-
amine the geological formation hereabouts."

"Some other time," laughed Ralph; "what I
wonder at is that the Mexicans never discovered
the secret passage."

"That's not surprising," chimed in Walt
Phelps, "the mouth of it is all screened with thick
brush, and unless you fairly fell into it you would
never know it was there."

"That is so," agreed the professor, "but now,
boys, that we are once more in the blessed air,
what are we to do ?

"My advice would be to press on till we can
find some village. Once there, we shall be safe,
and can find some soldiers, or, at least, summon
them from wherever their garrison may be. It
is our duty to Jack Merrill and Coyote Pete to
use every means in our power to save them," said
the professor, who, of course was, like his com-
panions, ignorant of the fact that at that very

EALPH A TRUE HEEO 253

minute the two he spoke of were riding over the
distant foothills for their lives.

This also explained why the party that had just
emerged from the tunnel were not molested.
Every man that could be spared from immediate
guard duty had been summoned to help form
the great human circle, which, as we know, Ra-
mon had attempted to spread about Jack Merrill
and the sagacious cow-puncher.

"There doesn't seem to be anybody about," said
Walt, after a short silence, "let's get in the shad-
ow of the rock wall and creep forward."

"Better yet, if we only Lad some rope," sug-
gested Ralph.

"What do you mean ?"

"Well, both Petticoats and the other two ranch
horses seem to be friendly, why couldn't we ride
them?"

"The very thing, if only we could make hacka-
mores," cried Walt.

As Ralph had remarked, the ranch horses had
come closer, and were sniflSng curiously. To the
boy's delight, he now saw that they had halters
on. As is often done in the West, when the start

254 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
had been made from the ranch the bridles had
been placed on over the halters, so that when
the Mexicans turned the stolen ponies loose, be-
ing too lazy to remove the halters, they had left
them in place.

"Coax 'em," whispered Walt, holding out his
hand flat, as if he had something in it.
P Ralph and the professor did the same, and,
liesitatingly, and with many snorts, the ponies
•drew closer, including the professor's raw-boned
amount. As they suddenly gathered up courage,
and came right up to the boys, each seized his
pony by the halter. The professor followed their
example instantly.

"Now, to mount," said Walt. "By hookey, I tell
you I feel better when I get a pony under me
again."

But the boys' attention was suddenly diverted
to the professor, who was endeavoring to mount
his tall animal, which stood meekly awaiting the
conclusion of his efforts. The professor had
never mounted a bareback horse before, and im-
agined, apparently, that the correct method was
to shin up the quadruped's forelegs. The boys,

EALPH A TEUE HERO 355

notwithstanding their risky situation, could not
forbear roaring with laughter at his comical ef-
forts.

"Put one hand on his withers, and the other on
his back, and then spring upward," said Walt;
"you'll find it easy, then."

The professor obediently doubled his long legs
under him, placed his hands as directed, and gave
a mighty spring.

Bump!

Such a mighty leap did he give that he over-
shot the mark, and came down in a heap on the
other side. He gave a groan as he alighted.

"What's the matter ?" demanded Ralph, almost :
doubled up with laughter at the weird spectacle.

"Oh, boys, I am in pain. I've landed on my os
ridiculosus."

"Your what?" shouted Walt.

"My OS ridiculosus — my funny bone. Ouch !"

The professor groaned aloud as he held his el-
bow and rocked back and forth. The big, bony
horse looked meekly around at him, as much as
to say : "Don't blame me, it wasn't my fault."

"Here, we'll give you a hand," said Walt, com-

256 THE BOEDER BOYS ON" THE TEAIt
ing around to the professor's side and leading
Firewater. Ralph followed his example. To-
gether they hoisted the professor on to the back
of his scrawny mount.

"Why, this feels like sitting on a clothes horse,"
grumbled the professor, as he felt the bony ele-
vation of the gray's spinal column.

"Never mind, can't be helped," laughed Ralph,
springing on Petticoats' broad back, while Walt
mounted Firewater, "we'll make a circus rider of
you yet, professor."

"Not on this horse, please," remonstrated the
man of science, as all three animals were urged
to a fast trot.

The boys decided that as there was no one in
sight, the Mexicans had left the valley unguarded
for the night, and so did not hesitate to make
all the speed they could. As a matter of fact,
the valley was seldom Visited except when a
shipment of stolen cattle or ponies was required.
It was, as the professor had said, a natural basin
from which there was but one outlet, and that the
boys were shortly to find.

For some time they rode along in the dark

EALPH A TEUB HERO 357

shadow of the rocky walls, which varied in height
from about twenty feet to small precipices of a
hundred feet or more.

"Say, it looks as if there wasn't any way out of
this basin," began Ralph finally, in an impatient
tone.

"There must be," replied Walt; "otherwise,
how did they get the cattle and ponies into it ?"

"Dropped 'em from a balloon, by the looks of
it," rejoined Ralph, with a good-natured laugh
at his own stupidity.

"Indeed, it looks as if such might have been
the case," said the professor, "for all the visible
sign there is of a pathway,"

"Hold on! What's that there, dead ahead of
us?" exclaimed Walt suddenly.

He had been riding a little in advance, and now
drew rein abruptly and pointed to a darker
shadow which lay against the gloom of the rock
wall.

"Looks like a path," admitted Ralph.

"It's a camino, sure enough," cried Walt, the
next instant."

"A what?"

358 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"A camino, a trail, you know."

"Well, I don't care what you call it, so long
as it gets us out of here," exclaimed Ralph,
eagerly pressing forward.

As Walt had guessed, the darker shadow, on
closer investigation, proved to be a rugged trail
leading at a steep incline out of the sunken val-
ley. In a few seconds after its discovery their
horses' hoofs were clattering up it,

"Great heavens, if there is any one about
they'll think there's a charge of cavalry coming,"
cried Ralph.

"Can't be helped," rejoined Walt, "we've noth-
ing to muffle them with. In any event, if they
were to discover us, we shouldn't stand a chance."

But they reached the apparent summit of the
trail, and a rough gate, without adventure. It
was only the work of a few instants to open the
portal, and, after riding a few hundred yards,
they found themselves on a billowy expanse of
rolling foothills. Far off flashed lights, and to
their north the vague outlines of the Sierra de la
Hacheta faintly showed.

