CHAPTER XXI
The Outwitting of Tusker
"Lie low, whatever yer do! Now let's have the yarn," whispered Steve asJack awoke him with a gentle dig in the ribs. "What aer it all about?Yer seem a bit excited."
Our hero was, indeed, somewhat disturbed by what had so recentlyhappened, but not frightened. To do him but justice, Jack had passedthrough such dangers already that his nerves were hardened, and hiscourage had been tried. However the thought of what was before them, thecunning of this man Ted, served to thrill him more than was usual, tostir his pulses. So it was in a quiet and steady whisper that heimparted his news to the hunter.
"Jest as I thought," answered Steve when he had finished. "I kinderreckoned we'd got into a nest of scorpions. This here feller was toofree and easy, when he oughter have been kind of stand-offish,considering the gold he's supposed ter have, and that we aer four terhis one. Jest kick Tom and Abe gently."
"What'll yer do?" asked the former hoarsely, when Jack had roused him,stretching his neck so as to place his mouth close to Steve's ear."Seems to me as we might easily walk right away now. Thar's only thisman Ted to stop us, and reckon we could soon fix him."
"Ef he was alone, which he ain't," came cautiously from Steve. "Tharain't a doubt but what we're cornered. The men who aer in with this manhere are 'way up there on the hillside. Likely enough they've been tharever since we reached the spot, and aer jest waitin' fer the time terattack us."
"But," argued Abe, "ef that's the case, why have they waited? The riskfer them'll be the same now as earlier in the evening, or, fer thematter of that, the same as it'll be when the light comes."
"With jest this difference," urged Steve, still in the same cautiouswhisper, "last evenin' they might have been disturbed, for this road hasa goodish number of travellers on it. In the early dawn thar ain'tlikely to be anyone, so they'll be able ter make their attack and getaway without a soul save us seeing them. And they reckon ter wipe thehull crowd of us out, so as dead men'll tell no tales. Gee, this aer afix!"
There was silence for some little while, as each one of the partyconsidered the matter. As they lay there, with wide-open eyes, thoughthey took care to make no movement, they could see the bright gleam fromTed's pipe every now and again, as that worthy leaned against the sideof the cart. That he had friends near at hand was certain, since Jackhad heard that whistle, and it was equally sure that while Ted remainedawake any attempt on their part to steal away from the camp wouldimmediately be detected, and the aid of those comrades called in.
"It aer clear that we're in a hole, and has ter fight it out with themcritters," said Steve at last after a long silence; "and, sence that'sthe case, the thing aer ter fix up some way in which ter meet 'em.Thar'll be eight or nine of the varmint. These bands always run ter thatnumber, 'cos then they aer able ter break up opposition, and, 'sides, itkeeps people from following. Folks get ter know that it aer useless togo after these bands of robbers onless there's plenty of boys ter help;and sence men aer mostly busy at the diggin's, why, it follows that itaer generally hard ter get the right number. It's only when a bandbecomes that bad, and has murdered a hull heap of miners and carters,that the sheriff can get a strong enough force together, and by thenfellers like this has managed ter divide up the plunder and ter ride tersome other part of the fields. This aer a tarnation fix."
"Supposing," suggested Jack, "we were to----"
He came to a sudden halt, for Ted had turned to look at the supposedsleepers, as if he had detected a noise.
"Yer was supposin'," whispered Abe hoarsely, some minutes later, whenthe stranger turned away again.
"Jest let's have it, Carrots," added Steve. "Ye've took me through a fixbefore now. You aer bright enough ter find a way out of this."
"Not out of it. I can suggest a way in which we can get cover and bestthe men when they come," answered Jack. "There's the cart."
"Ay, thar's the cart," came from Steve wonderingly, for he could seenothing useful there.
"Wall?" demanded Abe.
"Ye've forgot that it's bung full of sacks," whispered Tom, "and,besides, one wheel's broken."
"He ain't forgot nothin'," said Steve sharply. "Carrots don't makemistakes like that. Out with it, youngster."
