CHAPTER XX
HENDERSON’S PLANS MISCARRY
“He doesn’t seem to care whether we run away or not,” observed Sandy, when the outlaw had passed out of hearing. “Shall we make a try, Dick?”
Dick shook his head.
“We wouldn’t go far. I’d rather stay here and take my chances.”
Toma dropped the handle of the windlass and walked over to his two friends. His eyes were shining.
“You think I play mean trick when I drop trap yesterday,” he began. “I think mebbe you feel mad at Toma.”
“No,” protested Dick, “but tell us how it all happened. What did they do, Toma?”
“I stand look out door mebbe not more than ten minutes, when I see plenty men come along ridge. No time to do much. Henderson close already. No good shoot; no good run away. First thing I think about you an’ Sandy. I try shout down hole, but you no hear. Men come closer all time. I run to door then back to hole. I shout once more, but you no hear. Pretty soon I have good idea. I think mebbe I close trap and scrape dust over it. Henderson him not find where you, Sandy are. By time I pull up rope and close hole bad fellows just outside cabin. When they come in, I give up. Fellows take our guns. Henderson speak out:
“‘Where other fellow go?’
“I tell him lie. I say you, Sandy run away. He no believe that. He see you, Sandy gun an’ shoulder-pack. He ask me many, many times where you go, but always I tell him same thing. Bye-’n’-bye one bad fellow pull knife an’ prick me three, four, five times so it hurt very much. He keep on until I stand it no longer, so I tell him where you, Sandy go, an’ where he find ’em plenty sacks of gold.”