CHAPTER XV
A BIG RAID
Into the bunk tent of the older cowboys crowded the young ranchlads. Doubt, suspicion and wonder mingled in their minds, andforemost of all were two outstanding matters--the mysterioussignalling light, and the disappearance of Four Eyes--if, indeed,that individual had really taken himself off.
"Are you sure he was here?" asked Bud, when, after the firstbreak of surprise, questions were in order.
"Sure," replied Yellin' Kid. "We all come in here, after th'chores was done, t' have a friendly game of cards an' smoke. Wedidn't look for you back until late, if at all."
"And was Four Eyes with you then?" asked Nort.
"You couldn't exactly say he was _with_ us," replied Snake."An' yet he wasn't _away_ from us. He pretended he didn'twant t' play cards, an' he said he was so doggoned tired an'sleepy that he was goin' t' turn in. I told him that bein' in th'same tent with a whisperin' infant like Yellin' Kid, wasn'tperzactly healthy for sleep, but Four Eyes said he didn't mind.So he turned int' his bunk, an' pulled th' covers tip over hishead, though I don't see how he stood it, for it isn't winter,not by a long shot, an' this place was full of smoke. Anyhow hedone it, an' t' keep th' light out of his eyes, so he said, hepulled a chair up in front of his bunk like you see it now, an'stuck his coat over it."
Snake pointed to a chair, now twisted awry from in front of thecot that the missing cowboy had occupied. His coat, draped overthe back, effectually screened him from observation when lying onthe bed.
"He did that so's he could slip out an' get away!" spoke Yellin'Kid, justifying the sarcastic name of "whispering infant," thatSnake had bestowed on him.
"But how did he get out?" asked Dick.
"And what for?" Bud wanted to know,
"He got out this way!" said Old Billee quietly, as he leaned overthe cot and pushed with his hand against the side of the tent. Aright-angled opening was disclosed, cut with a sharp knife. Theloose point was at the bottom, and once Four Eyes had slippedout, the cut flap hung down in place, not disclosing, in the dimlight, that the canvas had been cut.
"He got out that way," went on Old Billee, "because th' tentsides, bein' fast t' th' board floor, wouldn't let him crawl outvery easy. He's a slick one, Four Eyes is!"
"But why should he slip out this way? Did he do anything? And whowas doing that signalling?" exclaimed Bud.
"I reckon you'll find, son, that the signallin' an' th' vamoosin'of our late friend Four Eyes had some connection," spoke OldBillee. "We, bein' intent on our game of cards, didn't knownothin' at all 'bout it till you fellows rode up. Now it's abouttime we got int' action!"
"You win!" declared Yellin' Kid loudly. "There's suthin' queerprospectin' around these diggings an' I'd like t' know what itis!"
"I guess we all would," spoke Bud. "And we'd better start rightin to find out about it. Come on, boys," he called to hiscousins, but the older cow punchers took the invitation tothemselves also, and soon, with lanterns and flashlights (whichhandy little contrivances the boy ranchers nearly always carried)they began the search.
First they made sure that Four Eyes was playing no trick on themby hiding under one of the cots in the bunk tent. Though, as Budpointed out, it would pass the bounds of fun to have cut thecanvas shelter as it was cut.
But no trace of Four Eyes was to be found.
"He's gone, hide, hair, horns, brand an' everythin'!" was the wayOld Billee expressed it.
"How about his horse?" asked Nort.
"He didn't get his black one back," remarked Snake. "But he mayhave sort of helped himself to one of yours, Bud."
This was found to be the case when the corral was visited. Itcould hardly have been expected, in that country of greatdistances, that the missing cowboy would not take a horse.
"And now let's have a look at the tower," suggested Bud, when arapid survey, under the fitful moonlight, had been made in thevicinity of the camp, and no trace of the missing man discovered."Some one was signalling from up there, and it must have beenFour Eyes."
