CAPTURING THE CATTLE THIEVES
As they wound in and out among the hills and rocks, now ascending, now going down steep pitches, the silence of their surroundings and the realization that they were bent on a dangerous mission sobered the boys and few words did they speak.
Once or twice the line halted as the leaders heard some sound that roused their suspicions, and several times Sandy and Nails dropped back. But nothing untoward occurred, and late in the afternoon they descended into the valley that was the headquarters of the raiders.
"We're in time; there's no one here," announced Lawrence after an examination of the ground for fresh horse or cattle tracks.
Remembering their guide's statement about the cliff on which the lookout was posted when the raiders were at the mine, die boys sought it with their eyes. But though they scanned both sides of the mountains, all they could see was trees.
Horace was on the point of mentioning the fact when the word was passed back to dismount, and, leading their horses, they were soon within the protection of the woods.
"Any of the ponies likely to whinny?" asked Lawrence as they halted in a glen.
"Yes, Blackhawk," answered Horace. "It was he that gave warning of
Jeffreys' approach."
"Then we'll take them all pretty well up into the woods. He won't be able to scent when he's above where Megget and the others will enter the valley."
"Which way will they come?" asked Mr. Wilder.