"There is the cart," repeated Jack. "The sacks in it are likely enoughfilled with grass, considering how light they evidently are. As for thewheel, it is an advantage that it happens to be broken. I thought wewould wait till we are about to be attacked. Or, better still, seeingthat the attack is bound to come, I propose that we wait only till thelight gets stronger. Then we'll make for the cart, while the man therewill take to his heels. His shouts will bring the others down upon us ata run, but that will be better than having them ride up openly, as ifreturning from the settlements with a new wheel. That, of course, istheir game. They think we shall have swallowed their story, and that allthey have to do now is to ride into the camp and shoot us down easily."
"Put in a nutshell. That 'ere Carrots has his haar on right enough,"growled Steve.
"Wall, thar's the cart," reminded Tom.
"We make use of it much as we did of the other when the Indians attackedus. The bags will form good protection, while the cart is within nicerange of our gold. If we four can't manage then to----"
A low chuckle burst from Steve, while Jack felt Abe's strong fingersclose firmly round his wrist.
"H-h-h-hush! That critter's lookin'. Ef he so much as moves a toe I'llput lead into him."
It was Tom's excited whisper, while that individual went rigid to hisfinger tips, as the man who watched by the cart turned and stared at thesleepers. Jack felt the scout's arm steal stealthily over him, and heardthe gentle click of his firelock, as his strong thumb drew it back intococking position. And there the arm rested, while all four lay as ifdead, as if turned to stone, motionless, almost without breathing.
But whatever suspicions Ted may have had, he quickly became reassured;for, to speak the truth, Steve and his friends had played their partsadmirably. Though warned from the first of Steve's suspicions, they hadtreated the stranger with frankness equal to his own, and had entirelydisarmed his suspicions. He imagined that the party of four for whom thetrap had been set so craftily had been entirely taken in, and that theywould fall an easy prey. He turned away from the sleepers, and, no doubtin accordance with a prearranged plan, once more strolled to the embers,dropped some powder into them, and sent his signal flashing into thesky. Then, for the second time, from a closer point it seemed on thisoccasion, a distant whistle echoed along the road.
"The critters!" Jack heard the little scout exclaim. "Wall, mates, it'llbe light in two hours or less, so we shan't have long to wait; and sencethat skunk thar ain't axed ter be relieved yet, why, we'll let him stayon watch. Time enough to clear him out when the mornin' light comes."
To the little scout those two hours may have passed easily enough, forhis sangfroid was wonderful, and his accustomed coolness not easily tobe disturbed. Abe seemed to find comfort in a cube of strong andparticularly evil-smelling tobacco, which he thrust between his strongbrown teeth and chewed slowly, and with evident relish. As for Tom, hewas one of that large band of Anglo-Saxons to whom fighting comesnaturally, to whom the crack of weapons and the hiss of bullets isbetter music than even the latest instrument can supply. He lay awakelonging for the hour for movement, his lynx-like eyes fixed on thewatcher by the wagon. But Jack, despite the excitement of the moment,was neither elated nor expectant. He was just an ordinary young fellow,subject to the common weaknesses of mankind. And like them, too, he waspossessed of the same needs. He had been keeping watch for long now,and, finding others to help him, soon began to drowse. His eyes closed,his head dropped back on his hand, and in a little while he was fastasleep. Thus he remained for more than two hours, till the light in theeastern sky was already sweeping the gloom and darkness from the land,and until the road in front and behind the little camp was commencing tobecome visible. It was a sharp kick from Steve and an excla
mation fromTom which aroused him. He sprang to his feet a few seconds after theothers, and at once became conscious of the fact that horses wereapproaching at a gallop.
"To the cart, boys!" shouted Steve, leading the way. "That ere skunkslipped away so sudden that I didn't notice, and ef it hadn't been ferAbe hearin' the hosses, we might be lying thar still. In we go."
There was little time for preparation, for Ted, the rascal who had toldhis crafty story, had stolen a march on the watchers. They had seen himleaning against the cart as if half-asleep. Then he had sauntered toand fro, as if becoming weary of his vigil. At last the cunning rascalhad stepped behind the cart, and, once out of sight, had stolen offalong the grass track at the side of the road. Within five minutes,before Steve or Abe had guessed that the man was gone, the rat-a-tat-tatof galloping hoofs had come to their ears.
