CHAPTER VIII.
THE STEALING OF THE HORSES.
"Go slow, men," came softly from Gilroy. "You know what kind of a manLeeson is."
"Reckon I do know," came in a growl from Fetter. "And I've got anaccount to settle with him, too."
"I'm pretty certain the boy is here," went on the leader. "But we mustmake sure if the others are here too, or if they have ridden off to thefort. If they have gone to the fort----"
"Hist!" came in warning from Potts. "You're talking too much. I've heardthat this Leeson sleeps with his ears wide open."
"He does," grumbled Fetter; and then the three desperadoes relapsed intosilence.
They were advancing upon the cabin from the rear, and each held a readypistol in his hand, while his rifle was slung over his back. They hadseen the boys and Benson head for the trapper's home while it was stilllight and they were on a high cliff; but darkness had closed in on thescene, and they had come up to the spot in ignorance of what hadfollowed.
Tiptoeing their way they reached the lean-to where the horses had beenstabled, and with caution Gilroy went inside. By feeling the animals hesoon learned that three had been in use but a few hours before, whilethe fourth was cool and comfortable.
"Their horses are here," he announced. "And a fourth is here, too."
"That's Leeson's," answered Fetter. "But I thought he had two or three."
"Might as well take them while we have the chance," murmured Potts."Four nags will bring some money over at Highwater. We can get Gingo tosell 'em."
"Let them out," answered Gilroy. "Without horses they'll have theirhands full trying to follow us."
It was no easy task to untie the horses in a place that was pitch-dark,and it took some time to get even the horses belonging to our friendsreleased.
As Fetter and Potts took the animals out, Gilroy worked to untie thesturdy mare belonging to Hank Leeson. This was a pet animal, and notused to strangers. As Gilroy caught hold of the halter she gave a neighof suspicion.
"Hush!" murmured the desperado, and ran his hand down the mare's nose.But this made her skittish, and she stamped sharply half a dozen times.
"What's up thar?" came in Hank Leeson's voice, and the trapper was wideawake on the instant. "Whoa, Nancy, whoa!"
"Hang the luck!" muttered Gilroy, and ran outside after Fetter andPotts. "He must have been on the watch."
"We must get out!" responded Fetter. "He's a sure-shot, remember.Nothing but the darkness can save us."
"I'm going!" came from Potts, and he leaped on the back of one of thehorses--that which Joe had been riding.
"I'm with you," said Fetter, and mounted old Benson's steed. "Come,Matt, and be quick about it."
By this time Hank Leeson was running around the corner of the cabin, gunin hand. His call had aroused Joe and Darry, and they were pulling ontheir clothing with all speed.
"Something is wrong!" exclaimed Joe.
"It must be those desperadoes," responded his cousin.
The boys were not yet dressed, when they heard a clatter of hoofs and ashot, followed by another.
Then they came out, rifles in hand, to find Leeson reloading near thestable.
"Those desperadoes have been here!" exclaimed the old trapper. "They ranoff with your hosses, consarn 'em!"
"Went off with the horses?" repeated Darry. "Did you shoot at them?"
"I did, but the light's against me, and I don't reckon as how I hitanything." Hank Leeson meditated for a moment. "I've half a mind ter doit--yes, I have!" he muttered.
"Do what?" asked Joe.
"Go after 'em on my mare. Would you be afraid to stay here alone if Iwent?"
"No; go ahead!" cried both boys.
"We'll keep watch while you are away," continued Joe.
"If you can get the horses back it will be a great favor," said Darry."The three are worth over five hundred dollars."
Without further words, Hank Leeson dashed into the stable, untied hismare and mounted her. Rifle over shoulder and pistol in hand, he dashedaway on the back trail, whence the desperadoes had disappeared. Soon hewas swallowed up in the darkness, although they heard the hoofbeats ofNancy for several minutes after.
"This is the worst yet," was Joe's comment, when they were alone."Those fellows are as daring as they are rascally. I never dreamed theywould come up in that fashion. I wonder what they would have done ifLeeson hadn't woke up?"
"Perhaps we would all have been murdered," answered his cousin with ashudder. "What shall we do, now we are dressed?"
"That depends upon how long Leeson remains away. I move we remain onguard--one at the front of the cabin and the other at the rear. If wekeep our eyes peeled they can't come very close, even though it isdark."
"All right, Joe. Keep your rifle handy."
"Don't fear about that, Darry."
They were soon on guard, the one on the doorstep and the other near thelean-to, on a stump. Thus an hour dragged by. To both it was anunusually long while.
"I don't see a thing," said Darry, coming to where his cousin rested.
"Nor I, and I'm getting sleepy. I hardly think Leeson will be back untilmorning."
"Just what I was thinking. Let us take turns at watching. The one onduty can walk around the cabin now and then, and that will give each ofus some sleep."
This was agreed upon, and they tossed up to see who should go on guardfirst. It fell to Darry's lot, and Joe, hardly able to keep his eyesopen, quickly retired, without undressing.
Darry's vigil was certainly a lonely one, doubly so because it was newto him. As he tramped slowly around the cabin, he could not help butcontrast this situation with the one he was used to at home.
"I don't know as I'd like to be a night policeman or a night-watchman,"he reasoned. "They must be awfully tiresome jobs. And the city isn'tnear as lonely as this, either, even in the middle of the night." Hedrew a long breath and looked at his watch. "Gracious, onlythree-quarters of an hour gone, and I've got an hour and a quarter stillto serve! How awfully slow it is! If Leeson----What's that?"
He broke off short and came to a halt, with his rifle in his hands andhis gaze fixed on some brushwood a hundred feet to the rear of thestable. He had seen some dark object moving, but whether it was man orbeast he could not tell.
"It was something, I'm sure of that," he told himself, after the objecthad disappeared from view. "If it was a man he must have been crawlingon hands and knees."
He wondered if he had better awaken Joe, but hesitated, knowing howsleepy his cousin was. Perhaps the object would go away--if it was awild beast.
Keeping his eyes on the spot, Darry waited what seemed to him a longtime, but which was really but a few minutes. Then slowly the bushesparted and the object came forth, with eyes that gleamed fitfully evenin that darkness.
"A mountain wolf!" muttered the boy. "Well, I'm glad it isn't one ofthose desperadoes."
Taking up a stone he hurled it at the wolf, at the same time shouting tothe beast to go away. At once the wolf turned tail and disappearedwhence it had come.
"Did you call?" came sleepily from Joe.
"There's a wolf in the bushes back of the cabin," returned Darry.
"Does he want to attack you?"
"I don't know. I just threw a stone at him, and he's slunk out ofsight."
By this time Joe was also outside, and the two cousins waited for thereappearance of the wolf.
But the animal was cowardly, and did not show himself again, andpresently Joe returned to bed. The remainder of the night passed withoutanything unusual happening.