He hastily unfastened the white object and was holding it up for the others to see, when a piece of paper fell to the ground.
“Josephine’s handkerchief and a note!” he cried, aghast, staring hard at the white missive.
Quickly snatching it up he read its contents.
“For God’s sake, boys,” he cried, his face blanching white.
“This note is from Josephine herself. She fastened it to Rover’s collar and sent him home. That message the Spanish girl brought is a decoy, and is leading Bud and his men into an ambush!”
Exclamations of fury broke from the men at his words. Big Joe instantly began giving orders to the cowboys after Mason had read the contents of the note to them.
“Into your saddles, boys,” the big cowboy thundered, his face pale and resolute. “I know a short cut to the Gap, and we’ll be in at the death if we can’t head Bud off. Ride, men, as you never rode before.”
The cowboys were in their saddles in a twinkling, and bending low on their horses’ necks they rode like demons in a race against odds.
Mason wanted to get his automobile out and join in the race against death, but Big Joe wouldn’t listen to his plan.
“It wouldn’t be of any use to us the way we are going into the mountains,” he said, gritting his teeth.