CHAPTER XXI
SETTING THE TRAP
Just as Bob had remarked, the hard work of the first day of the grandround-up seemed to be done. The cowboys had taken their wearied mountsto the corral, and were themselves gathering in little knots, to talkover the exciting events marking the start of the regular Fall clean-up.
It promised to be a banner year for Circle Ranch. There were half againas many young cattle to brand with the well known ring, designed tostamp them as the property of Colonel Haywood. Besides, the main herdhad wintered better the preceding year than for a long time; there hadbeen less loss through wolves, and the depredations of rustlers; and, tocap the climax, many unclaimed cows and steers had fallen to thecolonel, after his raid on Lost Valley.
All these things made everybody feel “bully,” as the cow punchersthemselves expressed it. And as Frank and Bob passed group after groupthey could see that, tired as the workers must be, this feeling wasconstantly cropping out.
“Nobody seems to think of anything like danger right now,” said Bob, ina low tone, as they passed a bunch of the wild riders, among whom wereseveral dark-faced Mexicans.
“I should say not,” echoed his chum. “You see they believe our friendMendoza is across the border before now, and likely to stay on Mexicansoil for some time, if he knows what’s good for his health.”
“Did you notice that fellow on the outskirts of the bunch; and how heturned deliberately around to look at us when we rode past?” asked Bob.
“Sure,” came the quick reply, “but if we didn’t know what we did, Ireckon neither of us would have thought it queer for him to do that. Ifhe’s a stranger here, as seems likely, it would be only natural for himto look, when one of the others remarked that the colonel’s son wascoming.”
“I agree with you there, Frank; but seeing that we _do_ knowsomething, don’t you admit that there was something suspicious in thequick way he turned? For my part, I only gave him one peep as I waved myhand to the lot; but that seemed to tell me he was frowning to beat theband. How?”
“Just what he was, Bob.”
“Then you noticed that too, did you?” demanded the Kentucky boy,eagerly.
“No question about it; and three to one that fellow is no other that therustler who’s been such a nuisance around here for several years,” Frankreplied.
Bob whistled, as was his usual fashion when surprised.
“But think of his nerve, would you, Frank?”
“Oh! they say he’s got more than his share of that, all right,” chuckledhis chum, as they headed toward the horse corral, to leave their mountsin the care of the man who had charge there.
“Some of these punchers must have known him; he used to be on a ranchonce, I’m told,” Bob went on.
“That’s so,” said Frank, slowly, “but it was years ago that he brokeloose, and took to an easier way of getting a herd than raising cattle.Besides, you must remember we agreed he would shave his face clean, tostart with. That must make a big change in any Mexican. And he can keephis hat well down over his eyes. Last of all, he relies on the fact thatnobody dreams he would take such risks as to come here right now.”
After leaving their horses, the boys headed straight for the ranchhouse, where they asked for Colonel Haywood.
It chanced that he was in his business office, in consultation with theoverseer, which fact pleased Frank; since Bart Heminway would have to beput in touch with the truth concerning the presence of the notoriousrustler at the Circle Ranch round-up.
The stockman looked up as the lads entered, and smiled.
“Back from your little gallop, eh?” he remarked; for he had seen themstarting forth, and wondered at the powers of endurance shown by bothboys and horses; for they had been pretty busy all that stirring day.
“Yes, Dad, and with some news that will make you sit up and take notice,I reckon,” replied Frank, after glancing around, to make sure there wasno chance of his being overheard by way of the open window.
Bob had, by arrangement, stepped over, and taken up his position wherehe could occasionally thrust his head outside a window and in this waymake sure no listener was crouching near the wall of the building.
“Now you have me guessing, son,” remarked the stockman.
“Three to one it’s something about that Mendoza!” exclaimed theoverseer, who had never ceased to lament the fact that they had allowedthe rustler to escape so easily.
From the fact of Bob laughing at this chance remark, the stockmanrealized that Bart had hit pretty close to the line.
“What about him now, Frank?” he asked.
“He didn’t cross the boundary after all, Dad,” said the boy. “Fact is,he’s come back to this region, bent on getting his revenge for what theCircle Ranch outfit did to knock his game to flinders.”
“Where did you get this interesting news, son?” asked the other,frowning; for well he knew that it meant trouble of some sort.
“We happened to run across that old Moqui, Havasupai, when we wereriding just now. He was about tired out, but bent on getting to theranch house some time to-night. He told us that after riding off manymiles to the south with his men, Mendoza had slipped away, and headedback this way.”
“But Frank, how did the Indian know what the rustler had in mind?”
“I think he overheard a talk between Mendoza and one of his men,” theboy replied. “The rustler was angry at the slick way we shut him up thatday, and walked all his cattle off, as well as our own. He said he wasgoing to pay you up, if it was the last thing he ever did. And, dad, Ireckon he’s right here now, in the thick of the round-up, ready tostrike before another morning!”
Colonel Haywood and his overseer exchanged glances.