EALPH A TEUB HEEO 259

"Where are we going to ride to, now?" asked
Ralph.

"Anywhere away from those lights," rejoined
Walt, pointing behind them; "that's the mission.
I guess they are looking for us now, and it's go-
ing to be 'bad medicine' if they get us."

"Oh, dear," groaned the professor, "I cannot
imagine any worse punishment than riding this
bony brute. His backbone makes me feel like
being seated on a cross-cut saw."

"Never mind, professor, if we can only strike
a town of some sort, we shall soon be out of our
misery," laughed Ralph. "Come on, then, for-
ward!"

He kicked Petticoats' fat sides, and the little
buckskin leaped forward, followed by the others.
All that night they rode, and by daybreak reached
a small village — a mere huddle of huts, in fact.
But it had its dignitaries, as they were soon to
find out. As they clattered down its main street,
scores of raggedly clothed, brown-skinned natives
came out to gaze at them, but not one offered to
do anything. Walt had a little Spanish at his
command, and, selecting one man, who seemed

260 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
slightly more intelligent than the, rest, he told
him they were travelers in need of food and rest.
The man seemed to comprehend, and nodded with
a grin. Beckoning to the party, he led them for-
ward to a large adobe building at the other end
of the one street, which practically comprised the
village.

He ushered them in with a bow, after they had
dismounted and tied their horses outside. The
boys found themselves facing a little, paunchy
man, with an air of vast importance investing
him. He asked a few rapid questions of their
guide in Spanish, and then issued an order to a
ragged-looking fellow standing by his side.

"I guess he's gone for breakfast," mused
Ralph ; "queer way of doing things, but anything
for something to eat."

But in a moment the ragged man reappeared
without food, but with several others as ragged
as himself. The boys noticed they all carried
rifles.

The first ragged man beckoned to them, and
the fat, paunchy official waved his hand in token
of dismissal. He also bowed low. The boys and

EALPH A TRUE HEEO 261

the professor, not to be outdone in politeness,
also bowed low. Then they followed their guide.
He led them round behind the adobe which they
had just left, and approached a small building.

"The dining-room, I guess," said Walt cheer-
fully, as the three stepped through a narrow door-
way into a dark interior.

"I don't see any table or Great Scott,

what's that?" broke off Ralph suddenly.

The door had closed with a clang, and they
heard the big bar on the outside being placed in
position.

"Hey, there, let us out!"

"What are you doing?"

"Where's our breakfast?"

These exclamations came in chorus from the
travelers. For an instant there was silence with-
out, and then came a snarling sort of cry, which
sounded very much like a contemptuous :

"Yah-h-h-h-hl"

Furiously the two boys fell on the stout door
and shook it. It remained as firmly rooted in po-
sition as rock.

"We're prisoners once more," gasped Ralph.

CHAPTER XXI.

AT TH^ IRRIGATION DAM.

Bright and early, before the last stars had fad-
ed, in fact, Jack Merrill and Pete eagerly rous£d
Jim Hicks for the trip to thewatercompany'sdam.
Both of them hated the idea of losing a minute
on this important errand. Once awakened, Jim
Hicks proved a nimble person, and breakfast was
soon dispatched, his animals packed and saddled,
and Maud made ready. No time was lost in hit-
ting the trail when these prepar?itions had been
concluded. Jim Hicks was a born trailer, and led
the two travelers over the ragged ways of the
rough mountains in a skillful manner that ex-
cited even Coyote Pete's admiration.

At noon they ate a hasty meal and then pressed
on. Jim Hicks promised to land them at the dam
at about dusk. Controlling their impatience as
best they could, Jack Merrill and Coyote Pete

263

AT THE lERIGATION DAM 363

rode obediently after the prospector. One change
had been made in the cavalcade since noon. One
of the packs had been transferred to Maud, while
another pack had been taken off one of the other
ponies and had been distributed between two of
his brethren. This left two ponies for Coyote
Pete and his young companion to ride.

After this change they pressed on far more
quickly, and shortly before sundown their guide
halted on the top of a ridge and pointed down-
ward.

Far below them they could see an immense sil-
very sheet of water — a small lake, in fact. Its
surface shimmered in the dying light, and, at an-
other time the two travelers would have admired
the sight of the mirror -like sheet of water in its
natural frame of rock and ragged timber. Now,
however, their thoughts were riveted on the idea
of getting to the 'phone, and, by the tiny filament
of wire, summoning powerful aid for their be-
leaguered companions.

"Purty, ain't it?" asked Jim Hicks softly.
"Shouldn't have imagined they'd ever have got

264 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL

such a lot of water together out here," grunted

Coyote Pete. "Where's it all come from?"

"Partly from damming up the creek, and partly
from the water that pours off the higher ridges
when the snow melts in the spring. A^e're purty
high up here, you know." '

"Well, that's a pretty good showing for a coun-
try where the rainfall isn't more than four inches
a year," commented Coyote Pete.

"Not that, sometimes," put in Jim Hicks, "and,
by the same token, if this wasn't summer I should
say we were in for some rain now."

He looked overhead, and Jack noticed that the
sky, which had been cloudless not very long be-
fore, was now black and overcast. A heavy ele-
ment was in the air, too — ^an oppressive sort of
feeling.

"Come on, let's be getting down the slope," said
Coyote Pete suddenly, and once more they moved
onward. As they threaded their way down
the narrow trail. Jack's mind reverted to the de-
stroyed bridge.

"How far should you imagine that brids^e was
below here?" he asked.

AT THE IRRIGATION DAM 265

, "You mean where the bridge was, I reckon,"
grinned Jim Hicks, who had heard the story of
the Mexican's trick, from Jack and his compan-
ion. "Well, I should judge about five miles from
here."

"Then we are on the Mexican side of the canal
canon?"

"Yep; but we'll soon be on American soil,
sonny, don't forget that."

"Not likely to," rejoined Jack fervently.

After half an hour's riding, the great water-
works came into full view. There was a massive
containing-wall of cement, with a pathway along
the top, and in the center the trailers could see
the machinery used for opening and closing the
sluice pipes that fed the irrigation canal. Word
was telephoned from the land company's offices in
Maguez to the dam-keeper regarding the pressure
to be used, and, in accordance with their instruc-
tions, he turned on more or less.

