CHAPTER XI
A REAL ADVENTURE AT LAST
Uncle John woke up when the Major inadvertently placed a heel upon hisround stomach on the way to the ground. The chubby little millionairehad slept excellently and was in a genial humor this morning. Hehelped Wampus fry the bacon and scramble the eggs, while the Majorcalled the girls.
It proved a glorious sunrise and the air was full of pure ozone. Theyhad suffered little from cold during the trip, although it was inthe dead of winter and the altitude considerable. Just now they weregetting closer to California every hour, and when they descended fromthe mesa it would gradually grow warmer.
They were all becoming expert at "breaking camp," and preparing forthe road. Beth and Patsy put away the bedding and "made up" theinterior of the limousine for traveling. The Major and Uncle Johnfolded the tent and packed it away, while Wampus attended to thedishes and tinware and then looked over his car. In a surprisinglyshort time they were all aboard and the big machine was gliding overthe faint trail.
The mesa was not a flat or level country, for they were still near tothe mountain ranges. The way was up hill and down, in gentle slopes,and soon after starting they breasted the brow of a hill and wereconfronted by half a dozen mounted men, who seemed as much astonishedat the encounter as they were.
It being an event to meet anyone in this desolate place Wampusinvoluntarily brought the car to a halt, while the riders lined upbeside it and stared rather rudely at the party. They were dressed ascowboys usually are, with flannel shirts, chapelets and sombrero hats;but their faces were not rugged nor healthy, as is the case with mostWestern cowboys, but bore marks of dissipation and hard living.
"Remittance men," whispered Wampus.
Uncle John nodded. He had heard of this curious class. Especially werethe men staring at the three pretty, feminine faces that peered fromthe interior of the limousine. They had remained silent thus far, butnow one of them, a fellow with dark eyes and a sallow complexion,reined his horse nearer the car and removed his hat with a sweepinggesture that was not ungraceful.
"A merry morning to you, fair ladies--or angels--I much misdoubt whichwe have chanced upon. Anyhow, welcome to Hades!"
Uncle John frowned. He did not like the bantering, impudent tone. Bethflushed and turned aside her head; Myrtle shrank back in her cornerout of sight; but Patsy glared fixedly at the speaker with anexpression that was far from gracious. The remittance man did not seemdaunted by this decided aversion. A sneering laugh broke from hiscompanions, and one of them cried:
"Back up, Algy, and give your betters a chance. You're out of it, oldman."
"I have no betters," he retorted. Then, turning to the girls again andignoring the presence of the men accompanying them, he continued:
"Beauteous visions, since you have wilfully invaded the territory ofHades Ranch, of which diabolical domain I, Algernon Tobey, am by graceof his Satanic majesty the master, I invite you to become my guestsand participate in a grand ball which I shall give this evening inyour honor."
His comrades laughed again, and one of them shouted:
"Good for you, Algy. A dance--that's the thing!"
"Why, we haven't had the chance of a dance for ages," said anotherapprovingly.
"Because we have had no ladies to dance with," explained Algy. "Buthere are three come to our rescue--perhaps more, if I could see insidethat barricade--and they cannot refuse us the pleasure of theirsociety."
"Sir," said Major Doyle, stiffly, "you are pleased to be impertinent.Ride on, you rascals, and spare us further sight of you."
The man turned upon him a scowling face.
"Don't interfere," he said warningly. "This isn't your party, you oldduffer!"
"Drive ahead, Wampus," commanded Uncle John.
Wampus had to get out and crank the engines, which he calmly proceededto do. The man who had called himself Algernon Tobey perceived hisintention and urged his pony to the front of the car.
"Let that thing alone. Keep your hands off!" he said.
Wampus paid no attention. The fellow brought his riding whip downsharply on the chauffeur's shoulders, inflicting a stinging blow.Instantly little Wampus straightened up, grasped Tobey by the legand with a swift, skillful motion jerked him from his horse. The manstarted to draw his revolver, but in an instant he and Wampus wererolling together upon the ground and the Canadian presently cameuppermost and held his antagonist firmly between his knees. Thenwith deliberation he raised his clinched fist and thrust it forciblyagainst Mr. Tobey's eye, repeating the impact upon his nose, his chinand his cheek in a succession of jarring thumps that were deliveredwith scientific precision. Algy fairly howled, kicking and strugglingto be free. None of his comrades offered to interfere and it seemedthey were grimly enjoying the punishment that was being; inflictedupon their leader.
