CHAPTER XIX.
THE CAVE IN THE RAVINE.
When Dan came to his senses all was dark around him. The sun had setover the timber in the west, and scarcely a sound broke the stillnessof the night.
For several minutes the youth could not imagine where he was or whathad happened. Then slowly the realisation of the events just passeddawned upon his muddled brain.
He tried to pull himself together and sit up, but the effort was sopainful he was glad enough to give it up and rest just as he lay. Thebrushwood had saved him from death, but it had not saved him from anasty fall on the flat rocks which rested at the bottom of the ravineat this particular point.
"It must be at least two or three hours since I went over," he thought,dismally. "I wonder what became of the mustang, and where Ralph and theponies are?"
He tried to see the face of the silver watch he carried,--an heirloomfrom his mother,--but it was too dark, and he had to give it up. Thenhe attempted to call out, but his voice was so feeble no one standingfifty yards off would have heard it. And Ralph was miles and milesaway, hopelessly lost in his hunt after his missing brother.
Not a bone had been broken nor a muscle strained to any extent, yet itwas almost daybreak before Dan felt like getting on his feet, and inthe meantime he had fallen into a doze and dreamed all manner ofhorrible dreams. When he awoke, his mouth was parched for water, andhis first move was in the direction of the wet portion of the ravine,beyond the rocks.
As it was the fall of the year, the night had been cold, and afterprocuring a drink he was glad enough to sit down again beside a firemade of leaves and such small brush as was handy. He was now hungry,but nothing was at hand to satisfy the cravings of the inner man. Hisgun had been left behind, but in his belt still rested hishunting-knife,--something he had taken to carrying constantly since thebrush with the Comanches.
Dan could not help but wonder what had become of Ralph, and wished thathe had some firearm by which he might discharge a shot as a signal.
Slowly the morning wore away, and by noon the lad felt that he mustmake a move. "I'll get out of the ravine first," he thought, but thiswas no easy matter, for the sides were steep and he was still too weakto exert himself in climbing.
Presently he imagined that he heard, at a great distance, the firing ofa volley of shots. To make sure he was right, he laid on the ground andlistened. Soon the volley was repeated, and a number of single reportsfollowed.
"There is a fight on of some sort," he thought, but could not locatethe direction of the shots with any degree of accuracy. "I trust Ralphis out of danger."
He walked along the ravine, looking for some convenient spot where hemight ascend to the level of the timber beyond, until he came to wherethere was a split in the hollow. Here, in the centre of the ravine, wasa huge pile of rocks, overgrown with a tangle of vines and thorns,which hid a cave of fair dimensions. In those days this cave was knownto the Indians as the Haunted Rock. It is said that many a Mexicantrader was lured there, only to be killed and robbed.
As Dan was passing the cave he saw, with much surprise, a Mexicansoldier leading two mustangs into the opening. Each saw the other atthe same time, and instantly the Mexican set up a shout in Spanish,and, letting go of the horses, levelled a pistol at the boy's head.
Dan did not understand the Spanish, but he understood the motion of thesoldier.
"Don't shoot!" he cried. "I am unarmed!" And he held up his hands toverify his statement.
"You surrender?" asked the Mexican, in broken English.
"I suppose I'll have to," answered Dan. "But what are you doing here,and why do you wish to make me a prisoner? I am not a soldier."
At this the Mexican shrugged his bony shoulders and called out again inSpanish, whereupon three other Mexicans showed themselves at the mouthof the cave.
"Come in here, boy," said one of the three, who was evidently acaptain, by his uniform. "Are you alone?"
"I am," answered Dan, as he entered the mouth of the cave.
"Where are the soldiers?"
"What soldiers?"
"The rascally Texans who were after us."
"I know nothing of any soldiers, captain."
"You are telling me the truth?" And the Mexican captain turned a pairof piercing black eyes on the youth.
"I am, sir; I have seen no soldiers for a week or more, and they werenowhere about here."
Dan's frank manner apparently impressed the Mexican officer favourably,for he breathed more freely. He paused for a moment, as if in deepthought.
"What brought you here, boy?"
In a few simple words Dan told his tale. When he mentioned the whitemustang, two of the Mexicans smiled.
"I saw him," said one. "He was running like the wind, directly forthose soldiers, too."
"And who are the soldiers you speak about?" asked Dan.
"It is not for you to ask questions," answered the captain, abruptly."Sit down on yonder rock and keep quiet. A noise might betray us, andthen it might become necessary to put a bullet in you."
As there was no help for it, Dan walked still farther into the cave,and sank down on the rock pointed out. He noted that there were butfour of the Mexicans, and that each had a mustang that seemed to bemuch exhausted.
"I reckon I am worse off than I was before," was his mental comment,after reviewing the situation. "These chaps are evidently in hiding,and they won't let me go for fear of exposing them. Well, I sha'n'tstay any longer than I have to."
In the matter of eating, the Mexicans were as badly off as the youth."You have had nothing, eh?" said one. "Well, we are just as hungry, andperhaps more so. It cannot be helped, and we must make the best of it."
"But we can't remain here and starve to death," insisted Dan.
At this the Mexican drew up his face into a scowl and turned away. Tocomfort themselves, the men smoked cigarettes incessantly, being usedto the tobacco habit from childhood. Dan had as yet found no comfort inthe use of the weed.
While two of the Mexicans remained in the cave to care for themustangs, the others went out on guard, one stationing himself justabove the opening and the other below. The numerous rocks afforded bothexcellent hiding-places.
From those in care of the mustangs Dan learned but little, yet, duringthe Mexicans' talk, the youth managed to gain a bit of informationwhich led him to believe that there had been a battle, and the four hadbecome separated from their companions and had been pursued. TheMexicans thought to remain in the cave until night, and then escapeunder cover of the darkness.
As the hours went by Dan became more hungry, and with this emptyfeeling came one of desperation. He must escape, be the cost what itmight.
"If only I could collar one of their mustangs, and get away on it," hethought. "Perhaps I might find those soldiers and have the Mexicansmade prisoners."
The more he thought of this plan the more did it appeal to him, andthen he cast about for some means of putting it into operation.
The chance came shortly before sundown. A distant shot was heard, andthe two Mexicans in the cave hurried to join their companions, to learnwhat it might mean. Dan had cast himself down as if asleep, and one ofthe soldiers did not, therefore, pick up his gun as he hurried past theentrance of the cave.
No sooner were the men out of sight, than Dan leaped upon the back ofthe nearest mustang, and turned him straight for the entrance. He madethe animal do his best from the start, yet, as he passed the entranceto the cave, he hung out from the saddle and managed to pick up the gunthat rested against the wall.
"He is escaping!" cried one of the Mexicans, in Spanish, and leaped infront of the mustang. The next instant the horse knocked him flat andgalloped over his body.
The Mexicans were bewildered, for, on the brink of the ravine, one ofthem had caught sight of several Texan soldiers in the distance. Ifthey fired on Dan, they would betray themselves, and, if they did not,the youth would surely escape.
"After him!" cried the captain, and two of the soldie
rs made a dash forthe boy. But they might have as well tried to catch the wind, for themustang was fresh from his rest, and Dan made him do his level best.
Then along the ravine sped animal and boy, Dan riding as never before,and expecting a shot at any moment. He knew not where he was going, andhardly cared, so long as he made his escape from the Mexicans.