CHAPTER XIX.
ESCAPING IN THE DARKNESS.
It was after midnight when the camp settled down to rest. Fetter had notreturned, and Matt Gilroy was much worried in consequence. Yet he wastired out, having lost a good portion of the night previous intraveling, and he lay down with the others.
The guards at the entrance to the cave had been changed. Those now therewere two young men, recruits to the desperadoes' organization.
Inside of the cave Captain Moore, Joe, and Darry, having untied eachother's bonds, held a long consultation, the upshot of which was thatthey intended to escape if the deed could be accomplished.
"There is no use in telling you that we will run a big risk," said thecaptain. "But as for myself, these rascals are plotting against ColonelFairfield and the soldiers at the fort, and I feel it my duty to do mybest toward getting away and warning my commander."
"Whatever you do, Will, I will back you up, so far as I am able," washis brother's answer.
"And I will back you up, too," came from Darry. "But we must becautious, for these desperadoes will not hesitate to shoot, and shoot tokill." And the boy shivered in spite of himself, for no matter how bravea person may be he seldom cares to run the risk of losing his life.
The prisoners had been ordered to keep to the back of the cave, butafter all but the guards had retired Captain Moore made bold enough towalk carefully to the mouth of the place.
"Hi, you want to keep back there," growled one of the guards, promptlyraising his rifle.
"Don't be hard on us," pleaded the captain. "Let me get a little freshair. It's vile in the back of the cave."
"Orders were to keep you out of sight," growled the second guard.
"All right, I'll go back as soon as I've cleaned out my lungs."
While the captain was speaking he was peering around sharply, trying tolocate the other desperadoes and ascertain what the chances of escapereally were.
As he gazed first to one side and then the other, he caught sight of ahand waving in the air. A second later he made out the head andshoulders of old Benson, as the scout rose to his feet behind somebrushwood.
The thought that the scout was at hand to assist them cheered the youngofficer wonderfully, and he drew a deep breath of satisfaction.
"Are you going back soon?" growled one of the guards.
"Yes," answered the captain. "But I say," he went on, "why can't we cometo terms?"
"Don't want to make any terms with you," growled the other guard.
"It might be better for you to do so."
"We know our own business best, captain. You just go back as you wasordered to do. If you don't----"
"I don't feel safe in the cave, men, to tell the truth. What is thatpounding overhead?"
"Pounding overhead?"
"Yes."
"Don't know of any pounding. Do you, Ike?"
"Nary a bit," replied the other guard.
By this time Joe and Darry were just behind the young officer.
"Watch out," whispered Captain Moore. "Old Benson is outside, in thebushes on the left."
"Good for him!" whispered Joe joyfully.
"What are you talking about?" demanded one of the guards.
"I want to know about that pounding overhead," said Captain Moore. "Idon't want the roof to cave in on us."
He spoke so decidedly that both of the guards were deceived.
"Nobody is up there," said one of the two. "It must be some wildanimal."
"Can't one of you go up and look?" asked the young officer.
"You want the chance to get away," was the suspicious answer.
"How can we get away, when we are unarmed and you have that rifle," wenton the captain, speaking loudly, for old Benson's benefit. "It won'ttake you a minute to look."
The men, however, refused to budge.
"We'll stay right here," said one, and the other nodded affirmatively.
In the meantime old Benson had crawled closer, until he was directlybehind the pair.
Now of a sudden he leaped between them, and as quick as a flash caughttheir rifles and twisted the weapons from their grasp.
"HE LEAPED BETWEEN THEM AND CAUGHT THEIR RIFLES."]
As the old scout did this, the young captain also leaped in, followed byJoe and Darry.
The guards struggled, but with four against them could do little ornothing. One, however, had a powerful pair of lungs, and before he couldbe stopped, set up a loud cry of alarm.
"Come with me!" cried old Benson. "Be quick, or it will be too late!"
He led the way to the wood where the horses were tethered, and thecaptain, Joe, and Darry came close behind him.
Hardly had they gotten away from the guards when the whole camp was inalarm.
"What's the trouble?" demanded Matt Gilroy, leaping to his feet andcatching up his rifle.
"The prisoners have escaped!" answered one of the guards. "We wereattacked by some men from behind. There they go!"
"Stop!" roared the leader of the desperadoes, and raised his rifle. Butbefore he could take aim our friends were behind the shelter of thetrees.
It took but a few seconds to loosen the horses, and as the captain andthe two boys had long since relieved themselves of their bonds they weresoon in the saddle and following the old scout, who seemed to know theway perfectly, despite the darkness.
"It was lucky you came up, Benson!" cried Joe, as they dashed along.
"Wait, we are not yet out of this trouble," answered Benson. "Hark! theyare following!"
He was right. Gilroy and several of his men had rushed to their horses,and were now coming along the forest trail at a good rate of speed.
But their horses were no better than the animals our friends rode, sothe desperadoes did not succeed in cutting down the distance between thetwo parties, and at last gave up the chase.
"It has been a most stirring adventure from start to finish," saidCaptain Moore after each had told his story. "And it brings to an endthis outing. I must now get to the fort without delay."
"And I am perfectly willing to go along," said Darry. "There is no funin hunting in a country where the desperadoes are so thick."
"This will open Colonel Fairfield's eyes," went on the young officer. "Ishouldn't be surprised if he organized another expedition againstGilroy's gang and didn't let up on them until they were all either inprison or shot down."
"It's what they deserve," came from old Benson. "I'll go on such a huntwith pleasure."
Our friends continued in the saddle all night and until ten o'clock thenext morning. Then, tired and hot, they went into camp by a coolingstream. Here they went fishing, and soon caught enough fish for dinner,after which they took a nap lasting several hours.
"And now for the fort!" cried Captain Moore; "and the sooner we getthere the better."
The nap had done the boys a world of good, and as they rode along theirspirits rose so high that Darry proposed a race. Joe was willing, andaway they went, along the well-defined trail, before either the youngofficer or the old scout could stop them.
"They are full of life," said Joe's brother. "Let them go. We'll makethe fort to-night, even if they do tire the horses a bit."
"It's all right if they don't get into trouble," answered Benson.
On and on went the two lads, down something of a slope and then along alevel stretch. The bushes grew thick upon both sides, and here and therewere numerous wild flowers. At last they reached a glade rich with greengrass.
Joe was slightly ahead when he came to a sudden halt.
"Back, Darry!" he cried. "Get back behind the bushes."
"What's up?" queried his cousin, as he brought his steed to astandstill.
"Buffaloes!"
"Buffaloes! Where?"
"Right around the cliff on our right. See, they are coming this way!Here's luck."
Joe was right; they had come most unexpectedly upon a herd of sevenbuffaloes. The shaggy beasts were all large and powerful-looking. Theywere not in th
e least alarmed, and came toward the boys at a slow butsteady walk.