At the near side of the dam was a small build-
ing in which the dam-keeper made his home.
From its roof there extended a pole, from which,
to Jack's intense delight, they could see a thin

366 THE BOEDEK BOYS ON THE TRAIL
wire stretching off to the north. On that wire
now depended so much that Jack almost felt like
taking his hat off to it and to the inventor of tele-
phones.

"Geddap !" urged Jim Hicks, cracking his quirt
about the haunches of his pack animals. The
little cavalcade broke into a brisk trot. The dust
spurted from under their rattling hoofs.

"We're coming on in style," laughed Jack, as
they came briskly down the last few rods of the
trail.

"Don't see old Simmons about," commented
Jim Hicks, looking for some sign of the dam-
keeper. "Guess he's taking a snooze some place.
Hey, Sam! Sam!"

"Here he comes," said Jack briskly, as the door
of the dam-tender's hut opened. But the next
moment every member of the approaching party
gave a gasp of dismay. Jim Hicks spasmodically
jerked up his rifle to his shoulder, but instantly
lowered it again.

From the door of the hut there had stepped out,
not old Sam Simmons, the dam-tender, but —
Black Ramon and six of his men !

AT THE lEEIGATION DAM 267

They held their weapons grimly leveled at Jack
Merrill and his companion, while Ramon sharply
bade them dismount.

"We have prepared for you what we must call
a little surprise party," he said. "Please tie your
horses and we will go inside."

Resistance was useless, and they obeyed.

To understand how this came about, we must
revert for a moment to events which had been
taking place at the old Mission and at the Rancho
Agua Caliente while we have been following the
young adventurers and their companions. We
left Mr. Merrill and his cow-punchers riding
back toward the ranch with heavy hearts, bearing
with them the wounded Mexican, from whom
they hoped to gain some information concerning
Black Ramon's whereabouts.

On the arrival of the disconsolate party at the
ranch house, Mr. Merrill had at once sent out a
call to his neighbors, and they came riding in
from miles around to a consultation. All agreed
that it would be a grave invasion of international
law to send an armed party over the border, but

268 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
it was agreed that, providing the Mexican recov-
ered it would be legitimate to surround Black
Ramon's rendezvous — ^that is, if the prisoner re-
vealed it — and demand the surrender of the pris-
oners. The Mexican authorities would then be
informed and, if possible, Black Ramon given
over to justice.

This course would have been followed at once
but for two reasons. Mr. Merrill and his brother
ranchers felt that to act prematurely might ruin
everything, and the wounded Mexican obstinately
refused to get better. Still another obstacle, was
the great chasm left by the blowing up of the
bridge. It would be impossible to pass this. Just
when this difficulty seemed in its most serious
phase, an old rancher spoke up and volunteered
to guide the party by a secret trail he knew of,
which led over the mountains and across the
border.

As he spoke, the wounded Mexican, who for
better attention and observation had been laid on
a cot in the living room of the ranch house, stipffid
uneasily.

"Hullo, he's coming to," exclaimed Mr. Mer-

AT THE lEEIGATION DAM 269

rill bending over him, but the man's eyes re-
mained closed, and he seemed, to all intents and
purposes, as badly off as he had been before. For
two days he remained thus, and the ranchers car-
ried on their consultations freely before him,
little dreaming what a hornets' nest they were
preparing to bring down about their own heads.
On the morning of the third day, when Mr. Mer-
rill awakened he was astonished to find that the
Mexican's cot was empty. The man was gone!
A search showed that he was not about the place,
and a further investigation revealed the fact that
one of the best horses on the ranch was missing.

The wounded Mexican had been "playing pos-
sum" just as a wounded animal will sometimes
do, awaiting but the slightest relaxation of vigi-
lance to be up and off.

The consternation this caused may be imagined.
If the man understood English, and there seemed
little room to doubt that he did — otherwise he
would have had no object in deceiving them as
to his real condition — the ranchers' plans must by
this time be known to Black Ramon. Mr. Mer-
rill was in despair for a time, but finally, as a last

370 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL
recourse, and even at the risk of upsetting every-
thing, he decided to call up Los Hominos, a con-
siderable town in Chihuahua province, and re-
quest that soldiers be sent in pursuit of Black
Ramon.

None knew better than Mr. Merrill the danger
he thus incurred of having his plans doubly re-
vealed to the chief of the cattle rustlers. The
country posts of the Mexican army are largely
recruited from men in sympathy with the lawless
element — especially if that lawless element con-
fines itself to preying on Americanos. There
was, therefore, a grave risk that some traitor in
the ranks might convey the news of Mr. Merrill's
request to Black Ramon. That it was no time for
doubts or hesitation, however, every rancher
felt, and on the top of Mr. Merrill's message
preparations were at once made for a start across
the border by the ranchers themselves.

In the meantime, the captured Mexican, whose
wound, though severe, still allowed him to ride,
was spurring on his way across the Hachetas to
Black Ramon's headquarters in the old Mission,
It has been said that the greatest blackguard*

AT THE IKEIGATION DAM 271

have sometimes the most faithful followers, and
this seemed to be the case with the Mexican mis-
creant, for his underling, despite the pain of his
wound and his weakened condition, did not hesi-
tate an instant over taking a ride which might
have caused even a slightly wounded man to
pause and reflect on the undertaking.

Thus it had come about, that, at the same time
that Jack Merrill and Coyote Pete, escorted by
the eccentric prospector, were setting out to get
in communication with civilization. Black Ramon
and six of his most trusted followers had started
for the land company's dam, with what a heinous
purpose in view we shall presently see. The
Mexican was in the blackest of moods. He had
hardly returned from his vain chase after Jack
Merrill and the cow-puncher before word had
been brought to him that his other prisoners had
escaped.

The Mexican was almost beside himself with
rage as he heard this, and, in addition, news had
been brought to him that Mr. Merrill had requisi-
tioned that a band of soldiers be sent in search
of- him. Armed also with the wounded man's

272 THE BORDEB BOYS ON THE TRAIL

Story of the pursuit of the ranchers by means of
the secret trail, Ramon was indeed almost des-
perate when he set out with the intention of ac-
complishing the deed he had in mind. He felt he
would render his name hateful to Americans and
glorious to border Mexicans forever, and was all
the more anxious to achieve it for that reason.

