Frank answered. “For you know it’s going to be something of a ticklish job; because when once they get the signal, and quit here, the rustlers will burrow out in no time. And, being wild for revenge, they’ll chase after the boys, and give them a running fight all through the mountain trails.”
“How about them shooting now, through cracks or holes in the cabin walls?” asked the Kentucky boy.
“They might,” replied his chum. “I reckon they’ve got some gun-holes here and there for just that purpose. But if they know what’s good for them, they’ll go slow about wounding any of our boys. Dad can hardly hold the fellows in now, and it would only take one match to set off the magazine; and there’s no telling what terrible things would happen then.”
“There goes your father and Bart now, toward the corral,” Bob remarked.
“Yes, and some of the boys trailing after,” Frank added. “It looks like they expected to get the herd in motion as soon as the trail can be easily seen. Dad is just wild to drive his stock clear of this valley; though some day I expect he’ll be wanting to use it on his own hook, after the rustlers have been driven out of this part of the country; because it’s a boss place to winter a herd.”
“We go with the punchers who will drive, I suppose, Frank?”
“Sure we do,” replied the other, a little regretfully. “I tried to coax dad to let us stay back; but he just wouldn’t hear of it.”
“And for one I’m glad he didn’t say yes,” Bob spoke promptly. “I don’t feel that I’d like to stay here, and have a hand in that game of hide and seek you say will take place when the siege of the bunk-house is raised, and the rustlers rush out like a swarm of angry bees. No, I think I’d be happier driving the herd; though if they came up with us, and tried to take the cattle back, I hope I’d fight like a true Kentuckian ought.”
“Oh! once we strike the level with the herd we’ll see no more of the rustlers,” Frank assured him confidently. “And, what’s more, you can take it from me that as soon as dad gets home he’ll stir up all the stockmen in this part of the State. It’s going to get too warm for Mendoza and his crowd on this side of the border; and they’ll have to vamoose, if they want to keep alive.”
Once at the corral the boys found that, as daylight came on, the cowboys were getting busy indeed. They recognized the best part of the herd as their property; but besides these there seemed to be fully as many other cattle. Mendoza had claimed these as his lawful possession; but no one believed him; for it was found that in every case