CHAPTER XXIII
IN THE MOUNTAINS
Openly the owner of the Three Stars objected to the proposition of providing the erstwhile raider with a pony.
"If we're going to trust Lawrence to lead us to the mine, we can certainly trust him with a horse," declared Mr. Wilder. "Horace, climb up behind Tom and let Lawrence have your mount."
Quickly the change was made, and again the party advanced.
"To think we were within two miles of meeting Megget again," exclaimed Tom as they rode along. "I'm afraid we would not have got away from him so well this time."
As he heard the remark, Lawrence turned and looked the boy over from head to foot, finally saying with a smile:
"So you are the lad Gus ran foul of up in Oklahoma?"
"Yes, but my brother was with me."
"Which is he?"
"The one who found you."
At this information Lawrence threw back his head and laughed heartily. "My, but that is a good one," he ejaculated when he had recovered from his merriment. "You tenderfeet make a monkey of Gus and then capture one of his men. I'll let Gus know it was you who found me, if I never speak again. It will make him more angry than anything else could."
To their surprise, the ranchers learned that the Lost Lode was only about five miles from the plains and that it was at the foot of one of the mountains, instead of high up in them, with a splendid valley where the cattle could graze close beside it.
"Why, I've ridden through that place at least twice," asserted Pete as he recognized Lawrence's description of the spot, "but never a sign of cattle or mine have I seen."
"You noticed there was heavy woods on both sides, didn't you?" returned the former raider, smiling.
"Yes."
"Well, that explains why you didn't learn anything, though of course it might be that no cattle were in the valley when you struck it."
This explanation only served to arouse the curiosity of the hearers the more.
"The woods are the thing," he continued. "Every time any one comes along, we drive the cattle into them and no one would think to look for the entrance to a mine among the trees."
"But how does it happen you have never been taken by surprise?" queried Mr. Wilder.
"Because when we had steers in the valley we always kept a lookout. There's a cliff just above the mine from which a man can see the trail for at least two miles."
"Then won't some one discover us?" asked Bill.
"Not if we hurry. Every man jack of Megget's gang is out on this raid. All we need to do is to get there first."
"How about that fellow who was with you?" Bill inquired. "Won't he be on the lookout?"
"Who, Red Ike? Not much. He'll be too anxious to tell Gus about me. He knows his chief was going to cut across to join Vasquez and the others, and he'll follow. They'll be so tickled at the thought you all were lost in the fire they won't hurry much. Still, if we're going to round them up, we must get there before dark to-night. There's a spot just before you enter the valley where we can lie in wait and get them all."
"No, that won't do," declared Mr. Wilder. "I want to capture them without resorting to firearms, if possible. While, of course, if it should be necessary, I would sanction shooting, I much prefer to take the men prisoners and turn them over to the sheriff and the law."
At first Lawrence could scarcely believe his ears. His creed had been force, supported by quick use of weapons, not law, and it seemed incredible to him that a man who had suffered from the raids of the cattle thieves should not take justice in his own hands when opportunity presented. But he suddenly realized that he was dealing with a new kind of man that he had never been brought in contact with, an honorable man, and his admiration for the owner of the Half-Moon increased a hundredfold.
Some time, however, was required to reconcile himself to his new scheme of life, but of a sudden he burst into a roar of merriment.
"We'll do it, and without a shot. Say, Mr. Wilder, it will break
Gus' heart to think he was caught without any gun play."
"That's just it. Most of the power men like Megget have is because of the fear the very mention of their names inspires.
"But I don't mean to preach a sermon. What I want to know is, How do you propose to capture Megget without trouble?"
"Wait till they are asleep. They'll have a celebration when they reach the mine and afterward we can hog-tie them and they will never know it."
Without vouchsafing any comment, the owner of the Half-Moon reined away from the strange guide, and, as Snider joined him, discussed the situation thoroughly.
The questioning of Lawrence, however, did not cease when the ranchmen left him. The four boys had listened eagerly, and when the opportunity presented deluged him with inquiries.
"Are there really ghosts in the Lost Lode?" queried Horace.
"None but very live ones," grinned the former raider. "Vasquez started that story to keep people from coming into the valley. Many a time we've chased men in the night when they came near."
The chums, however were more interested in learning whether or not there was rich ore in the mine.
"Probably there is," explained Lawrence, "but it would require a lot of drilling and sinking of shafts. What silver could be got out, Vasquez has taken. He was planning to use the money from the cattle captured in the raid to buy machinery and begin work."
Disappointed to think they would not be able to pick up chunks of the ore, the comrades lapsed into silence till Tom suddenly bethought him of the men he had seen crossing the cliff on the night of their hunting trip, and he lost no time in asking if they were some of Megget's gang.
"Must have been Gus and the boys who were with him up in Oklahoma," declared the guide. "There's a trail from that direction to the mine. Now you mention it, I remember he spoke of having seen a party of horsemen. It's a good thing for you he didn't know who it was. If he had, he was so angry at your outwitting him that he would surely have made trouble."
Further questioning, however, was prevented by the arrival of the troop at the trail.
"There are my marks," exclaimed the younger of the chums, pointing to the branches he had broken. But no one paid him heed, for with the arrival at the hills the serious work began and the ranchmen were busy issuing instructions.