Frank began to get up.
“Are you going, Frank?” asked the Kentucky lad, also rising to his knees.
“Everybody’s on the move,” came the reply. “Didn’t you hear the signal, Bob?”
“I heard what I thought was the sound of a sleepy bird disturbed on his perch; was that what you meant?” asked Bob.
“Yes,” replied Frank. “That came from our friend Scotty. It told us the way is clear, and that we might as well get a move on. So here we start into the valley, where our prize herd is kept on the grass.”
“They did that thing up handsome, Frank,” admitted Bob.
“It’s a way Scotty has,” chuckled the other. “He never goes into anything but he carries it out like machine work. And Bob, this is only the beginning, remember. We’ve got a heap cut out for us yet. It’s going to be a night you’ll never forget as long as you live. And as for Senor Mendoza, the boys of Circle Ranch expect to give him his Waterloo right here in his own camp. Come along, Bob; show how you can move along this path into the narrow pass.”
CHAPTER IX
THE CATTLE CACHE
Just as Bob had anticipated, it was found that the narrow pass served somewhat as the neck of the bottle. Perhaps it was the only way whereby cattle could enter or leave the secret valley lying between the several spurs of the high ridge. By blocking this pass with rocks, as had apparently been done, there was little chance of any wandering on the part of the trapped herd.
The two boys had to clamber over these rocks. Bob could see that they had recently been moved to the position they now occupied.