CHAPTER XVIII.
A BUNCH OF PRISONERS.
Pete Curry and his two deputies set off the next morning with theirprisoners--thirteen in all. They were taking the ruffians direct to thenearest point where they could be confined and afterward delivered fortrial into the hands of certain officers, who would take several of themto different parts of Arizona where they had committed crimes. At noonthe second day they reached a point in a barren valley where the sunbeat fiercely. Scorched mountains rose to the east and west. They cameto a halt.
In the party of sixteen there were only three horses, ridden by theofficers. The prisoners had been compelled to tramp over the desert, themountains, and valleys. The wrists of each captive were bound behind hisback.
A tough-looking, desperate lot they were, taken all together. There wereMexicans and men with Indian blood in their veins among them. They hadweather-beaten, leathery, bearded faces. Many of them had a hangdogexpression. Their eyes were shiftless and full of treachery.
It was a most important capture for Curry, as there were among those mendesperate characters for whose apprehension rewards had been offered. Inshort, it was a round-up of criminals that would make Curry's name knownas that of a wonderfully successful officer of the law. He was proud ofhis accomplishment, although he regretfully admitted to himself that hedeserved very little credit for it. He and his two companions hadalready been well paid by Frank Merriwell.
Now, with his weapons ready, Curry was watching the prisoners, while histwo companions sought for water in the bed of the creek.
"How are you hitting her, Bill?" he called.
"She's moist, Pete," answered one of the diggers. "There's water here."
"It takes a right good while for her to gather in the hole," said theother digger. "If we makes a hole big enough, we will have some in anhour or so."
Curry took a look at the sky, the mountains, and the westering sun.
"Well, I opines we stops here a while," he said. "We may as well."
A big, burly fellow among the captives carelessly stalked toward Curry,who watched him with a keen eye.
"I say, Pete," said the prisoner familiarly, "mebbe you tells me justhow this yere thing happens. I am a whole lot bothered over it."
"Why, Bland, I has you--I has you foul," retorted Curry, with a grimsmile.
"That I certain admits," nodded the other; "but how it was did is whatpuzzles me a-plenty."
"You has some bad habits, Bland," returned the captor. "You monkeys withfirewater, and, for a man like you, with a price on him, it's a keerlessthing to do."
"No firewater ever lays me out," proudly retorted he of the droopingblack mustache. "I knows my capacity when it come to the real stuff. Butwhat I gits against this yere time is different a whole lot."
The deputy sheriff smiled again.
"Mebbe you're right, Bland," he admitted. "You thinks yourself a heapclever, but this time you is fooled right slick."
Texas Bland frowned.
"I confess, Pete, that it cuts me deep to realize it, but it certain isa fact that I gits tripped up. However, how it happened is what I wantster know. There sure was dope in that booze."
"Likely you're correct," nodded Curry.
"How does it git there?"
"Have you noticed a certain old Injun in this bunch sence we startedout?" asked the officer.
"No," said Bland, shaking his head. "I looks fer him some, but he is notyere. Does yer mean to insinuate that the old varmint loaded this bunchwith dope?"
"Well, how does it look to you?"
"Why, ding his old pelt!" exclaimed the captive indignantly. "Some ofthe boys knowed him. Some o' them had seen him afore. One or two hadseen him to their sorrer. They say to me that he plays poker somewhatslick. When he comes ambling into our camp, seeming a whole lot jaggedhisself, I was a bit suspicious; but the boys what knowed him says he isall right, and so I takes a drink with him. Arter that I gits a heapsleepy and snoozes. Next I knows you is there, Pete, and you has usnailed solid."
"That's about the way of it," nodded Curry.
"And the old whelp dopes us, does he!" growled Texas Bland. "Whateverdoes he do that fer?"
"Why, Bland, that yere old redskin is a friend of Mr. Merriwell. Hegives you the dope to help Merriwell. When we comes down into the valleythere and finds you all sleeping sweetly, the old Injun proposes toscalp you up some. To be course, we objects, and then he seems mightydisappointed-like. He seems to think he is cheated. He seems to reckonthat, having done the job so slick, your scalps belong to him."
Bland listened with a strange look on his face and a vengeful glare inhis deepset eyes.
"So that's however it is!" he growled. "Well, I am some glad I finds itout."
"Mebbe it relieves your mind some of worry," returned the captor; "butit does you little good."
"Don't you think it!" returned Bland harshly. "I settles with that oldInjun, you bet your boots!"
"First you settles with the law, Bland. You roams free a long time witha good price on your head. I am sorry fer you, but I reckons you are dueto stretch hemp."
Texas Bland actually laughed.
"Pete," he said, "the rope ain't made yet what hangs me."
"Your nerve is good, but I opine you're wrong this yere time. I has you,Bland, and I keeps you. I deliver you to them what wants you bad."
"That's all right, Pete," was the cool retort. "No hard feelings on myaccount, you understand. I takes my medicine when I has to, and so Iswallows this all pleasant and smiling. Just the same, you mark what Itells you, the rope ain't made what hangs Texas Bland. I goes backa-looking for that red skunk later, and I pots him. When I gits achance, I starts a lead mine in his carcass. The idea of being fooled bya redskin galls me up a heap. But you don't tell me any how it happensyou drops down thar and gathers us in just then."