"Pile the bags up on all sides. Don't pitch them out," commanded Stevequickly, his voice hardly raised above a whisper. "Quick, boys, fer weain't got too much time. Now, git down and stay thar till they're rightin the camp. Then, I guess, we'll be doin' some talkin'. Jack, that erered nob of yours'll be spotted precious quick. Jest keep down below thebags."
Quick as a flash the four leaped into the stranded cart, to find that itwas by no means filled full with bags as it appeared to be. They werepiled at the back and round the two sides, and, as Jack had guessed,were stuffed with grass. It wanted, therefore, very little work on thepart of the little band of four to erect their defences. Indeed, thetask was already done for them. Promptly they dropped to the floor ofthe wagon, while within a few seconds ten mounted men burst from themisty cloud which still clung to the earth and enveloped thesurroundings of the wagon, and galloped down upon it like a whirlwind. Aminute later they drew rein where Steve and his friends had beensleeping, while exclamations of amazement, of dismay, and of anger burstfrom them. Jack, squeezing into a corner of the cart, obtained a view ofthe robbers through a crevice between the boards, and noticed that allwere well mounted, that their leader and two others wore black masksacross their faces, and that Ted, the rascal who had asked for aid onthe previous evening, rode beside the leader.
"Not here! Why, what's happened?" he heard the latter exclaim in angrytones. "There were four, and now----"
"A minute ago they lay there, dead asleep, I could ha' sworn. Now efthat don't beat everything!" cried Ted. "Blessed ef I can understand it.Unless. Hi, boys!" he shouted at the top of his voice, "They've took terthe wagon."
At once the horses were swung round, while the leader of the band swunghis arm up, as if about to protect his face. But there was a weapon inthe hand, and an instant later a sharp report awakened the echoes of thevalley, while the missile struck the tailboard of the wagon, perforatedit as if it were made of paper, and encountering the bags of grass,passed right through the nearest, and was only arrested when it hadpenetrated the second as far as the far layer of canvas. Jack felt theblow, for his hand rested against the bag, and a second later his fingertips came in contact with the rounded form arrested by the obstacle.
"Three of you load up the gold bags," shouted the leader, in a voicewhich seemed to come familiarly to Jack's ear. "The rest surround thewagon. Thar ain't no need ter parley. We know our business. Shoot everyone of them down."
He swung the arm up again, as if about to send a second bullet crashinginto the cart. But the action was arrested by the sudden interpositionof Steve. A low growl had come from the little scout as he heard thecommands of the brigand outside, and, to the astonishment of hisfriends, he was seen to stand to his full height, in view of the enemy.Then his weapon cracked, and within the same instant the man wearing themask, who was evidently the leader, toppled from his saddle and fell tothe ground.
"Joe Templeton, as I live. Joe Templeton at last!" shouted Steve, as ifhe had suddenly lost his senses. "I warned yer last time we met, and yerknew well what ter expect. Scum like you has ter come ter the marksooner or later, and come yer have. Joe Templeton, you aer up agin Stevethis time, Steve the hunter and scout, Steve the miner, whom yourobbed."
There was a pause in the affray, while attackers and attacked stared atSteve as if they could not believe their senses, and then at the leaderof the band, who lay grovelling upon the road. Then, with a sharp cryTed, the stranger who had watched in the camp all night, swung himselffrom his horse and rushed towards the wagon.
"Down!" cried Jack, seizing Steve, who seemed to be filled with someunusual excitement. "Down! They are coming."
But the little miner hardly seemed to hear him. Gripping one of the bagswith his left hand, he leaned against the pile, his eye fixed upon theenemy. And then such a stream of bullets shot from his weapon that therascals recoiled.
"See here!" shouted Steve, as if careless of the bullets. "Now that thatman Joe aer down, and Ted with him, there ain't no call fer others to behurt. Quit touchin' those bags and git. I'll give yer one chance. Efyer don't take it, I swear we'll hunt every mother's son of yer down."