His astonishment, therefore, when he heard
Coyote Pete's hail and emerged from the dam-
tender's hut to find his escaped prisoners walk-
ing right into his net again, was only equalled
by his delight. As his followers bound each of
the three hand and foot, after roughly dragging
them from their ponies. Black Ramon rubbed his
hands gleefully.

"You are going to see a sight before long that
you will remember all your days," he said, as the
Americans, scornfully disdaining to utter a word,
were carried into the hut.

"What, you do not answer?"

"No, you yellow dog," grunted Jim Hicks dis-
dainfully, "I'm mighty particular who I talk to."

Beside himself with fury at the American's
calm contempt, the Mexican opened his palm and

AT THE IRRIGATION DAM 873

Struck the bound and helpless miner a blow across
the face. Jim Hicks' ruddy, bronzed countenance
went white as dead ashes.

"You'll be sorry for that, you greaser, some
day," he said in a quiet, controlled tone, which
to those who knew him signified trouble.

"Some day, yes !" laughed Ramon ; "but I shall
be far away some day, amigo, but before I go I
am going to give you Americanos a lesson you
will never forget. The father of this boy here,
and twelve other rancheros, are riding through
the American foothills now to your rescue. But
they will never reach the mountains. Why? —
Ah, you will soon see."

As they were carried into the hut and thrown
roughly on the floor, Jim Hicks' eyes espied poor
Sam Simmons, the tender of the dam. The em-
ployee of the water company was also bound hand
and foot, and seemed to have been beaten into
submission by the brutal Mexicans. He gave a
slight groan as he saw the plight of the new-
comers, but made no other sign.

"He resisted us," laughed Black Ramon

274 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL
harshly, "see what happened to him. It is a good
thing you gave in without making trouble."

As he spoke, there came a long, low grumble
that shook the earth and made the furniture in
the hut rattle. It was the near approach of the
storm the captives had noticed impending. At
the same instant, there came a dazzling flash of
lambent lightning. It illumined the cruel faces
about them as if a flickering calcium had been
thrown upon them.

The advancing storm seemed to have a strange
effect on Sam Simmons; he stirred in his thongs
and a pitiful expression came over his bruised
face.

"The storm! the storm!" he cried. "Hark! it
is coming. Let me out to tend the gates."

"Not likely," sneered Black Ramon, turning
from him contemptuously.

"But the sluices must be opened. The rain is
coming!" cried the old man, seemingly galvan-
ized into life by the call of duty. "Let me loose,
I say."

"Be quiet," snarled Ramon. "Do you want
another dose of the same medicine ?"

AT THE IRRIGATION DAM 375

The old man quivered pitifully, while the oth-
ers looked on with eyes that burned with indig-
nation.

"If they are not opened, the dam will burst,"
begged the old man. "It is weakened now, I tell
you. It cannot stand the pressure of more water.
Let me up, and then you can tie me again."

Ramon seemed suddenly interested.

"You say that if the sluices are not opened the
dam will burst?" he asked.

"Yes, yes! Let me up, I must open them.
I "

"Silence! And if they burst what will hap-
pen?"

"Why, the whole valley from here down is a
trough! The water will rush down and destroy
many lives and acres of property. Let me up,
for Heaven's sake, Ramon, or if you will not let
me do it, open the sluices yourself. You do
not know what you are doing — every moment
coimts."

Again the thunder roared, and a blinding flash
illumined with a blue, steely radiance the strange
scene in the old dam-tender's shanty. In the

376 THE BOEDBK BOYS ON THE TEAIL
brief period of lighting, Jack Merrill surprised
a wickedly radiant look on Ramon's face. At
the same instant a few heavy drops of rain fell
on the roof.

"Hark! The rain!" cried the old man; "for
mercy's sake, let me out. It is my duty."

"Which yoti will not perform to-night,"
sneered the Mexican, as the storm increased;
"this storm saves us the UFe of dynamite."

In one dreadful flash of insight, Jack Merrill
realized the Mexican's terrible plan. He had in-
tended to blow up the dam and flood the valley
below. The storm had taken the work out of
his hands. The heavy rain-fall would swell the
dam till the weak containing wall broke. In a
few short hours every ranch in the course of the
bursting dam would be devestated. Yes, that
was what the fruit rancher at Maguez had told
them. And there was nothing he could do but
lie there powerlessly. The boy's brain seemed to
be on fire, but in his veins was ice.

Suddenly Black Ramon spoke. For an instant
Jack thought he had repented, but his words
dashed that hope almost as it was born. The

'AT THE lEEIGATION DAM 277

Mexican issued a sharp order to two of his men.

"Screw down those sluice gates till' not a drop

escapes," he said. "We do not want to have to

wait too long."

CHAPTER XXII.

A BOI^T FROM THE BLUE.

Outside the shanty the storm roared and
flashed. The rain pelted in torrents. Suddenly
there came a sharp ringing at the telephone in-
strument. It seemed to have a note of insistence
it it. The Mexicans exchanged glances. Here
was an unexpected interruption. The instrument
connected on a direct wire with the land com-
pany's offices. If one of the Mexicans answered
it, the possibilities were that a warning would be
spread that the dam was being tampered with.

Ramon solved the difficulty. Without untying
the old man, he had two of his men support him
to the telephone. Another held the receiver to
Sam Simmons' ear.

Black Ramon drew his revolver and held it to
the other ear.

"Now, if you utter a word of warning, I'll
378

A BOLT FEOM THE BLUB 279

scatter what brains you have," he warned
viciously.

In a trembUng voice Sam Simmons answered
the call.

"Y-y-yes, the storm is here," Jack heard him
answer, evidently in reply to some question at
the other end.

"Y-y-yes, I will open them, sir. Y-y-yes, I
know the dam is weak."

"Don't hesitate," warned Black Ramon vin-
dictively.

"Y-y-you'll send the engineers to-morrow, you
say? Very well, sir."

"Evidently they know of the storm in the val-
ley," thought Jack to himself ; "shouldn't wonder
if the old man himself warned them some time
ago, before he was tied."

This was, in fact, the case. But now the old
man's hesitancy grew more painful than ever.

"T-t-they're asking about you," he said, turn-
ing to the Mexican.