"I am some acquainted with Frank Merriwell. I has done business for himbefore. When he comes sailing into Cottonwood and locates me, he says:'Curry, I am up against it some, and I needs assistance.' 'I am yours toorder,' says I. 'Whatever is a-doing?'
"Then he up and tells me that a gent with a whole lot of coin, whatcalls himself a money king, is trying to get possession of some newmines he has located. This gent, he says, has faked up a false chargeagainst him and gives him a heap o' trouble. This gent's partner oncetried mighty hard to get his paws on another mine belonging toMerriwell, and in the end he runs up against a bullet and lays downpeaceful and calm. This gent's name were Sukes. The one what isa-bothering Merriwell now is Macklyn Morgan."
"You interest me a-plenty," nodded Bland. "Now, there were some gentbehind this yere deal what says it pays us well if we seizes thosemines. Just who it were that puts up the coin fer the job I didn't knowfor sure. All I knows is that it comes straight through a gent what Idepends on, and the coin is in sight the minute we delivers the minesover. I reckons, Pete, the gent you speak of is the one what lays thejob out fer us."
Curry nodded.
"Likely that's all correct, Bland. But he makes a big mistake if hethinks this yere Merriwell is easy. Merriwell is a fighter from 'WayBack."
"He is a whole lot young."
"In experience he is a whole lot old. Mebbe he don't grow whiskers much,but he gets there just the same. Whiskers don't always make the man,Bland. With all his money, this yere Sukes don't get ahead of Merriwellany. When Morgan he tackles the job he finds it just as hard or harder.It does him no good to fake a charge that Merriwell shoots up Sukes."
"Where did this yere shooting happen, Pete?"
"Over yon in Snowflake."
Bland shook his head.
"Then it's ten to one he gits disturbed none fer it. If he provesconclusive this yere Sukes bothers him, why, supposing he did do theshooting, it convicts him of nothing but self-defense down in this yerecountry!"
"Sukes was a whole lot wealthy, you understand."
"All the same, I reckons it is pretty hard to put murder on a gentyereabouts in case he is defending
his rights."
"That's so," nodded Curry, at the same time lifting his eyes andwatching with interest several horsemen who now appeared far up thevalley, riding toward them through the heat haze.
Bland noticed Curry's look and turned in the same direction.
"Who does you allow is coming?" he questioned, with repressed eagerness.
Instead of answering, Curry called to the men who were laboring in thebed of the creek.
"Oh, Bill! Oh, Abe! Come up yere right away."
The inflection of his voice indicated that something was wrong, and thetwo men hastened to join him.
Curry motioned toward the approaching horsemen.
"Mebbe we is troubled some," he observed. "We needs to be ready."
The horsemen came on rapidly. There were seven of them in all. LikeCurry and his two companions, the captives watched the approaching menwith no small amount of anxiety. As the horsemen drew near, having toldBill and Abe to watch the prisoners closely, Curry rode forward.
"Howdy, gents!" he called.
"Howdy!" returned one of the men. "Is that you, Curry?"
"Surest thing you know," said the deputy sheriff. "Somehow I don't seemto recall you any."
"That's none strange," said the spokesman of the party. "I am GadHackett. No particular reason why you should know me."
"Whatever are you doing yere?" inquired the officer suspiciously.
"Just making a short cut, leaving all trails, from Fulton to Oxboro."
"Say you so? Seems ter me you're hitting in the wrong direction."
"I reckon I know my course," returned Hackett. "I have traveled thissection a-plenty. There seems to be a good bunch of you gents. Whateverare you a-doing?"
"We're holding up for water now," answered Curry evasively. "Mebbe youhurries right along? Mebbe you has no great time to waste?"
"We look some for water ourselves," returned the other man.
"Well, you has to look mighty sharp yereabouts. We digs our own waterhole, and unfortunately we can't share it any. If you goes down thevalley a mile or two, mebbe you finds a locality where water is easierto reach."
"Seems ter me you're some anxious to hurry us on," laughed Hackett."We're slightly tired, and I reckons we holds up for rest, water or nowater."
"That being the case," said Curry, "let me give you some advice. YanderI has a few gents what are wanted for various little doings in differentparts, and I am takin' pains careful-like to deliver them over. They'relawbreakers to the last galoot of the bunch. Mebbe you bothers themnone. I does my duty."
"Oh--ho!" retorted Hackett, "so that's how the wind blows! Why, certain,Curry, we interferes none whatever with your business. Instead o' that,we helps you any we can in running in your bunch of bad men."
"Thanks," returned the deputy sheriff coolly. "So long as I am notbothered with, I needs no help."
Hackett laughed again.
"I see, pard," he said, "you counts on gathering in the reward moneyyourself, and proposes to divide it none. All right; you're welcome."