Crack! From a point just behind where the enemy had gathered there camethe snap of a revolver, and Steve's left arm dropped helpless to hisside. But he never winced or showed that he was hurt. Instead hisfingers wrapped themselves round the butt of his second revolver, andthe man who had just fired measured his length on the road before Jackcould follow what was happening. Then began a fusillade which rivalledan Indian attack for fierceness. Maddened by the sudden and unlooked-forchange in their fortunes the brigands poured their shots into the wagon,and would undoubtedly have slain Steve, had Abe not dragged him downbehind the shelter of the bags.
"Aer yer crazy, Steve?" he growled. "Aer yer gone suddenly stark starin'mad. Git down, and stay thar. Boys, jest lift a bag above yer heads, andfire from under it."
But for that precaution there is no doubt that Jack and his friendswould have suffered heavily. But the bags protected them wonderfully,and so sharp was their own shooting that presently the six men who nowremained alive retired from the wagon.
"But they ain't gone," said Steve, cool and calm again after his unusualexcitement. "Ef they had rifles with 'em they'd make it that hot thiscart wouldn't hold us. Lucky they ain't spotted the guns we left amongstthe blankets. Gee! ef we had 'em here we'd make 'em hop."
"Then we'll have 'em."
Jack was no laggard when brave acts were required, as he had proved tothe satisfaction of his comrades. At Steve's words, he once more showedthe stuff of which he was made. The brigands had retired some hundredyards, but still remained within long pistol-shot. Careless of that, ourhero leaped from the cart, walked across to the blankets that marked thespot where he and his comrades had slept, and sauntered back with theirrifles, a storm of bullets whistling about his ears as he did so.
JACK FETCHES THE RIFLES]
"Now, ef that ain't madness!" cried Steve angrily. "Ef that ain't askin'fer a bullet!"
"And copyin' bad examples set by them as is old enough and ugly enoughter know better," growled Abe. "It's jest the answer ter yer own doin's,Steve, and Jack aer earned the thanks of all. Gee! As ef yer didn'tought ter know better."
He turned scornfully upon the little scout. Then a smile stole acrosshis features, and stretching out a hand he gripped Steve's.
"Reckon ye'd some special call," he said simply.
There was a grim look on the little man's face as he took Abe's hand, alook which seemed to betoken that the cause for his sudden excitementand for his rashness was something beyond him, something he could hardlydare to think about.
"'Cause!" he said, in hollow tones, moistening his lips with his tongue,as if the words dried them. "'Cause----But this ain't the time to tellof Joe and his doin's. Reckon Jack aer done a fine thing ter help us.Jest get to with them rifles. Ah, them critters is tryin' anotherrush!"
The news was true. From the place to which they had retired the band ofbrigands suddenly broke into single elements, and came galloping towardsthe cart. As they came they sent a storm of bullets seething about it,chipping and perforating the woo
dwork, thudding into the bags, andhissing harmlessly overhead. Two minutes later they were within easyshot, when Jack and his comrades returned their fire, protecting theirheads in the same manner; and so careful was their aim that two more ofthe enemy measured their full length on the ground. There were shouts ofanger from those who remained. One galloped his horse recklessly rightup to the cart, and was there shot dead by Jack's pistol, then theremainder turned tail and galloped away for their lives. And as theywent another accompanied them. Unnoticed in the turmoil, the leader, whohad fallen to Steve's shot, and who was undoubtedly sorely wounded,scrambled painfully to his feet and caught a horse belonging to a fallencomrade. He clambered unsteadily into the saddle, his mask falling fromhis face as he did so; and then, mustering all his failing strength, hestood up in his stirrups and shook his fist at the cart just as hiscomrades turned to fly.
"Steve," he shouted, "this is to warn you! I will kill you when the timecomes."
Turning his horse, he clapped spurs to the flanks and galloped away. Ashe went a cry came from one of the inmates of the wagon. Jack rose tohis feet shaking with excitement. He seemed to have caught it fromSteve, so closely did it follow upon the attack which the little scouthad displayed. Bending over the bags, shaking his fist furiously, hefollowed the movements of the escaping leader with staring eyes.
"The robber!" he shouted, tears almost in his voice. "The man for whom Ihave suffered. The robber! Stop him! I must take him back to Hopevilleto tell his tale! It is he who should have been tried for thatburglary!"