“If I keep the engine going, it will locate us for those Mounties, but they’re afoot, or horseback, and can’t come so fast,” Bob whispered.
“Start the noise and I’ll watch behind. If I give you a kick in the ribs, lift us up,” Jim replied under his breath. In a moment more the engine was racing again, then it really did stop, but this time it was by accident and looked as if it was too surprised to go, for at that instant, Bob caught sight of uniforms, and a sharp command was issued.
“Climb down out of that, Pedro.” The boys looked back and saw the truck-driver’s face turn green with terror. “Lively now, no funny business.” Pedro literally tumbled to the ground, his legs shaking as if he had the ague, and his teeth chattering.
“I—I wasn’t touching ’em,” he stammered.
“Sure, I know you didn’t, but you were impolite to American citizens and you ought to know better. Stand on your feet.” Then the boys saw more than a dozen silent figures surrounding the truck.
“I didn’t lay a hand on ’em,” Pedro declared.
“It’s well for you that you didn’t send them to hell as you promised. What are you doing here and what have you got a green cover on your bus for? You went down the line this morning and you aren’t reported back yet. Come, explain yourself.” The man was on horseback and evidently the chief of the outfit. Jim guessed that he was playing for a few minutes to give his men time to close in, then he snapped again, “Cuff him. You boys let fly.” Immediately the truck wagon was literally alive with men swarming over it. The doors at both ends were jerked open, and in another second, crouching outlaws were being tumbled over each other. Some of them opened fire, but their guns were knocked out of their hands, and in less time than it takes to tell about it, the fight was over. Fifteen prisoners were lined up on the road, while the officer looked at them calmly.
“Put them back in and take them along.” The crowd was bundled back, this time each was securely handcuffed, then a familiar voice called from the woods.
“We got the last of them out of the hole, Chief. What shall we do with them?”
“Pile them in here,” the Chief answered, then, as the group came stumbling forward, the man went on, but his voice was stern, “These your Texas friends, Bradshaw?”