"Tell them you haven't seen me," snarled Ra-
mon,

"No, I have seen nothing of him," whimpered

380 THE BOEDEB BOYS ON THE TSAIL"
the old man feebly. "Kidnapped some boys, you
say — the ranchers are after him — and the sol-
diers, too "

"There, there, that will do," said the Mexican
impatiently. "When the dam bursts, those
Americanos will be drowned like so many rats,
and the soldiers will find an empty nest for their
pains."

"G-g-good-bye. I will attend to it," quavered
the old dam-tender. After responding to further
warning from the other end of the wire, he was
removed from the telephone and the receiver was
replaced.

At the same instant the two Mexicans who had
been despatched to the dam to close the sluice
gates returned. Their evil smiles showed that
they had done their duty well. The rain had now
increased to a torrent and the small gauge on
the side of the dam-keeper's hut showed that the
water was rising rapidly.

"How long before the dam goes?" asked Ra-
mon, bending over the old man, who was moaning
and cr3nng pitifully over the idea of his
treachery.

A BOLT FEOM THE BLUE 381

"She can't last more than half an hour," he
whimpered. "Oh, what shall I do? They will
think it was my fault. They "

There came a roar so dreadful that the hut
seemed to be shaken like a leaf in a windstorm.
At the same instant a blue glare filled the hut,
hissing viciously like a nest of aroused serpents.
A sulphurous odor permeated ever)rthing. Before
any of the occupants of the place had time to
move a step an explosion so loud that it seemed
as if a ton of dynamite had detonated, rent the
air.

Jack's eyes were almost blinded by the sudden
glare and crash, and his senses reeled for an in-
stant. The next moment, however, he realized
what had happened. The hut had been struck
by a thunderbolt.

Black Ramon, his clothing singed, stood in a
dazed way in the center of the smoking hut — in
the floor of which a great, jagged hole had been
ripped. By his side stood two of his men. The
rest lay senseless, perhaps dead, in various parts
of the reeking place.

One of them had been hurled by the violence

283 THE BOEDER BOYS ON" THE TEAIL
of the electrical shock close to Jack's side, and his
knife lay within an inch of the boy's fingers.
Bound as he was, however, he could not reach it,
nor did he dare to move while the Mexican lead-
er's eyes were on them.

Suddenly the cattle rustler's superstitious mind
seemed to recover from its daze. He gazed about
him in a wild way.

"It is the judgment of Heaven," he cried. "Let
us escape."

Followed by the two of his men who still re-
tained their senses, he dashed from the hut.

In an instant Jack rolled over on his side and
seized the haft of the Mexican's knife in his
teeth. Then he rolled over to Coyote Pete's side.

"What the dickens " began the cow-punch-
er, but stopped short as Jack, still holding the
blade clenched in his teeth, laid the keen blade
across Pete's ropes. The knife was as keen as
a razor, and in a few seconds Coyote Pete's hands
were free. Then he took the knife and severed
his leg bonds. A few seconds more and Jack was
free, and, in less time than it takes to tell, old Sam
Simmons and Jim Hicks were also on their feet.

A BOLT FROM THE BLUE 283

"Quick, get their weapons," urged the cow-
puncher, and instantly all four possessed them-
selves of the four unconscious Mexicans' knives,
pistols and rifles. Black Ramon and his men,
in their superstitious fright, had rushed from
the place in such a hurry that they had neglected
to disarm their followers.

"Now for the ponies," exclaimed Jim Hicks.

"Hold on a moment," shouted Jack. He dived
out of the hut into the blinding rain. But old
Simmons was ahead of him. Already the old
man had sped along the top of the dam, and while
the weakened breast wall of masonry shook under
his feet with the great pressure behind it, had
screwed open the sluice gates. Far below them a
yellow flood boomed and roared and screamed its
way to the valley, but the pressure on the dam
had been relieved and the masonry stood.

All this took some time, and in the meanwhile
Coyote Pete and Jim Hicks had cautiously crept
from the hut and gone to look for the horses.
They found them unharmed, but of Black Ra-
mon there was no sign. They learned afterward
that his animals had been left down the trail, so

284 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
as not to alarm old Simmons when they crept on
him and surprised him. As soon as the Mexican
had found himself outside the lightning-blasted
hut, he had lost no time in mounting his black,
and speeding back to his rendezvous at the old
mission. He had, of course, no idea but that the
boys and the old dam-tender would go to their
death with the hut when the dam collapsed.

Suddenly Jack thought of the telephone. He
ran back into the hut and telephoned the glad
news of the safety of the dam to the amazed office
in Maguez, Also he gave them a brief sketch of
what had happened.

"But what the " came a brief voice at the

other end, but already Jack had rung off and was
outside, where Jim Hicks and Coyote Pete had
the ponies.

They had held a hasty consultation, and had
decided that inasmuch as the soldiers were ad-
vancing on the mission, and the American ranch-
ers were on their way, that their best plan would
be to head back toward the valley. But it was
Jack who vetoed this plan.

"I want to be in at the finish of those rascals,"

A BOLT PEOM THE BLUE 285

he exclaimed, "and, besides, think of our friends
imprisoned in that dismal old church."

"You're right, kid," shouted Coyote Pete, wav-
ing a dripping hat in the downpour, "the mission
it is."

Old Simmons had been too badly shaken by his
encounter with the Mexican for it to be advis-
able to leave him alone. Maud's pack was there-
fore removed, and the old dam-tender mounted
on her. First, however, a call was sent for a "re-
Uef." Till the latter arrived the sluices were to
be left open to drain off the heavy surplus of
water.

"Wished I knew where them greasers' horses
were," sighed Jim Hicks; "they'll be coming to
in a minute, and walkin' bein' a healthy exercise,
I'd like to provide some of it for them."

A short distance down the trail they found the
miscreants' ponies, just as Ramon had left them
hitched. Even the fair-minded Jack did not pro-
test when Coyote Pete and Jim Hicks, with yells
of glee, cut the cayuses loose and sent thetn gal-
loping off.

"I only wish we could be here to see the Mexi-

386 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON" THE TEAIL
cans' faces when they wake up and wonder
what's hit 'em," said Jim, who had examined
each of the stunned men and ascertained that not
one of them was seriously hurt.

"Now, then, forward!" cried Jim, as soon as
the clatter of the retreating Mexican ponies'
hoofs had died out.

"Forward!" echoed Jack again, putting his
heels to his mount.

