Monday morning dawned at last, and they had scarcely taken up their usual stations when a horseman rode out of the fort, followed by a covered wagon, drawn by a large mouse-colored mule.
Tom saw them, but he would have paid no very particular attention to them had it not been for the actions of the wolfer, who, after uttering an exclamation indicative of the greatest amazement, rubbed his hands together and chuckled to himself.
“It’s them,” said he; “the very fellers we’ve been a-waitin’ fur so long. That one on the pony is Big Thompson, an’ I reckon t’other one is yer brother, aint it?”
“I can’t tell yet. He’s too far away,” replied Tom. “You seem to be glad that we are about to make a start.”
“Yes, I be; but that aint what makes me feel so peart. That thar muel an’ wagon is the very ones I borrered from Ike Barker last summer. I sold ’em down in Denver; an’ if the feller I sold ’em to haint brung ’em up here an’ sold ’em to yer brother, I’m a Dutchman! Now, if they’re goin’ to our grounds, they’ll foller the trail, an’ that’ll take ’em right past Ike Barker’s ranch. If they’ll only go thar we’ll bust ’em up higher’n the moon!”
“How will we do it?” asked Tom.
“I’ll tell ye when the time comes. Stay here an’ keep your eyes on to ’em, while I go back to camp arter our plunder.”
As there was no very hard work about this, Tom readily consented to do as his companion desired. He lay concealed in the edge of the brush, watching the wagon, and as it drew nearer to him he saw that the driver of it was his brother. He recognized him by the clothes he wore. He shook his fist at him as he passed along the base of the hill.
When the wolfer came back an hour later, leading his pony, which was loaded with their camp equipage and provisions, Tom met him at the mouth of the ravine.
He told him which way the wagon had gone, and Lish declared that it was all right. He thought he knew where Big Thompson was going, but they would watch him a day or two, he said, until they were sure of his course, and then they would get ahead of him and carry out the plan he had determined upon.