The Reckless Rider
Dusk had settled over Thunder Canyon. A cool breeze blew down from the mountains, and the five horses sniffed it gratefully. They had carried their riders far that day, over a trail which stiffened their leg muscles and dulled their eyes, from demanding constant attention to its treacherous unevenness. But they had done their work well, and now they were near the end of their journey.
Teddy, who was riding ahead, turned in the saddle.
“How much further?” he asked of Nick.
“Not much. You’ve kind of forgot this path, ain’t yuh? Well, it’s a long time since I been over it myself, but I’m thinkin’ Gravestone Falls is just ahead. Right, Gus?”
“I reckon,” Gus drawled. “She’s narrowin’ down closer, anyhow,” and he jerked his head toward the other side, which, it seemed to the riders, had been gradually coming nearer as they loped along.
But a scant hour of daylight remained, and Roy, realizing they had small chance to join his father and the others, once full darkness had descended, urged Teddy to set a faster pace. The tired horses responded willingly, and the men made better time toward their objective.
For the last hour or so the boys’ thoughts had been taken up with the strange old woman they had encountered in the clearing. Certainly she fitted Ike Natick’s description of the woman whom he had seen in the car which had borne the three girls from the 8 X 8. Could it be that the outlaws had forced their prisoners to remain in that hut over Saturday and Sunday, then, this morning, had taken them farther on, so as to be safer from pursuit?
Teddy, revolving the subject over in his mind, thought it extremely likely. If only they had discovered on Saturday that the girls had been taken, they might have had them at home by this time! Teddy remembered, with an ironical laugh, that he and Roy had at first planned to visit the 8 X 8 on the very day the girls were kidnapped.
Then the storm had come, and they had postponed their journey until this morning, when it was too late! What had happened to Belle Ada—and the others—during those two days when he and Roy were hanging around the ranch, talking over ways to prevent the rustlers from executing their threat? Why, at the very moment when Mr. Manley and the two boys had been deciding what part of the range to watch, the outlaws had acted and had taken revenge!
Teddy grew stiff and his hands clenched. All because of a storm! If it hadn’t rained, he and Roy could have been after the rustlers almost as soon as they got started. Or they might even have arrived at the 8 X 8 at the same time that the puncher, Richmond, had come with the false note.
Teddy shook his head helplessly and gazed ahead through the gathering dusk. To his ears came the sound of falling water, but the boy could not tell whether it was Gravestone Falls or merely the brook below growing more turbulent.
“Here’s hoping we meet dad soon,” Roy declared, peering across the canyon. “It’ll be night before long, and we’ll have a pretty hard job of finding him then.”
Teddy agreed, with a nod.
“He’ll be there. Remember, we were delayed by that gunwoman in the cabin. If dad rode straight on, which I think he did, he’s probably at the falls now. Nick, watch your step! There’s a mean bit of trail right here.”
Nick, who was following Roy, grunted to show that he understood, and cautioned Gus and Bug Eye, who drew up in the rear. Then he called to Teddy:
“Expect to run across yore friend who rides sidesaddle, Ted?”
“Sidesaddle? Oh, you mean the puncher who slouches to the left? I sure do, Nick! I hope to, anyhow. I guess Roy does, also. We’ll ask him for his card and where he got ‘Reltsur’ for a name.”
“You think Richmond and Reltsur are the same man?”
“Yep! Nothing else but! The handwriting on the note that Mrs. Ball showed us and on the note that dad got are identical. We noticed particularly the capital R; didn’t we, Roy? Alike as two peas. I’m sure counting on meeting that waddy personally, Nick!”
“Wish you luck.” Nick rested his hand on the gun which hung from a saddle-holster. “But don’t hog the action, Teddy—don’t hog it! Me an’ Gus an’ Bug Eye are just rustin’ away from peacefulness. When the music starts, Teddy, we’ll be there! Oh, we’ll be there!”
“I’ll tell a maverick!” Roy exclaimed. “We all will, Nick! And if those dirty horse thieves have harmed Belle, or even frightened her, we’ll—”
“Take it easy, boy,” Gus drawled, laying his hand on Roy’s shoulder for a moment. “Belle can take care of herself, and of the two that’s with her, if she has to. I know Belle! Not like you do, of course, but enough to say that she’s one game little lady and that she can hold her own with any sneak-thief that ever ran from a jack-rabbit. Now don’t you start worryin’, you nor Teddy either. So far, yore takin’ it standin’ up. Keep it up, boys; it won’t be long now!
“To-morrow we can head fer Sholo Caves, and then, if Ike is right, we’ll have all three girls safe an’ sound. Then we can settle our accounts with Reltsur an’ his gang.” He paused for a moment, then went on:
“I know I’m talkin’ like a Dutch Uncle, but I want you to know how I feel, an’ how Nick an’ the rest of us feel, too. I’m not sayin’ what we’d do to get Belle back. I guess you know, right enough.”
Roy turned and looked at his friend, silently grasped the hand that was held out to him, and then grinned.
“You win, Gus. No more grousing. Star, get along there! We rest soon. Guess a good drink from that old stream will feel mighty fine, hey? Well, you’ll get it. Come along, now. There’s a lot of green grass waiting for you.”
Suddenly, from the depths of the canyon, came a long shrill howl. The horses, hearing it, snorted in fear. The grin froze on Roy’s face.
“Timber wolf,” he said shortly. “A brute, from its yell. Didn’t know they came down this far.”
Teddy frowned fiercely, and, unconsciously, his hand sought his gun butt. There were wolves in this canyon. Belle, Ethel and Nell were somewhere up that long, winding trail. Wolves! The boy’s hand tightened on the gun. No, he would not, could not, think that!
Now the men rode along in silence. The scream of that animal had set their nerves on edge, and they were in no mood for conversation. It would have gone ill for the outlaws had the rescue riders encountered them at that moment. Each man gazed straight ahead, his body rigid in the saddle. Each pony felt the hand holding the reins stiffen and tighten ever so slightly. Putting their heads down, the ponies plodded on and on.
Now the noise of the falls could be heard distinctly. Teddy was about to make a remark when he caught himself up quickly and motioned for silence. Wondering, those following came to a halt and listened. Then they understood.
Above the distant roar of Gravestone Falls came another sound, a staccato drumming, which, to the trained ear, was unmistakable. With a quick movement the riders leaped their horses off the path and into the brush. There they waited, listening to those approaching hoof-beats. Nearer and nearer they came. Suddenly Teddy leaned over and tapped Roy.
Around a bend in the trail came a horseman. He was riding furiously, seemingly heedless of the desperate chance he was taking of being hurled to the rocks below. And as the boys watched, they saw something that caused their hearts to leap with a sudden fierce joy.
The horseman did not ride straight up in the saddle, but slouched to the left!