“Oh! he’s ekal to it, Colonel,” declared Bart. “When I think of the boldgames that fellar has engineered through all these years, and the way hegave us the merry laugh every time we hunted him, I’m ready to admithe’d be ready to drop in whar fifty enemies was gathered, and makeb’lieve he was one of ’em. And thar’s sure several Mexican ropers alongI never set eyes on before. Just as like as not one of ’em might beMendoza.”
“Did the Moqui know what sort of revenge this fellow expected to take,Frank?” the stockman continued, uneasily.
“I don’t know whether he was only guessing, or knew about it,” repliedthe boy; “but he said something about his poisoning the spring-holewhere most of our cattle drink; or else burning the building, while allof us were sleeping!”
“Either one would be bad enough,” declared the stockman; “but now thatwe have been forewarned it’ll have to be a clever man who can accomplishsuch a game.”
“What will you do, dad?” asked Frank, eagerly.
“First of all, put a guard over the spring, who will remain in hiding,with orders to shoot down any man seen to be tampering with the water,especially if he looks like a Mexican,” replied the rancher, firmly.
“And about burning the buildings?” continued Frank.
“I’ll make sure to be ready for him here,” the stockman continued. “Itwould please me first class to catch the house-burner in the act. Ofcourse, now that we believe Mendoza is here for some evil purpose, wecould jump on him without warning. That might suit most people; but it’salways been my plan to let a rascal go the length of his rope beforenabbing him.”
“I told Bob that, Dad,” remarked Frank. “But will you let all the boysin on the game?”
“Not at all, Frank. I might tell several who can be trusted to keep astill tongue in their heads; for we shall need a certain amount of helphere to watch the house on all sides, and get the fellow just as hestrikes his match. Old Hank Coombs came in just before you did, and isaround. Of course I shall count on him, as well as on Ted Conway, Scottyand Jeff Davis.”
“But you will let us sit up with the bunch, Dad; after bringing in thenews you wouldn’t shut us off, would you?” Frank asked.
“It wouldn’t seem right, I admit, after all the good work you two boyshave
done,” remarked the stockman; “though you’ll have to promise tohold back, and let some of the husky men do the actual hard work. Ican’t afford to take the chances of my boys getting hurt by such adesperate rascal.”
Of course both of them readily promised, and after some furtherconversation Frank and his chum hurried out. The coming of Old HankCoombs to the ranch was an event that greatly pleased Frank. Much thathe knew about life in the open had come through the kindly instructionof the veteran cow puncher and hunter; and the boy could look back tomany a happy night spent with old Hank beside a fire somewhere out onthe plains, or in the mountains.
Circle Ranch was a bustling hive just then. Scores of strangers were aptto visit the place during the several days that the drive and theround-up were on, interested in the great event. Men representing bigpapers and magazines in the East had come to see how these things wereconducted; for the stock raising business in the Southwest was soongoing into a decline, because farms were being taken up everywhere,under the wonderful new system of irrigation that was being put intopractice in many localities.
After supper there was heard the sound of merry music. Some of the boysplayed the mandolin or banjo; others sang; and a few even tried to dancewith their customary vigor, though weariness compelled them to speedilyabandon this form of hilarity.
Colonel Haywood had carried out all his quickly-laid plans for thecampaign, looking to the arrest of the rustler. He had sent a reliableman to the spring-hole where the cattle drank, with strict orders as towhat he should do if anyone came and acted suspiciously during thenight. No mercy was to be shown a man who would descend to such a passas to try and poison an entire herd of cattle, just to have revenge onthe man who had broken up his unlawful trade.
Bart Heminway talked to the four cowboys wanted at the house, and theyhad managed to slip indoors. They were now waiting to be placed on theirseveral stations by the stockman, who exhibited some of the qualities ofa general in managing his affairs.
The saddle boys had taken up their position in a spot close to TedConway and Old Hank. In figuring out just where the intended attackmight come, this particular place had been deemed first choice. Thedirection of the night wind convinced Colonel Haywood that a shrewd manwho wished to fire the buildings would be apt to select it as hisstarting point.
It was a dark night, too, despite the fact that there was supposed to bea moon back of the heavy clouds which covered the heavens.
Once having taken up their position, Frank and Bob knew that they mustremain as still as a cat watching for a mouse to show at a hole in theflooring. There was no telling when the enemy might appear. After havingstarted the blaze, if that proved the intention of the rustler, he wouldhave his plans laid to gallop madly away on the freshest horse in thecorral, and thus laugh at pursuit.
Tired after the labors of that wonderful day, the cowboys had soughttheir bunks sooner than usual. By ten o’clock all had become silentaround the place. Here and there a fire smouldered, past which anoccasional figure might be seen to shuffle; or it might be a dogwandering around, looking for bones.
Frank and Bob lay close, never moving a muscle, though to the latter itwas indeed hard work. An hour, two of them, had crept along, and nothinghappened. Bob even began to wonder whether after all there might not besome mistake; or whether the rustler’s nerve had failed him in thepinch.
Then he felt a slight nudge in the region of his ribs, that came fromFrank’s elbow. This warned him that his keen-eared chum had caught somesuspicious movement close by. Perhaps the rustler was coming, bent oncarrying out his scheme of firing the buildings belonging to CircleRanch! Bob held his breath, and waited to see what would speedilyhappen.