Then, with his companions, he again rode forward. Curry looked them overcritically. In his eyes, with one or two exceptions, they appearedlittle different from the collection of ruffians who were his prisoners.With them he recognized one man, at least, who had an unenviablereputation--a tall, pockmarked individual--no less a person than SpottedDan.
There was in the party a man who seemed strangely out of place there.His every appearance was that of a tenderfoot, while his face, with hisshaven lips and iron-gray beard, looked like that of a stern old churchdeacon. Somehow this person interested Curry more than all the others.He wondered not a little at the appearance of such a man in such aparty.
"Who is the parsonish gentleman?" asked the deputy sheriff, as Hackettcame up with him. He spoke in a low tone and jerked his hand slightlytoward the tenderfoot.
"That?" said Hackett loudly. "Why, that is Mr. Felton Cleveland, agentleman what is looking around some for mining property, and it is himwe escorts to Oxboro. He engages us to see that he gets there allsafe-like, and he is in a hurry."
The man indicated did not betray that these words had reached his ears,although he had not missed the statement.
"He looks more like a missionary than a mining man," declared Curry.
As the new arrivals reached the captives and their guards, FeltonCleveland was soon looking the captives over with an expression ofinterest, not to say of sympathy. He turned to the deputy sheriff andobserved:
"It seems hardly possible, sir, that so many men could be lawbreakers;still, their faces indicate that they are desperate characters."
"I reckon you're some unfamiliar with this part of the country,"returned the officer. "We tries to keep our towns clean, but down alongthe Mexican border there are a few bad men. Sometimes they go inbunches."
"But it is remarkable that you should capture so many of them at onetime. Do you mind telling how it happened?"
"I am not feeling a whole lot like talking just now," returned thedeputy sheriff. "I opines you takes my word for it that they are justwhat I says."
"Oh, certainly, sir--certainly," nodded Cleveland. "I don't dispute youin the least. I assure you it is not mere idle curiosity on my part, forI have interests in this part of the country, and I wish to be wellinformed about it and its inhabitants. However, if you don't care totell me what these men have been doing, we will let it drop."
"Well, I don't mind saying that they was caught redhanded trying to jumpa claim. Mebbe that is the charge made agin' a few o' them, but Ireckons the most of the bunch is to face things a heap more serious."
"Trying to jump a claim?" said Cleveland. "Where was this, if you don'tmind giving that much information?"
"Over yon," answered Pete indefinitely, with a wave of his hand.
"Well, it's truly remarkable that you should be able to capture so manyof them. They outnumber you, it appears. If they are such desperate men,it surely is a strange thing that you could take them all."
"We has a way of doing things sometimes, mister. Let me advise you tokeep your own eyes open. Mebbe some o' that bunch you has is not to betrusted too far."
"There is no reason why they should betray me," was the assertion. "Ihave nothing on my person that could tempt them. They will be paid wellwhen we reach our destination. That should be enough to guarantee theirfaithfulness to me."
"You're some wise in leaving your valuables behind," nodded Curry.
Some of the captives attempted to converse with the newcomers, butCurry's companions promptly put a stop to that. Between Spotted Dan andone or two of them passed significant looks. The horsemen dismounted, asif to take a brief rest and give their animals a breathing spell.
Gad Hackett lighted his pipe and engaged one of Curry's comrades inconversation. Seeing this, Curry approached them and quietly said:
"You talks a little, Bill--a very little."
Bill nodded.
"I knows my business, Pete," he assured.
Hackett laughed.
"Why does he seem so mighty suspicious?" he asked. "We don't bother himnone."
After talking with Bill a few moments, however, he turned to Abe andengaged him in conversation. He seemed careless and indifferent in hismanner, and occasionally a few low words passed between them. After atime, Abe examined the water hole and announced that water was rising init. Bill joined him, and they were on their knees beside the hole when astartling thing happened. Curry suddenly felt something thrust againstthe back of his head and heard a harsh voice commanding him to standstill or be shot in his tracks.
The voice was that of Spotted Dan, who held the muzzle of a revolvertouching the deputy sheriff's head. Curry knew on the instant that hewas in for it. He knew better than to attempt the drawing of a weapon,although one hung ready in the holster at his side. Hackett, a pistol inhis hand, appeared before the officer.
"We don't care to shoot you up, Curry," he said; "but we has to do it ifyou gits foolish. Put up your hands." r />
"Whatever is this game?" exclaimed the startled man. "You arraysyourself agin' the law. You gits yourself into a heap o' trouble."
"Put up your hands," repeated Hackett sharply. "If you delays any, thegent behind you blows off the top of your head."
Knowing the folly of refusing to obey, Curry lifted his empty hands.Hackett then removed the revolver from the officer's holster.Instinctively Curry turned his eyes toward the water hole to see whatwas happening to his assistants there. He found them on their feet, butcovered by drawn weapons of several men. He saw them also disarmed. Thenone of the newcomers went among the captives and rapidly cut their bondsand set them free.
Texas Bland turned to Curry and laughed in his face.
"Pete," he said, "I tells you a while ago that the rope is not made thathangs me."