“What a night for the Apachés!” said Bart after a pause, as they crouched there listening to the hiss and roar of the falling waters. “Suppose they were to come; we would never see them.”
“But they wouldn’t in a night like this,” replied Joses. “Would they, Beaver?”
“Beaver don’t know. Beaver think much,” replied the chief. “He and his men would come if they wanted their enemies’ horses; but perhaps the Apachés are dogs and cowards, and would fear the rain.”
Towards morning the rain ceased, and with the rising sun the clouds cleared away, the sun shining out brilliantly; and as the Beaver strained over the stones to get a good look into the corral, he uttered a hoarse cry.
“What’s wrong?” cried Bart and Joses, starting up from their wearying cramped position.
“Cattle gone!” cried the Beaver; and a moment later, “Horses are gone!”
It was too true; for, taking advantage of the darkness and the heavy rain, the Apachés had sent in a party of their cleverest warriors, who had quietly removed the barriers of rock, and the cattle had followed their natural instinct, and gone quietly out to the last hoof, the horses the same, making their way down to the pastures, where, at the first breaking of day, there was a strong band of mounted men ready to drive them right away into the plain, where the Beaver pointed them out miles away, moving slowly in the bright sunshiny morning.
The alarm was given, but nothing could be done, and the Doctor looked with dismay at the lowering faces of the men who had agreed to follow his fortunes out there into the wilderness.
“You never said that we should meet with enemies like this,” said one man, threateningly. “You said you’d bring us where silver was in plenty, that was all.”
“And have I not?” cried the Doctor, sharply. “There, now, get to your work; we have plenty of food and water, and we are relieved of the care of our horses and cattle. The Apachés will not interfere with us perhaps now, and when they have gone, we must communicate with Lerisco, and get more cattle. Have we not silver enough to buy all the cattle in the province?”