CHAPTER XVIII
DRIVEN BACK
Bud was to go back to the ranch with some of the cowboys and remainthere while the main body of punchers moved up into the glen tocapture, if possible, the mysterious men with their more mysterioustank of strange gas. And, after a second consideration of the affairin hand, it was decided that it would be best if the main body ofavengers could have one of Fah Moo's hot breakfasts before starting inon what might be a strenuous day's work.
"But if we all go in," objected Nort when this plan was outlined,"those fellows up in the glen may escape, if they haven't alreadyskipped away to stay."
"I've thought of that," stated Old Billee who was sort ofcommander-in-chief. "We'll send some scouts up to watch and see whathappens. Who'll volunteer?"
There was no lack on this score, for though the men were all tired fromthe night's vigil, on edge from lack of sleep and hungry into thebargain, Billee had three times as many as he needed for scouts.
Cow-punchers are "he-men," and little things like loss of sleep anddelay in getting breakfast do not bother them. It was arranged thatwhen the main body returned, after a session with the Chinese cook,they would bring a "snack" for the scout volunteers.
"And some hot coffee in thermos bottles," added Bud, who knew how thatwould be appreciated. "We have some thermos bottles at the ranch. Ionly hope I'll feel able to come back and help fight."
"Do you think there'll be a fight?" asked Yellin' Kid, eagerly.
"It's likely," said Billee.
"Whoop-ee!" roared the loud-voiced one and his joyous sentiment wasechoed on all sides. Bud looked a little glum that he could not be "inon the fun," as he called it later. But he was more done up than heimagined, for he had gone through a strenuous time, though he had notactually been mistreated.
So while some of the cowboys more recently engaged were sent into theglen as scouts, the main body, with Bud riding on a spare horse whichhad been brought along for just such an eventuality, went back to theranch.
There things soon began to "hum," as Nort and Dick expressed it. Theyhad had experience before with desperate and unscrupulous men who, asrustlers, or otherwise, had endeavored to make trouble for the boyranchers. And the young managers of Dot and Dash did not shrink fromthe coming conflict.
"Can do--sure!" was the bland reply of Fah Moo when asked if he couldget breakfast for the bunch in a hurry. "Sure can do!"
And he did.
Guns were looked to, extra ammunition was packed, hurried snatches offood were the order of the day, and when baskets of grub had beenpacked for the scouts left on guard, once more the cavalcade startedoff.
On the way to Smugglers' Glen a sort of campaign was outlined andagreed upon. It was decided to advance on foot against the men in thecave, for the defile was so narrow, and the footing so uncertainbecause of loose rocks, large and small, that horses would be adisadvantage rather than a help in case of a fight.
"We'll leave the ponies at the entrance, same as Bud did his,"suggested Old Billee.
"All alone?" asked Nort. "Some of those fellows may sneak up in ourrear and make off with our mounts."
"They won't be unguarded," declared Billee, who was too old a fighterto make the mistake of leaving his rear open to attack. "I'll have acouple of the hands stay with the horses."
"Not me you won't!" shouted Yellin' Kid. "Me, I'm goin' to _fight_!I'm not goin' to be nurse-maid for a lot of cow ponies!"
"Me either!" declared Snake.
"Order in the ranks!" snapped Billee with blazing eyes. "I'm in chargehere, by the instructions of the boss, and I won't have anybody sayingwhat they will and won't do! You heard me!"
He was as different from the usual mild Old Billee Dobb as chalk isfrom cheese. He was in his element and he knew it.
"No offense, chief," said Yellin' Kid, humbly and in subdued tones."But I do want to get a shot at these fellers!"
"I wonder if Del Pinzo can be back of this gang?" mused Nort as he rodebeside his brother toward the glen.
"I wouldn't put it past him," answered Dick. "But I thought he was injail."
"They don't seem to make, out here, the kind of jails that will keepDel Pinzo behind the bars," commented Nort. "If he's around thesediggings he'd be the very one to engineer some dirty trick."
"Speaking of diggings," went on Dick, "what do you reckon it was Budsaw those fellows digging out of the sides of the cave?"
"Give it up, for the time being. We'll find out when we get inside.But in spite of the fact that Bud thinks he saw some queer operationshe may have dreamed it all--after that gas attack, you know."
"Yea, I guess so. It's queer all around. Fancy rustlers being so upto date as to use the tactics of chemical warfare."
"There's been a lot of strange things since the Big War," stated Nort."Maybe some of these rustlers were in the chemical division of theA.E.F. and learned tricks there of how to make and send out ofcylinders gas that would knock a man out but not kill him."
"That's possible. But what about the horses, cattle and men who werekilled here in Death Valley? I mean years ago, the way Billee tellsit. Did these fellows have anything to do with that?"
"Hard to say, but I don't believe so."
"Then what did?"
"That's what we've got to find out after we get through with this gang."
The avengers urged their ponies ahead at a fast clip and the sun wasstill far from the meridian when they came in sight of the entrance tothe defile. Dark and sinister it loomed in contrast to the brightnessof the day. What secrets did it hold?
"I wonder if Old Tosh is up there, helping the rustlers?" mused Dick asBillee got ready to call a halt and deploy his forces.
"Don't believe that old yarb doctor does any more harm than givingChinks the stomach-ache," chuckled Nort. "But he may have rented thatcave to those fellows."
"Nervy of him, considering that the cave is on Dot and Dash land," saidDick.
It did not take long to get ready for the attack. Billee named the menhe wanted to remain as a rear guard in charge of the horses, and theyaccepted the detail in as cheerful spirits as possible. To the reliefof Yellin' Kid and Snake Purdee, they were not compelled to remain thusinactive.
"Though you fellows may have a fight on your hands," Billee said to thehorse guard as he posted them, "these fellows may dash out after werouse 'em, and it'll be up to you to deal with 'em."
"We'll do that all right, boss," chuckled a big, lanky puncher, one ofthe new hands hired.
With Nort and Dick at his side, Billee Dobb led the way up into thedark defile. Every man had his gun out and was eager-eyed for whatmight happen next.
"Don't make any more noise than you can help," cautioned Billee to themen back of him. "We want to surprise these _hombres_ if we can."
On and on they went, over big and little bowlders, up into the glenwhere the frowning, towering walls looked down on them. The passagebecame narrower. They were now approaching the cave.
"Steady, boys!" called Billee as they rounded a turn and came withinview of the dark entrance to the cavern.
It was a tense moment. Some of the men carried a gun in either hand.Nort and Dick had one each, and Billee was armed likewise. A littlewind began blowing down the gulch in the faces of the attackers. Itseemed to bring with it a slight mist.
"Gettin' foggy," commented Snake. "I wonder----"
Then he began to cough and choke. So did Nort, Dick and Old Billee.The white mist came floating nearer.
"Look out, boys!" suddenly shouted Yellin' Kid. "It's a gas attack,same as in the war. Look out!"
A moment later the party was sneezing, coughing and gasping for breathas the faint white mist, blown by the wind, enveloped them. It causeda terrible, gripping sensation, a constriction of the throat muscles sothat breathing was difficult.
"They've got us!" yelled Billee. "We can't fight poison gas! Back up,boys! We've got to run!"
It was impossible to advance in t
he face of this mysterious surpriseattack and the avengers were driven back. Gasping, and trying to keepfrom collapsing under the afflicting sensation, the Dot and Dash menwere forced to retreat from their unseen foes.