With a loud shout, the four Americans dashed
down the trail.

"Now look out for fireworks! Yip-yip-yip-y-
ee-e-ee!" yelled Coyote Pete, in a voice that ri-
valed the last efforts of the retreating thunder-
storm.

CHAPTER XXIII.
WITH The; rurales.

After shouting for an hour or more, Ralph
and Walt grew tired of the exercise. As for the
professor, with his usual philosophy he had made
the best of the situation by surveying their prison,
which was a small, barn-like building of adobe.
There was nothing very remarkable about it, ex-
cept that three Americans had been imprisoned
there for no apparent reason.

At nightfall they were brought some food, and
frantic efforts were made by Walt to interrogate
the Mexican who served them, but to no avail.
The fellow only shook his head stupidly, and
pretended not to understand.

"Whatever are we locked up here for, any-
how?" demanded Ralph, for the fiftieth time, as
they ate their evening meal.

"Give it up," said Walt with a shrug.
287

288 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"You don't think it can have anything to do
with Black Ramon, do you?" inquired the pro-
fessor.

"Not likely," rejoined Walt; "even down here
there is some law and order, and the townsfolk
of this place, whatever it is, would hardly be in
league with a band of robbers."

"Then what do you suppose they have de-
tained us for?"

"As I said before, Ralph, I give it up. Maybe
it's for having red hair and looking suspiciously
like Americans."

Soon after some blankets were thrown in to
them, which they spread on the not overclean
floor, and, being tired out, were soon asleep. In
the morning they were awakened, and passed
a long, dreary day in the semi-darkness.

"I can't stand this much longer," Ralph burst
out, on the second night of their imprisonment.
"If something doesn't happen soon, I'm going to
escape."

"How?" inquired the practical Walt, gazing
about at the thick walls and the small windows of
their place of captivity.

WITH THE EURALES 289

"I don't know how, but I will, you can bet," said
Ralph decisively.

"Well, I'm going to sleep," said Walt; and,
accordingly, he curled himself up in his blanket
and was soon wrapped in slumber. The profes-
sor followed his example, but Ralph could not
sleep. What, with worry over their own situa-
tion and wondering how his friends, whom he
believed were still captives in the mission, were
faring, his eyes were wide open till past midnight.

At that hour the quiet of the village was dis-
turbed by a sudden soimd — the trample of horses*
hoofs and the clanking of metal.

"Black Ramon has found out we are here and
is coming for us," was Ralph's first thought.

But the trampling went on, and suddenly a
bugle call sounded.

"Soldiers!" exclaimed Ralph.

Hastily he awoke the others, and, after a pro-
longed period of listening, there was little doubt
from the military character of the sounds outside
that the newcomers were indeed troops.

"Maybe they are out after the brigands,"
gasped Ralph, in a hopeful tone.

^90 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

"If only we could see their commander and ex-
plain our predicament to him," wished the profes-
sor.

"And get laughed at for your pains," supple-
mented Walt.

In the morning, so early that the dawn was still
gray, their jailer aroused them. Wondering what
could be going to happen, the boys hurriedly put
on the few clothes they had taken off the night
before, and, with the professor, obeyed his signal
to follow him.

They were quickly conducted before the short,
pursy man, who had committed them to their cell.
Now, however, he was all smiles and condescen-
sion.

The reason for this may have lain in the fact
that a smart-looking officer of the Mexican cav-
alry stood by his side and eyed the boys with
interest as they came in. He was in command
of the troops that had arrived the night before,
and which, though the boys had not guessed it,
were the ones summoned from Los Hominos.

It now appeared that the fat dignitary could

WITH THE EURALES 391

talk passable English when he chose, and, as the
boys entered, he greeted them with an airy :

"Good morning."

"Good morning," sputtered Ralph, indignation
taking the place of prudence. "You ought to beg
our pardons. What have we done to be locked
up like criminals? We demand a hearing.
We "

"There, there," said the stout man soothingly ;
"all is well. This officer has told me that in all
probability you are respectable, and "

"In all probability?" burst out the professor,
"I am Professor Wintergreen, of Stonefell Col-
lege, and this young man is my charge, Ralph
Stetson, and this other gentleman is Walter
Phelps, the son of a rancher."

"The names I have on my list as being among
those imprisoned by Black Ramon," interrupted
the officer. "Pray, sefiors, how did you escape?"

"Tell us first why we are locked up," demanded
Ralph.

"Why, as I understand it, this worthy man,
who is mayor of this village, merely had you de-

293 THE BORDEB BOYS ON THE TRAIL

tained on suspicion. He thought you mjght be
horse thieves, and "

"Me a horse thief !" shouted the professor.

"You forget your appearance is " began

the officer, but was interrupted by a good-natured
laugh from all three of the adventurers. True,
they had forgotten how they must have looked
after their adventure in the ttmnel. Later, when
they saw a mirror, they did not blame the fat
mayor so much. Plastered with dirt and mud,
scratched and ragged, they did, indeed, look un-
like the three trim persons who had set out from
the American foothills in pursuit of Black Ra-
mon.

"But he could have found out who we were
by asking us," protested Ralph.

"He tells me he was going to do so — to-mor-
row."

"You forgot we are in the land of manana,"
reminded the professor.

After some more palaver, the mayor signified
that the three Americans could have their liberty,
and apologized for their detention on behalf of
himself and his village.

WITH THE EURALES 293

It was soon explained to the boys by the officer
that he was hastening with fifty picked men to
round up the rustlers who had long infested that
part of Mexico.

"But," he admitted, "had we not fallen in with
you, we would hardly have known where to find
them."

"No, the last place you would look for them
would be in a church," grinned Walt.

Soon after, the boys, having despatched a hasty
breakfast, the cavalry set out. The boys rode in
advance to guide them to the retreat of Black
Ramon and his men. The professor ambled
along, sitting uneasily on the saddle which had
now been provided for him. It was a long time
before he recovered from his bareback ride on
the old ranch horse.

"If these fellows are Mexican cavalry, they are
all right," said Ralph, admiringly looking at the
easy riding and smart equipment of the fifty men
under the friendly officer.

"They are rurales," explained the officer; "a
section of the army kept especially for hunting
brigands and robbers. Most of them are former

394 THE BOEDER BOYS ON THE TEAIL

brigands themselves, but there are no better
men for the work."

