CHAPTER III.
AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
"Who ever saw such a downpour before?" growled one of the three men, ashe switched the water from his soft felt hat. "I'm wet to the skin."
"I'm no better off," replied one of the others. "I think we were foolsto leave Macklin's place, Gilroy."
"Just what I think, Fetter," said the third man. "We could have waitedas well as not."
"Yes, we could have waited, Potts," answered Matt Gilroy; "but, to tellthe truth, I don't want to trust Macklin too far. He might play usfoul."
"He wouldn't dare to do that," returned Gus Fetter.
"Why not--if he thought he would get a reward?" came from Nat Potts, theyoungest of the trio. "One thing is certain, Macklin is crazy to makemoney."
"I know a thing or two of Macklin's past--that's why," went on GusFetter. "If he got us into trouble I wouldn't keep silent about him, andhe knows it."
"Macklin is slippery, no two ways about it," said Matt Gilroy, as hetook off his jacket and wrung the water out. "I am not inclined to trusthim, and that is all there is to it."
"Did he ever belong to the old gang?" questioned Nat Potts. "Some say hedid, and some say he didn't."
"He was a hanger-on, that's all," came from Matt Gilroy. "He was alwaysafraid to take the chances of being shot, but was on hand when thespoils were divided. They used him as a messenger and a spy, but I don'tbelieve he ever really helped to hold up a coach."
"Humph, then it's a wonder the old crowd had anything to do with him!"
"Oh, they had to have messengers and spies, and they never gave Macklinmore than was coming to him, you can bet on that! I understand that whenthe Riverton coach was held up six years ago, and the gang gottwenty-two thousand dollars, they gave Macklin five hundred, and he wasglad to get that."
"That was a big haul!" cried Nat Potts enthusiastically. "I wish I hadbeen in it."
"The gang was followed for two days--by the soldiers under ColonelFairfield," went on Matt Gilroy, as he threw himself on the rocks,leaving his companions to start up a fire. "They had a hot time of itover to Bear Pass, I can tell you. Two men were shot, and one of them,Dan Hickey, my old chum, died from his wounds. They say ColonelFairfield himself fired the shot that took poor Hickey in the head, andif that's so--well, I've got an account to square with the colonel,that's all."
"You can square that after we've had our little interview with thequartermaster," returned Gus Fetter with a hard laugh.
"That's right--we'll be sure to have the soldiers after us," put in NatPotts. "They'll be doubly mad when they learn that the hold-up resultedin the emptying of the box with their wages."
"It will be a good haul if it goes through, boys. The quartermaster willbe carrying not less than twelve thousand dollars of the government'smoney besides his other stuff," returned Matt Gilroy.
Here the conversation came to a temporary end, for Nat Potts hadproduced a black flask, from which each of the men took a deep draught.Then Potts and Fetter started in to build a roaring fire at which allmight dry their clothing, leaving Gilroy, the leader of the crowd, to doas he pleased.
Joe had listened to the talk with mingled interest and horror. It didnot take him long to realize the truth--that these men were thoroughlybad, and that they had been mixed up in road robberies of the past andwere contemplating another robbery some time in the future.
"They mean to rob the quartermaster of the fort, when he is bringing inthe soldiers' wages from Rockspur," he thought. "And that leader isgoing to shoot down the colonel if he can. Who would imagine men couldbe so bad! And that leader seems to be educated, too!"
Joe would have been very much surprised had he known the truth, whichwas that Matt Gilroy, often called The Shadow, was a college-bred man,having passed through one of the leading institutes of learning of thePacific coast. But, following this college career, Gilroy had forgedchecks and committed a burglary, in company with an old chum namedHickey, and then the two had left Sacramento "between two days." Hickeyhad immediately joined the "knights of the road" and been shot down, aspreviously mentioned. Gilroy had drifted first to the Mississippi andthen to Denver, and had not gone into the mountains until later. Now hewas at the head of a desperate gang, numbering ten or a dozen, who hadalready committed several "hold-ups" of importance.
Soon the fire was burning brightly, and the three men took off part oftheir wearing apparel, that the articles might dry. They had broughtsome food with them, and as they sat eating and drinking they continuedto discuss their plans. Nat Potts, who was not over nineteen or twenty,was evidently something of a new member, and asked many questionsregarding the organization, and as he took in what was told him, so didJoe, listening with "all ears," as the saying goes.
"They must be as bad a crowd as can be found anywhere," thought theyouth. "I wonder what they would do with me, if they found out I hadbeen listening to their talk? Perhaps they'd kill me on the spot." Andhe gave a shiver.
The thunder and lightning had gradually abated, but with the coming ofnight the rain continued as steadily as ever. Fortunately for thedesperadoes, however, the rocks sloped away from the entrance to thecave, so that no water came inside, while the fire made everybody quitecomfortable.
Hardly knowing what to do, Joe continued behind the rocks, taking careto remain in the shadow. More than once he was afraid one or another ofthe men would start to investigate the surroundings and that he would bediscovered.
"I wish they would go to sleep," he said to himself. "Then I might get achance to slip past them and their horses."
With great impatience he watched the men finish up their supper, get outtheir pipes, and fall to smoking. In the meantime the horses had beenled to the opposite side of the cave and fastened to the rocks.
As Joe waited for a chance to get away he wondered what Darry and oldBenson were doing. More than likely they were looking for him. But werethey in that other cave, at the narrow passageway, or did the old scoutknow of this second cave and the secret entrance to it?
"If Benson leads the way around to here there may be trouble," he mused."It would be better if I could get out and head him off. But if I do getout, how shall I turn to find the trail we were pursuing? In thisdarkness a fellow couldn't see his hand before his face."
At last Fetter threw himself down on a blanket to rest, leaving Gilroyand Potts still conversing earnestly by the fire. The two desperadoestalked in a low tone, so that Joe now caught but little of what wassaid.
The backs of both men were turned toward the side of the cave where Joewas in hiding; and, plucking up courage, the youth started forward ontiptoe, bent upon getting out of the cave before the men should makesome move which would expose him.
Step by step he advanced, until he reached a point where he was within adozen feet of Gilroy and almost as close to Potts. He hardly dared tobreathe, and his heart thumped madly beneath his jacket. But the mencontinued to smoke and talk, unconscious of his proximity.
At the entrance to the cave the rocks were somewhat rough and the misthad made them slippery. Joe was crawling forward rapidly, when one footslipped, and he pitched headlong, making considerable noise.
"What was that?" cried Matt Gilroy, and leaped to his feet. He had beengazing into the fire, and for the moment could make out little in thedarkness.
"I don't know," returned Nat Potts. "Something moving around out there,I think." And the younger man reached for his pistol, which stillremained in his belt.
As rapidly as he could Joe sprang to his feet. A good bit of his windhad been knocked out of him, but he felt that he must not delay, and heran for the outer air gasping for breath.
"Hi! stop!" roared Matt Gilroy, catching sight of him at last. "Stop, Itell you!"
"A boy!" ejaculated Nat Potts. "He must have been hiding in here!"
"If he was he overheard too much," growled Gilroy. "Come, we must catchhim by all means," and he ran after Joe, with Potts following.