[CHAPTER XXXII.]
THE LEDGE AT THE GULCH.
In a great many ways Merriwell had shown his friendship for Ellis Darrel. From the very first, when Darrel had reached the camp at Tinaja Wells as the “boy from Nowhere,” Merriwell had believed in him and had befriended him.
As he rode toward Camp Hawtrey, Darrel recalled how cleverly Merriwell had defended him against the charge of robbing the colonel’s safe. So successful was the defense that even the stern old colonel was forced to admit that Darrel was innocent.
And again, at the time the rope had given way and Darrel had fallen on the cliff, it was Merriwell who had risked his neck to climb to the ledge where Darrel lay unconscious, had fastened a rope about him, and had lowered him to safety. It was Merriwell, too, who had played “a game within a game” on the football field and had taken from Lenning certain evidence of Lenning’s scoundrelly work.
As a slight repayment for all this loyalty and friendship, Darrel felt that he should do what he could to straighten out the misunderstanding between the colonel and Merriwell.
Even if he could get the colonel’s attention, Darrel was doubtful of his ability to sway the colonel toward Merriwell’s side. It was a time, however, when Darrel was resolved to give himself the benefit of every doubt, in the hope of being of some service to his friend.
If Jode was successful in making the colonel believe that Darrel’s influence had caused the trouble between him and Merriwell, then Darrel would do his utmost to set his uncle right on that point. This, very likely, would put an altogether different complexion on the clash about the coyote dog.
If convinced that Darrel had nothing to do with the actions of Merriwell and Clancy, the colonel might be in a receptive mood so far as evidence against Jode was concerned. This, at least, was what Darrel hoped.
A mile or so from the mouth of the cañon the right-hand wall was broken into by the mouth of a gulch. This gulch was the one in which the Gold Hill Boys had pitched their camp.
Years before, a mining company had thrown a dam across the mouth of the gulch. This dam had backed up the water for several miles.