By mid-afternoon they came in sight of the old
mission, and, as they approached it, the boys
gave a shout of astonishment, which was echoed
by the professor.

Riding toward them, from the opposite direc-
tion, was a band of horsemen. Faster they came
in their direction, seemingly spurring onward to
destruction.

"Those greasers must be crazy," exclaimed
Ralph, gazing at what seemed a suicidal act.
"They're riding right at us."

Suddenly a dip in the foothills hid the ap-
proaching horsemen, but the thunder of their
hoofs could still be heard. Could Ramon have an
ambush on the other side of the rise, wondered
Ralph.

The same thought must have come to the Mexi-
can officer, for he gave a curt order and his men,
bursting into a wild yell, drew their carbines from
their holsters and prepared to use them.

"We'll fire when they come over the ridge,"
whispered the captain to Ralph.

CHAPTER XXIV.

The; round-up.

Closer and closer came the clatter o£ the ad-
vancing hoofs. Presently a horseman's head
showed above the ridge.

The almost formed command was abruptly-
checked on the captain's lips, as the newcomer,
followed by twenty others, swept over the ridge.

It was Mr. Merrill, and close behind him came
Coyote Pete and Bud Wilson, with Jack Merrill
riding alongside.

"Yip-yip-yip-y-ee-ee-ee !" yelled the cowboys,
as they saw the Mexican troops.

"Wow !" yelled the, Mexicans.

"Hooray!" shouted the boys, and, amidst all
the rejoicing shouts, there came a sudden cry of
recognition from Jack as his eyes fell on Walt
Phelps' mount.

"Firewiater !" he cried, and the pony shared his
295

g96 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL

greetings and congratulations with the three
newly-recovered members of the party.

It was soon told how Coyote Pete and Jack,
with Jim Hicks and old Sam Simmons, on their
way from the dam, had fallen in with the Merrill
party near the mission. It was believed that
Black Ramon and his men were ambushed there.
Then they had decided to make no attack at once,
but close in on the place when the troops had been
met with, and in this Way make the round-up of
the rustlers complete.

Ralph, Walt and the professor rapidly told of
their escape, and Jim Hicks emitted a whoop
when he heard that the treasure had, in all likeli-
hood, been located. Further relation of all their
exciting adventures was put aside by them all
tin Ramon and his band should have been cap-
tured.

After a brief consultation, it was decided to
advance in a fan-shaped formation on the old
mission, gradually closing in as they neared it.
If Ramon and his band were ambushed there,
they could make deadly defense from its strong
walls, and neither Mr. Merrill nor the Mexican

THE EOTJND-UP 297

captain were anxious to lose any men if it could
be helped.

Accordingly, the line moved cautiously for-
ward till it was within a few hundred yards of
the building. Up to that moment the old place
had been silent and deserted as a tomb. Sud-
denly, however, as the attackers advanced, a fu-
sillade was opened from the tower. Lead spat-
tered on the rocks about them, but, fortunately,
nobody was hit. Ralph turned rather pale. It
was the first time he had ever been shot at.

"Better get behind this ridge," said Mr. Mer-
rill, as the fire grew hotter.

Accordingly, the attacking party dropped low
into a gully. The firing instantly stopped.

"If only we could draw enough of their fire
to exhaust their ammunition," mused the rancher,

"I have a plan," cried Jack suddenly.

"What is it, my boy?"

"Why can't we elevate hats and caps on rifle-
barrels and let them blaze away at those? That
would soon empty their ammunition belts."

"A good idea," said Mr. Merrill, while the
other ranchers warmly approved. The prepara-

:298 THE BOEDBE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
lions to carry out Jack's plan were rapidly made.
Soon, what was apparently a head, was poked
above the ridge. A perfect fusillade of bullets
came showering about it.

"Drop it," cried Jack. "Make it look as if the
man was killed."

The ruse worked perfectly. Every time a
"head" appeared, a tornado of bullets rattled
about it, and the riddled condition of the caps and
hats thus held up, bore eloquent testimony to the
efficacy of the enemy's marksmen.

Finally, however, the fire began to slacken.
Instead of a hail of bullets, only two or three
greeted the appearance of a head.

The moment they had waited for had arrived.
With a cheer, the full force of rurales leaped
from the trenches.

"Come on!" shouted Jack, but Mr. Merrill re-
-strained him.

"Remember, we are in a foreign country, my
boy. The rurales must do the work or we shall
be in serious trouble."

"Oh, bother," cried Jack, "and I wanted to see
the attack."

THE EOUND-UP 299

On swept the rurales, a final fire hailing about
them, but a volley from their carbines soon si-
lenced the last feeble attempt at defense.

"I guess the rustlers have about given up,"
exclaimed Jack.

Suddenly, from the old mission gates there
swept out a figiire on horseback. It was instantly-
recognized as that of Black Ramon. He was
mounted on his magnificent black horse, and
waved his hand defiantly at the advancing line^
The rurales poured a perfect storm of bullets
at him, but the chief of the cattle rustlers seemed
to bear a charmed life. Once he reeled in his
saddle as if he had been hit, but he instantly re-
covered himself.

Spurring his superb mount, he sprang forward
over the brow of a protecting ridge, and was lost
to view. When he next appeared he was sil-
houetted in striking outline on the summit of
another ridge of foothills. For an instant he
paused, and they could see him look defiantly back.
Then, with a wave of his sombrero, he vanished.
It was useless to pursue him. There was not a

300 THE BOEDBE BOYS ON THE TRAIL
horse among the ranchers or the Mexicans that
could approach the big black.

"There goes a rascal that >Vould look better
decorating a telegraph pole with a hemp necktie
around his yellow throat, than anjrwhere else,"
said one of the Americans, as the desperado van-
ished.

"And yet," said Mr. Merrill, "I should not
have wished to see him shot down in cold blood.
If only we had our horses and cattle "

"We'll have them before long," said Ralph
quietly, as, with a loud series of yells, the rurales
charged into the mission itself.

"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Merrill. The
other Americans, watching from the little knoll
the attack on the mission, looked at him ques-
tioningly.

"We've found them all," announced Ralph
calmly, "in the sunken valley "

"A remarkable geographical 'freak,' if I may
use the expression," broke in the professor, "at
some remote period of the earth's life "

"Yip-yip-y-ee-ee-ee !"