"It _could_ have been some one else," suggested Dick, notbecause he believed that, but because he wanted to sift all theevidence and get to the bottom of matters.
"Yes, it may have been a wandering cowboy, Greaser or someIndian, far from his native reservation," Bud admitted. "But I'msaying it was Four Eyes, though why he did it I can't imagine."
Nor could any of the others. Or, if they had a theory, they didnot give voice to it, though, afterward, one and all said theyhad associated the missing cowboy with the rustlers.
But a search on and near the hastily-built watch tower disclosednothing. On the top platform, whence, doubtless, the signallinglantern had been waved, no light was found. There were burnedmatches and cigarette stubs, to be sure, but these were as muchthe discarded property of Yellin' Kid or Snake, as of Four Eyes,for they all had taken turns doing sentry duty, and, as it waslonesome up on the high perch, smoking was indulged in.
"Well, he's away, and that's all there is to it," said Bud, whenthe search was over. "Now all we've got to do is to wait forsomething to happen."
"Do you think something will happen?" asked Nort.
"Well, things have been happening ever since we came out here,"observed Dick. "First it was the finding of the Triceratops. Thenit was the water fight in the mysterious tunnel, and now it's therustlers after our cattle. Isn't that enough to happen?"
"Oh, yes," admitted Nort. "But I thought Bud meant somethingspecial was about due."
"It wouldn't surprise me if it did happen," declared the westernlad. "But I wasn't thinking of anything out of the usual. Onlythe combination--Four Eyes missing and us seeing the light makesme suspicious. So I'm ready for anything."
"And I'm ready for my bunk!" declared Dick, with a yawn. "It'smost morning! Let's turn in!"
They did, but none of the boy ranchers rested well, for they weretoo worried.
What did it all mean? And what events portended? These werequestions they wished soon would be answered.
The morning did not bring the return of Four Eyes, nor in thebetter light were any more clues discovered at the Watch Tower.Looking from its height, over the peaceful valley, the boyranchers saw nothing evil, and there was no hint of comingdisaster other than in the suspicions engendered by the recentstrange happenings.
"Do you suppose that signalling could have meant an Indianuprising?" asked Nort.
"Cracky! If it does we'll have to fight 'em, won't we?" askedDick, with sparkling eyes.
"I don't imagine the Indians around here have any notion ofrising," said Bud. "They have done such things, years ago, but Idoubt if they have enough spirit left for it now. They are toowell satisfied with their lot. But of course it's possible,though Buck Tooth says he doesn't look for anything of the sort.But then he's been with white men so long he isn't really much ofan Indian any more."
"Well, if there's any Indian fighting to be done I want to do myshare!" declared Dick, and his brother nodded in confirmation.
But as several days passed, and nothing more happened than theusual hard work on the ranch, the apprehensions of the boys beganto disappear. They made inquiries about Four Eyes, but no one onthe neighboring ranches had seen him. Mr. Merkel expressedhimself as greatly disappointed in the character of the cowboy hehad sent to his son.
"Maybe you got off lucky, with only a cut tent," the ranchmanobserved. "But better be on your guard, son."
"We will, Dad," replied the western lad.
It was about a week after the signal lights had been observed,the disappearance of Four Eyes coinciding, that, as Bud and hiscousins were eating "grub" in camp one noon, they heard shotsfired off to the north, and in the direction of the trail betweenHappy Valley and Diamond X ranch.
"What's that?" asked Nort, starting from his seat.
"Stampede, maybe," suggested Dick, for the boys knew that theolder cowboys were in that direction, rounding up a small herdwhich had been purchased and that was to be shipped east. Bud hurried to the entranc
e of the tent and what he saw causedhim to cry:
"Come on, boys! It's the rustlers again! They're making a raid!Get your guns!"
In less time than you would have deemed possible, unless you hadseen it, the boy ranchers were in the saddle, and were gallopingtoward the scene of the shooting. The sounds were more plain,now, and as they straightened out on the trail they could seewhere a fight was in progress.