“No, Tally ran head-on into Sandy and several men just as he was about to turn in at the Lodge gate,” explained Burt.
“Why Gilly! You never mentioned Sandy in this story,” was Julie’s exclamation.
“Not yet, but I am coming to that part of it now,” chuckled Mr. Gilroy. “You see, Sandy had rushed to Santa Fé to secure a few men he knew in these parts, and that is how he heard of two rich New Yorkers who had their horses stolen while going to a spring for a drink of water. These men had been given a lift in an automobile all the way back to Santa Fé, where they hired a few recommended forest detectives to find their animals. They also posted a reward of five hundred dollars for the return of their horses and the two thieves. Well, as it happened that the men they hired were the ones Sandy needed on my job, and as it seemed to be about the same locality where our burros had been led away, he got all of them to come back with him. They planned to stop at Bishops Lodge until dawn, then ride on up-trail and find the outlaws. Tally saved them that trouble, as the two horses belonged to these New Yorkers, and the two horse-thieves belonged in jail. And there is where Sandy has conducted them, with the New Yorkers to prefer charges against them and spare you scouts the trouble of doing so. Tally got the reward, but he says he won’t keep it. He swears in Indian lingo that it belongs to ‘um-m-m-m, eh-eh, scout!’”
CHAPTER TEN
ANCIENT RUINS AND MODERN ROMANCE
It had been unanimously agreed that all would wait at Bishops Lodge until Sandy got back from Santa Fé, then all would ride to Taos Pueblo together. Therefore Tally was told to stay in bed as long as he liked and not get up for breakfast, but it was not necessary to advise the girls, as they had no idea of going to bed at two o’clock and getting up at dawn, when there would be nowhere to go. Hence every one slept in the morning.
At a very late breakfast it was hastily decided to drive out in an automobile to the Nambe Indian Reservation where Burt could collect such information as might prove to be valuable for his articles in the paper. They could all be back at the Lodge in the afternoon by the time Sandy was expected. The horses and burros would have rested twelve or more hours then, and could resume the trail.
This plan was carried out, and when the party returned to the Lodge they were delighted to find the Ranger had arrived shortly before them.
“Hello, friends!” called Sandy coming out to the large porch. “I know you’re all glad to see me feeling so well and happy.”
The scouts laughed and crowded around him, asking for particulars of the arrest. Also they were eager to know what the New Yorkers did after the outlaws were in jail—and what became of the splendid horses?