Coyote Pete and Bud Wilson set up loud yells,

THE EOTJND-UP 301

which were joined in by the other cow-punchers
and Americans, as the Uttle Mexican captain
could be seen in the distance, waving his sword in
token that the cattle rustlers' stronghold had
fallen. The whole cavalcade, with a cheer, Swept
forward, with Jack Merrill, Ralph Stetson and
Walt Phelps in the lead. The professor's horse
ran away with him in the wild stampede, but
luckily, by dint of fastening his bony fingers in
its mane, he managed to hold on.

Without a single life being lost, or any wounds
received on either side, the band that had so long
harassed the border had fallen into the hands
of the authorities. Eventually every member of
it but Black Ramon was rounded up, including
the renegade cow-puncher.

All were placed under escort of the troops, and
taken to Mexico City. They are now serving long
sentences in Mexican penal institutions. The
Border Boys later received the thanks of Presi-
dent Diaz for the part they had played in bring-
ing the outlaws to book. After seeing the pris-
oners disposed of, of course the Americans had
to be shown how the boys and the professor had

303 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
eflfected their escape from the church. With
torches and lamps they crowded into the narrow
pit, and the hole which had gaped open wh«n the
ring was pulled loose soon appeared. Of the
noxious gases, however, no trace remained. The
air was pure and healthful. The professor ascer-
tained later that the old missionaries who had
buried the treasure there, had placed pungent
chemicals under the trapdoors, so that, in case of
marauding Indians attacking the treasure, it
would be safe. The skull and bone, it seemed
reasonable to suppose, had been placed in the
passage wall as a warning to other visitors. The
mysterious noise that had alarmed Ralph re-
mained a mystery for a long time, till one of the
prisoners admitted that he had caused it under
Ramon's orders, the object being to scare the
"boys.

The lights of the torches and lamps carried
by the party, shone redly into the black hole,
and the three Border Boys peered eagerly over.
Jack and Ralph, by a common impulse, leaped
■downward together. Their feet struck the lid of
an old wooden chest with a splitting, rending

THE EOUND-UP 303

sound, as the rotten wood gave. The next in-
stant a cheer went up. Jim Hicks' treasure-trove
had been found. The flickering lights gleamed
on the dull glint of gold coins and ornaments of
priceless value.

"Wow!" yelled Jim Hicks; "I'm rich. But so
will you boys be, too. I'll take care of that, and
you, likewise. Coyote Pete."

In vain the boys protested ; Jim Hicks insisted,
and long afterward, when the Mexican govern-
ment's claim had been settled and the treasure
appraised, each boy received a crisp check for
two thousand dollars. Coyote Pete was also a
recipient of the miner's good will.

Among the prisoners taken, was a queer-look-
ing old man, with a long, white beard, and the
quick, shifty, dark eyes of an ape. Jack Merrill
and Pete gave an exclamation of surprise as their
eyes fell on him. It was the old hermit of the
canon! He recognized them, and gave them a
baleful scowl.

"It wasn't his fault that Ramon didn't have us
where we've got him" commented Pete.

After remaining camped at the mission for a

304 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TRAIL
day, while final arrangements for the taking of
testimony at the cattle rustlers' trials, and the
matter o£ the boys' depositions was attended to,
the American party bade farewell to the Mexican
captain and his troops and set out for the hbme-
side of the border.

Carefully guarded by several cowboys was a
pack horse, carrying the treastu-e chest. Its con-
tents had been roughly valued at $75,000.

"Well, Ralph," said Jack, with a laugh, as the
boys rode along at an easy lope together, "what
do you think of the West now?"

"It's great. Jack," responded Ralph, who had
been thinking over the adventures of the last few
days.

"But if things had turned out diflferently," put
in Walt.

"No use thinking of that," decided Jack. "All
we've got to think about is, that we have had the
luck to be the means of cleaning out that bunch
of rustlers, and ridding the border of them for-

ever,"

"Forever's a long time," commented Mr. Mer-
rill, who had spurred up alongside the boys.

THE EOUND-UP 305

"However, I think you boys have had quite
enough adventures for a time."

"I'd like to start out again to-morrow," ex-
claimed Jack.

"So would I," echoed Ralph.

"Well, you may have a chance before long,"
said Mr. Merrill enigmatically. He would add
nothing further, however.

At Maguez a great reception had been pre-
pared for the returning ranchers. The celebra-
tion was held some days later. The boys, their
faces suffused with blushes, had to make speeches
and describe in part their adventures.

"Three cheers for the Border Boys," yelled
the crowd, as Ralph limped through some sort
of an oration. Jack had done much better, while
Walt Phelps was overtaken with stage fright and
couldn't speak at all.

"Well, good-bye to the strenuous life for a
while," said Jack, as they rode home after the
celebration. Behind them were the yells and
whoops of the enthusiastic citizens who were still
keeping it up.

"Well, we've been through many dangers and

306 THE BOEDEE BOYS ON THE TEAIL
perils," rejoined Ralph, "but somehow, it's pleas-
ant to look back on them. I hope we will have
some more adventures before long."

"Not likely to," commented Walt Phelps.

"Why not ?" asked Jack. "Black Ramon is still
at large, remember, and somehow, I've got a
feeling that as long as he is at liberty he'll make
trouble."

"Well, the Border Boys will take care of him
every time," shouted Ralph, giving a regular
cowboy yell:

"Yip-yip-y-ee-ee !"

It was echoed by the other Border Boys, as
they spurred forward for the home ranch, under
the clear stars. On and on they rode, their little
ponies' feet making the lively kind of music each
of them loved best to hear.

All at once they rode over a slight rise — the
first "land-wave" to mark that they were ap-
proaching the foothills. With yells, the Border
Boys dashed down the other side of it and disap-
peared from the starlit desert trail — and from
this story.

But we shall meet the Border Boys again in

THE EOUND-UP 307

further adventures and perils, more exciting than
any through which they had yet passed. Ralph
Stetson's introduction to frontier life — thrilling
as it had been — was but one series of incidents in
the lives of the dwellers along "the line."

How the Border Boys were tried in future
stirring scenes and exciting adventures, those
who choose to follow their career may find re-
lated in another volume of this series, which will
be called : Th^ Border Boys Across th^ Fron-
tier.

THE END.