CHAPTER XV
DICK'S SNAP SHOT
The sun rose late down in that deep crevice, and for that reason, addedto the lateness of the hour at which we had gone to bed, we did not wakeup next morning till after six o'clock. We found, however, that Pedrohad been up a couple of hours at least, for he had a good fire going,had made everything ready to start breakfast, and moreover he had beenup on the mountain and had brought down Arthur's horse and his own burrofrom the little valley where they had been left at pasture.
When I, myself, awoke, I found that Dick was ahead of me. He wasstanding by the fire, warming himself--for the mornings were stillcold--and talking to Pedro, who, I guessed, was explaining something,for he was waving his long arms energetically, first in one directionand then in another.
"Well, Dick," said I, as we sat cross-legged on the ground, eating ourbreakfast, "what is this idea of yours? Does it still look as favorableas it seemed to do last night?"
"Better," replied Dick, with his mouth full of bacon. "A great dealbetter. I felt pretty confident last night that I was on the way to earnthat half-interest in the Hermanos Grant, and this morning, sincetalking with Pedro, I feel more confident still."
"Is that so?" cried Arthur. "I hope you're right. What is it you thinkyou have discovered?"
"In the first place," replied Dick, "I have discovered that we are a lotof wiseacres: we have been going around with our eyes shut."
"How?" we both asked.
"If we hadn't had our heads so full of the old copper mine, and if wehadn't been so bent on finding the trail to it, we should never havemade the mistake we did."
"What mistake?" I asked. "Hurry up, Dick! Don't take so long about it.What are you driving at?"
"Why, this!" replied my partner, suddenly sitting up straight andwagging his finger at us. "This trail we have been following, all theway from Hermanos up to the edge of the canon, was not a trail atall--it was a ditch!"
"A ditch!" we both exclaimed.
"Yes, a ditch. A ditch dug by those old Pueblo Indians to carry waterdown to that wide, level stretch of ground at the back of the _Casa_.I'm sure of it. If you give up the idea of a trail and consider it as aditch, all its peculiarities will be explained at once. It will accountfor its uniform grade, for its unexpected distinctness, and more thaneverything else, it will account for the fact that the 'trail' neveronce dipped down a hill or climbed one either, butalways--invariably--went round the head of every gully, deep or shallow,that came in its way."
"Upon my word, Dick!" cried Arthur. "I believe you _have_ made adiscovery! I believe that it is the line of an old ditch, after all;though the pack-trains doubtless used it as a convenient road as far asthe top of the canon and then switched off down here by that shelf inthe wall."
"That's my idea," said Dick, nodding his head.
"But, look here, Dick," Arthur went on, after a moment's thoughtfulpause. "Suppose it is an old ditch--where did the water come from?That's the question. A ditch without water isn't much use."
Dick laughed. "No," said he. "I understand that well enough. The watercame from this 'island,' up here above our heads, and was carried acrossthe canon in a flume!"
"Ah!" I cried. "I see! What we at first supposed to have been a bridgeup there, built for the accommodation of the pack-trains, was in realitya flume for carrying water."
"That's what I believe," replied Dick.
"Well, but see here, Dick," remarked Arthur again. "Suppose that therewas a flume there for carrying water--where's the water now? That's thepoint. That's what I want to know."
"Ah!" replied my partner. "And that was what I wanted to know, too. Thatwas the very question that bothered me until I talked to Pedro about itjust now. I asked him if he had ever seen or heard of a stream of watercoming down from the top of this high land, and I can tell you he easedmy mind of a load when he told me he had. He says there is a good bigwaterfall which jumps off the cliff on the north side of the 'island'and falls into this stream we are camped upon now, but about twelve orthirteen miles below this point, following the bends of the creek."
"Is that so? Then the chances are that that is the stream from whichthe Pueblos used to get their water. Did you ask Pedro if he knew of anyway of getting up there?"
"Yes, I did, and I'm sorry to say he doesn't know of any. He says thatthis 'island' is really an island, being compassed about on all sides bycanons of varying depths; that it includes a large tract of country,part mountain and part plain; and that to the best of his knowledge, noman has ever set foot on it. In that, though, I'm pretty sure he'smistaken. In fact, it is as certain as anything can be that there is away up somewhere, or else, how did the Pueblos get over there in thefirst place? They didn't fly across this gorge; and yet they must haveworked from both sides at once when they built their flume."
