CHAPTER XVIII.
BLACK RAMON’S TRICKERY.
“This looks like some of that rascal Ramon’s work!”
Jack paused in the fruitless search and wiped the perspiration from hisforehead.
The officer of the Rangers, whose name was Antonio Del Rio, carefullyrolled a brown paper cigarette and lighted it before he glanced up atthe troubled young countenance before him.
“I think you are right, senor. During your absence he and his band musthave surprised the camp and carried your amigos off as prisoners, thatis, unless they themselves have taken to the trail.”
“And leave me behind! Not likely. No, senor, they have met with somefoul play.”
“I proffer you my services and those of my Rangers,” was the promptrejoinder, “we will set out at once.”
“But the question is, in which direction shall we go?” asked Jack,frankly bewildered.
“Wait. I will call Juan Andreas. He is the most expert tracker in theRurales, and if there is a chance of picking up their trail, he will doit.”
Andreas proved to be a small, shrivelled Mexican on a “paint” orspotted pony. Jack saw that his eyes flashed like those of an oldhunting dog, as, in obedience to his superior’s command, he slippedfrom his pony and began running about in the surrounding woods,crouching low, with his nose almost on the ground.
Suddenly he stopped, straightened up, and with a gesture almost regal,he raised a hand and pointed to the west.
“They go that way,” he said in Mexican.
The young officer nodded. The notes of the bugle rang out, and aninstant later the camp site was once more deserted as the cavalcadedashed off through the dense woods in hot pursuit of the missing menand boys.
It is now time that we inquire for ourselves just what was happeningand had happened to Ralph, Walt, Coyote Pete and the professor. AfterJack had left the camp then, the professor with his geological hammerhad started out to get specimens, of which he already had severalpounds, much to Coyote Pete’s disgust.
He wandered down the canyon and had perhaps gone further than heintended, when suddenly he was seized from behind, his arms pinionedand the cold muzzle of a pistol pressed to the back of his neck.
“Now march,” came a crisp order, and the man of science, being alsoa man of discernment, “marched.” He did not dare to turn his head,but from the trampling of hoofs behind him he judged that several menmust be following in his wake. Before long he found that they wereundoubtedly headed for the Border Boys’ camp. But he dared make nooutcry, for the old man had guessed already that his captors must beBlack Ramon’s men, and he knew that they held human life no dearer thanso much dust.
Arrived near to the camp, the old man was tied to a tree and gagged,and then his captors, whom he now recognized as Ramon’s band, scatteredamong the trees in such a manner that they completely encircled thecamp. All at once one of them began to make a peculiar sound,—aperfect imitation of the “gur-gur-gur-gobble” of the wild turkey.
How the professor longed to warn the boys of the crafty trap that wasbeing set for them! But he was powerless to do anything. As the wilyband of marauders had guessed, the “skirling” of the supposed turkeywas enough to set the camp agog. Snatching up shotguns, Walt and Ralphplunged off into the underbrush. They had not gone twenty paces beforethe brigands, noiselessly as panthers, seized and bound them, old coatsbeing held over their heads to prevent their making any outcry. Thisdone, they were bound to the same tree as the professor.
The capture of Coyote Pete alone, now remained to be accomplished.For, as we know, though the marauders were not aware of the fact, Jackwas far from the camp at the time. But in Coyote the Mexicans caught aTartar. The old plainsman was frying some bacon, stooping low over thecoals, when the sharp crack of a twig behind him caught his attentiveear. Like a flash he bounded erect, but not before the muzzles of adozen rifles were aimed at him from the underbrush.
Black Ramon was taking no chances with Coyote Pete, whom he knew bothby reputation and experience.
For one instant, as he took in the situation, Coyote was still as afigure carved from marble. Only the heaving of his chest under his blueshirt showed that he was, for him, considerably startled.
Suddenly, and without the slightest warning, the old plainsmancrouched low, and then dashing straight at the nearest Mexican, seizedhim by the legs, and before the others had recovered their senses,he had hurled the fellow backward by an expert wrestling trick. Theastonished Mexican alighted in the midst of the campfire, overturningthe spider, from which he was plentifully sprinkled with scalding baconfat.
In this way Coyote, cut off from reaching his own weapons, managed topossess himself of a rifle.
“Now,” he shouted, “the first varmint that fires at me gets some ofthis lead. I may only have one shot, but I’ll make that one tell.”
