“Just as likely as not,” remarked Adrian; “for we feel pretty sure those cattle rustlers are hanging out somewhere close by. If only we had a searchlight so’s to throw it on them sudden-like, couldn’t we make the lot scatter like partridges when we opened fire a few times? But if Frank would only come along, and bring that posse, it would clear the air a heap, believe me.”
“It sure would; and here’s hoping that same will happen before it’s too late,” was the way Donald expressed his sentiments.
[CHAPTER XXIX.—THE COMING OF THE RUSTLERS.]
“You don’t think it’d pay for somebody to sneak out there and learn if the rustlers are really hanging around?” suggested Donald, after some time had crept on, without anything happening to change the conditions as they existed.
“No use, Donald,” said the other, immediately. “There’d always be more or less risk that you’d get in a peck of trouble; and if the attack came when you were away, why, we’d miss your helping hand.”
“But I’d like to go the worst kind, Adrian.”
“I’m right sure you would,” answered the other, quickly; “but the more you get to thinking it over the sooner you’ll make up your mind that it’d never pay. When I crawled into that house it was of prime importance that we found out if those three renegades were hiding there, waiting to attack us from the rear when we had our hands full of other business. That was an important thing; but we already feel dead certain that the Walkers are hanging out yonder, so what good could it do to just crawl up and find this out? Perhaps, now, you’re thinking of corraling the whole bunch, and beating my little game five times over, eh, Donald?”
“I give it up, Ad; so don’t speak of it again, please. Just as you say, we feel they’re waiting out there, hidden by that measly gloom; and I couldn’t really do any more than make sure of that. Forget it. I’m wondering what their dodge’ll be when they get busy. I’ve known more’n a few games being played by rustlers; but believe me, in all my life down in Arizona, where the Mexicans come across the border and steal cattle, to rush it over the line so that we can’t go after ’em, I never heard of such boldness as these Walkers show. Why, they just up and tell a ranchman they are in need of about sixty fat beeves, and that his seem to fill the bill; so if he knows what’s good for him he’ll turn over and go to sleep again, in case he wakes up some fine
night, and hears a stampede taking place outside where his corral lies. Yes, and they get the habit, too, for they come back again and again.”
“Well,” said Adrian, grimly, “something’s going to happen before morning to make a change in this program, even if we’re left to fight it out alone. If that posse only shows up it’s a dead certainty the end of the Walker trail has come.”