“I think he managed affairs just about right,” said one of the settlers. “The object of this canvas is to conceal the trail. When my horses were stolen, I followed them very easily for a while, but lost the scent about a hundred yards from the bank of this creek. That must have been the place where they got on the canvas. Of course they left no more trail, and I couldn’t follow them any farther.”
“But I don’t see why it is necessary to have this boat moved by a windlass,” said Frank. “If one man could bring it over here, what’s the reason he couldn’t take it back?”
“That can also be easily explained,” replied the settler. “The current in the creek is so strong that one man can’t scull the boat straight across. It makes no difference where he lands on this side, because he brings his canvas with him, and can put it out any where; but the canvas on the other side is stationary, you know, and the boat must be stopped at one particular place, so that the horsemen can get out on it.”
“Oh, I see,” said Frank.
“Thar’s another thing that mebbe the comp’ny would like to know something about,” said Dick. “Arter we come back from that bar hunt this mornin’, I went out to tend to some cattle, an’ seed these yere two keerless fellers go into Don Carlos’ rancho. I hung round watchin’ the house, ’cause I kind o’ thought that mebbe something was agoin’ to happen, an’ that’s the way I come to be in the woods when Frank an’ them Greasers had that race. An’ fellers,” added Dick, turning to the settlers, “I seed the hul of that ar runnin’ match, an’ I never in my life seed a boy pick up his feet quicker’n Frank did. I’ll match him agin any hoss in Californy. I was goin’ to say, that arter I got licked by them Greasers, an’ seed that Frank was ketched an’ tuk to the rancho——”
Frank, at this point, begged pardon for interrupting Dick, and told him that he had not then been taken to the rancho, but was carried to the mountains by Pierre Costello. This announcement created great excitement among the settlers, and it was increased wonderfully, when Archie said that they had left Pierre in the woods, a prisoner.
“Who tuk him pris’ner?” demanded the trapper.
“Archie and I, and Marmion,” replied Frank.
“Fellers!” exclaimed Dick, who seemed to be utterly confounded, “don’t this yere night’s work beat any thing you ever hearn tell on? If any of you know of two boys that can lay over them ar youngsters of mine, jest trot ’em out; I’d like mighty well to see ’em. But they haint been born yet, an’ never will be.”