A storm of bullets was the result, but Coyote with that quick foresightwhich was his characteristic, threw himself flat behind a large rock,with the result that the leaden hail spattered against the solid stone.
Suddenly a figure on a black horse rode into the little clearing. Itwas Ramon himself. Without the slightest hesitation Coyote threw uphis rifle to his shoulder, and, disregarding his own danger, firedpoint blank at the outlaw leader.
But for once Coyote Pete’s aim was at fault. Ramon was not evenscratched by the missile.
“Gosh!” exclaimed Pete, “I begin ter think thar is suthin’ in thatstory that he bears a charmed life arter all. I had a plum bead on himand——”
In his astonishment at his missing such an easy shot, the cow-puncherhad not noticed several forms creeping through the dark woods behindhim. Before he had a chance to defend himself, he was dealt a mightyblow on the back of the head by a “clubbed” rifle in the hands of oneof the outlaws whose head was encircled by a big bandage.
“Take that for the blow you struck me at the rancho,” grunted thefellow, as Pete, spreading his arms, fell forward like a stunned ox.The man who had dealt the blow was the same whom Pete had knocked offthe ladder on that memorable night at the lonely rancho.
“Pick him up and place him with the others,” ordered Ramon, without theslightest trace of any emotion whatever showing on his copper-coloredface.
This order was swiftly carried out, and the consternation of the othersmay be imagined when they saw the cow-puncher’s lanky form beingcarried by two of the raiders. They had heard the shots and at firstthey feared that Pete was dead, but to their relief, the next minute,they overheard Ramon remark:
“Throw him upon his horse when you bring it up. He’ll be all right in ashort time.”
Presently the boys, with eyes that flamed with indignation, saw theMexicans leading up their stock, not forgetting the pack burros, whoseburdens had been hastily hitched on.
“Caramba, but I would like to lay my hands on that other one, thatMerrill boy, more than all the rest,” snarled Ramon through his yellowteeth. “Take the gag out of that boy’s mouth yonder, and ask him whereJack Merrill is,” commanded Ramon of one of his men, none other infact than the Acosta for whom Jack had been mistaken.
Ralph was the prisoner designated by Ramon, and not a little relievedwas he to have the not-over clean bit of cloth, with which his mouthhad been stopped, removed from his teeth.
“Now then,” blustered Ramon, “where is Jack Merrill?”
“Far from here and on a mission to Santa Anita,” retorted Ralph boldly.He was an honest lad, but in such a case deceit was the only coursepossible. If he had told the truth, the bandits were quite capable ofhiding and waiting for the boy, thus enmeshing the whole party.
“What has he gone there for? Be careful, boy, and speak the truth.”
“To get the Mexican Rangers to run down all such rascals as you,” wasthe bold reply, and one which an instant later Ralph wished he hadbitten out his tongue before he made.
“Well, that being the case, forewarned is forearmed, as you say inyour country,” rejoined Ramon. Then
in Spanish he gave orders to mountimmediately. First, however, he presented Jack’s pony Firewater toAcosta, as a recompense, presumably, for the loss of the latter’s ownanimal.
The boys and the professor were hustled into saddles and their legstied together under the ponies’ bellies. Ramon stood by looking onsardonically while this was being done.
“You are not at the lone rancho now,” he chuckled, “but in the heartof the most lonesome range of mountains in Mexico. That was a clevertrick of yours to escape with the senorita, but now you are going topay for it. Ah, yes, I shall have a revenge, and such a revenge it willbe, too!” He showed his long yellow fangs as he spoke, and chuckledhideously. In spite of their determination to be calm, the ladsshuddered a bit. But the professor stared stonily at the ruffian.
“Am I to understand that it is your intention to abduct us?” hedemanded.
“It is,” was the rejoinder, “I mean to make you useful to me in manyways. As my slaves in Trembling Mountain I’ll make you wish every hourof the day that you had never tried to thwart Black Ramon. Forward!”
At the command the band dashed off. Coyote Pete, still unconscious,tied to the saddle of his horse. The boys’ gags had been removed, ashad the professor’s of course, and as the rush of hoofs drowned othersounds, Walt found an opportunity to say to Ralph:
“Thank goodness, old Jack’s still at large. Depend upon it, he’ll findsome way to get the Mexican Rangers and help us out of this.”
But Ralph shook his head.
“We’re at the last ditch now, Walt,” he replied. “I don’t see a chancefor us.”