“You said a mouthful!” Gus roared. “Let ’em come shootin’! The more the merrier! We’ll smoke ’em out, if we have to! No—guess we can’t do that, on account of the girls. But we’ll sure send some hot lead buzzin’ ’round their ears!”
The full darkness of the canyon night came upon them as they rode, and, of necessity, they had to dismount and lead the ponies. Teddy fretted at the delay, but it was unavoidable, and they hurried as fast as was compatible with safety—and perhaps a little faster.
They soon reached Gravestone Falls, and all knew that the other side of the canyon was not two hundred yards across. To reach the caves, they had to turn sharply to the right and double back slightly on their trail. Had they known it, they could have come a much shorter way, as had the girls and their guard, who did not ride near the falls. But since they had arranged to meet Mr. Manley here, it was necessary that they take the longer route, even had they known of the shorter. At this point the canyon curved, the walls coming closer together, until, a short distance below the caves, they met.
The falls proper were not a part of the canyon itself, but, nevertheless, being near it, they fed the stream at its bottom. The roaring, while not tremendous, was loud enough to prevent any one on the other side of the canyon from hearing a call, however loud.
Teddy waited until the others were around him, then declared:
“I reckon we shan’t find dad to-night! He may be across there, and he may not. Shouting won’t do a bit of good. And we can’t shoot—the rustlers might hear us and take alarm. Boys, it’s up to us. Do we go on?”
“We do!” Roy exclaimed. “And not in the dark, either! Look!”
He pointed to the sky. Over the rim of the mountain a dull red crescent arose—the first of the full moon.
As the orb turned gradually from ruby to silver white, flooding the canyon with its glow, the five looked to their firearms. Then they slowly made their way along the rocky path. They had remounted again, knowing the ponies could see their way by the light of the moon, and, as they rounded the curve, following the gorge, the noise of the falls increased, then faded to a sullen murmur. They had left the meeting place behind, and with grim resolves to prove the caves could be taken by five determined men, all riding together, they urged their horses forward.
They remembered what Pop Burns had told them—that the caves were practically inaccessible unless attacked from both sides of the canyon at once. Yet this did not deter them. Their hearts high with hope, they felt capable of conquering any stronghold, no matter how well fortified. The girls were there—not half an hour’s ride away! Could they stop now, with success almost in their grasp?