When Wampus had quite finished his work he arose, adjusted hisdisarranged collar and tie and proceeded to crank the engines. Then heclimbed into his seat and started the car with a sudden bound. As hedid so a revolver shot rang out and one of the front tires, pierced bythe bullet, ripped itself nearly in two as it crumpled up. A shout ofderisive laughter came from the cowboys. Algy was astride his ponyagain, and as Wampus brought the damaged car to a stop the remittancemen dashed by and along the path, taking the same direction UncleJohn's party was following". Tobey held back a little, calling out:
"Au revoir! I shall expect you all at my party. I'm going now to getthe fiddler."
He rejoined his comrades then, and they all clattered away until aroll of the mesa hid them from sight.
Uncle John got down from his seat to assist his chauffeur.
"Thank you, Wampus," he said. "Perhaps you should have killed himwhile you had the opportunity; but you did very well."
Wampus was wrestling with the tire.
"I have never start a private graveyard," he replied, "for reason Iam afraid to hurt anyone. But I am Wampus. If Mister Algy he danceto-night, somebody mus' lead him, for he will be blind."
"I never met such a lawless brood in my life," prowled the Major,indignantly. "If they were in New York they'd be put behind the barsin two minutes."
"But they are in Arizona--in the wilderness," said Uncle John gravely."If there are laws here such people do not respect them."
It took a long time to set the new tire and inflate it, for the outertube was torn so badly that an extra one had to be substituted. Butfinally the task was accomplished and once more they renewed theirjourney.
Now that they were alone with their friends the girls were excitedlygossiping over the encounter.
"Do you really suppose we are on that man's ground--his ranch, as hecalls it?" asked Myrtle, half fearfully.
"Why, I suppose someone owns all this ground, barren as it is,"replied Patsy. "But we are following a regular road--not a very goodone, nor much traveled; but a road, nevertheless--and any road ispublic property and open for the use of travelers."
"Perhaps we shall pass by their ranch house," suggested Beth.
"If we do," Uncle John answered, "I'll have Wampus put on full speed.Even their wild ponies can't follow us then, and if they try shootingup the tires again they are quite likely to miss as we spin by."
"Isn't there any other road?" the Major asked.
Wampus shook his head.
"I have never come jus' this same route before," he admitted; "but Imake good friend in Prescott, who know all Arizona blindfold. Him saythis is nice, easy road and we cannot get lost for a good reason--thereason there is no other road at all--only this one."
"Did your friend say anything about Hades Ranch?" continued thequestioner.
"He say remittance man make much mischief if he can; but he oneforeign coward, drunk most time an' when sober weak like my aunt'stea. He say don't let remittance man make bluff. No matter how manycome, if you hit one they all run."
"H-m," murmured Uncle John, "I'm not so sure of that, Wampus. Thereseems to be a good many of those insolent rascals, and I hope we shal
lnot meet them again. They may give us trouble yet."
"Never be afraid," advised the chauffeur. "I am Wampus, an' I amhere!"
Admitting that evident truth, our tourists were not greatly reassured.Wampus could not tell where the road might lead them, for he did notknow, save that it led by devious winds to Parker, on the borderbetween Arizona and California; but what lay between them and thatdestination was a sealed book to them all.
The car was heavy and the road soft; so in spite of their powerfulengines the car was not making more than fifteen miles an hour. Ashort ride brought them to a ridge, from the top of which they saw ahuddle of buildings not far distant, with a near-by paddock containinga number of ponies and cattle. The buildings were not palatial, beingcomposed mostly of adobe and slab wood; but the central one, probablythe dwelling or ranch house, was a low, rambling pile coveringconsiderable ground.
The road led directly toward this group of buildings, which ourtravelers at once guessed to be "Hades Ranch." Wampus slowed down andcast a sharp glance around, but the land on either side of the trailwas thick with cactus and sagebrush and to leave the beaten path meanta puncture almost instantly. There was but one thing to be done.
"Pretty good road here," said Wampus. "Hold tight an' don't get scare.We make a race of it."
"Go ahead," returned Uncle John, grimly. "If any of those scoundrelsget in your way, run them down."
"I never like to hurt peoples; but if that is your command, sir, Iwill obey," said Wampus, setting his jaws tightly together.
The car gathered speed and shot over the road at the rate of twentymiles an hour; then twenty-five--then thirty--and finally forty. Thegirls sat straight and looked eagerly ahead. Forms were darting hereand there among the buildings of the ranch, quickly congregating ingroups on either side of the roadway. A red flag fluttered in thecenter of the road, some four feet from the ground.
"Look out!" shouted Uncle John. "Stop, Wampus; stop her, I say!"
Wampus saw why, and applied his brakes. The big car trembled, sloweddown, and came to a stop less than a foot away from three ugly bars ofbarbed wire which had been placed across the road. They were now justbeside the buildings, and a triumphant shout greeted them from theircaptors, the remittance men.