"That's true. Well, Dick, it does look as though you had made a genuinediscovery, and one likely to be of great value. What's your idea, then?You and Frank will stay here and hunt for the old Pueblo ditch-head, Isuppose, while I dig out for home by myself. I wish I could stay andhunt with you, but there's no knowing how long it may take, andmeanwhile my father and mother will be worrying themselves to know whathas become of me. I've been here now a good bit longer than I intended.I must get back at once and----"
"Look here, Arthur," Dick interrupted. "Excuse me for cutting in, butI'd like to make a suggestion. There is just a possibility--I don'texpect it, I own, but there is a possibility--that if Galvez wereinformed that you know how he came to be padron of Hermanos, and also ofhis connection with the Espinosas, he might get scared and skip out ofhis own accord--which would simplify matters for you very much. Now,here's what I propose--if you really are bound to leave at once."
"Yes," Arthur interjected. "I mustn't stay a minute longer than I canhelp."
"Well, then, I propose that before you go--it will only make adifference of a couple of hours--before you go, Frank and I will ridedown to Hermanos, see old Galvez, tell him what you have told us, andrecommend him to take his departure. Perhaps he'll be scared and skipout; but if he won't, why, then you'll know where you stand. How doesthat strike you?"
"Hm!" muttered Arthur, doubtfully. "I don't much like the idea ofrunning you into danger. Galvez is such a treacherous fellow, there's noknowing what he might do to you."
"That's true enough," said Dick; "though I don't think he would attemptanything on two of us at once, and in broad daylight, too. It might beto his advantage to get rid of you or Pedro or both, but he would surelyhave sense enough to see that he wouldn't gain anything by hurtingeither of us."
"That's a fact. Well, suppose you go, then. But be careful."
"We'll be careful," replied my partner. "You needn't worry yourself onthat account."
By this time we were ready to start, and accordingly we all rodetogether up the ledge until we came out again at the point where the oldflume used to be--where we pointed out to Arthur the sockets in therock--and thence, continuing to the foot of the mountain, Dick and I,leaving the others to wait for us, galloped off toward Hermanos.
By good fortune, as we approached the village, we saw Galvez himselfdown near the creek, where he was directing three of his _vaqueros_ whowere engaged in cutting out cows from a bunch of wild Mexican cattle.
Further down stream, only a short distance from the houses, we noticedhalf-a-dozen Mexican children, very busy making mud pies, quiteunconcerned, apparently, at the proximity of the herd of cattle. Ithappened, however, that just as we came riding up to where Galvez sat onhis horse, shouting orders to his men, a gaunt, wild-eyed, long-hornedsteer broke out of the bunch on the down-stream side. One of the cowmendashed forward to turn it, when, to his astonishment, the steer, insteadof running back into the bunch or attempting to dodge him, charged therider and knocked him and his little broncho over and over. Then, wildlytossing its head, the beast made straight for the group of unsuspectingand defenceless children.
"Loco! Loco!" shouted Galvez. "Rope him, on
e of you!"
The two other men galloped forward, swinging their lariats, but thelocoed steer, going like a scared antelope, had such a start that itlooked as though it would surely reach the children before the men couldcatch it. Seeing this, Galvez pulled out his revolver and fired sixshots at it in quick succession. Whether he hit the steer or not, Icannot say, but even if he did the range was too great for a revolver tobe effective--unless by a lucky chance.
The children, hearing the shots, looked up, saw the steer coming, andscattered like a flock of sparrows--all but one of them, that is to say.He, a brown-bodied little three-year-old, without a scrap of clothingupon him except a piece of string tied round his middle, stood stockstill, with his little hands full of mud, seemingly too frightened tomove, and straight down upon this little bronze statue the crazy beastwent charging.
It looked as though a tragedy were imminent!
It was at this moment that my partner and I came riding up behindGalvez, who, sitting on his horse with his back to us, his bodyinterposed between us and the steer, had not seen us yet. It was no timefor ceremony. Without wasting words in greetings or explanations, Dickjammed his heels into his pony's ribs; the pony sprang forward; Dickpulled him up short, leaped to the ground, threw up his rifle and fireda snap shot. Down went the steer, heels over head, gave one kick and laydead--shot through the heart!
It was a grand shot! The three _vaqueros_, two on their horses and oneon foot, carried away by their enthusiasm, forgot for once theirhabitual dread of the padron, and waving their hats above their headsjoined me in a shout of applause; while as for Galvez, himself, he saton his horse with his empty revolver in his hand, gazing open-mouthedfirst at Dick and then at the dead steer, seemingly rendered speechlessfor the moment.
At length he turned to me, who had come up close beside him, and said:
"Can he always do that?"
"Just about," I replied, with a nod. "He is one of the best shots in theState."
"Hm!" remarked the padron, sticking out his lower lip and thoughtfullyscratching his chin with his thumb-nail; and though that was all he didsay, the muttered exclamation conveyed to me as much meaning as if hehad talked for five minutes.
That Dick's remarkable shot had made a great impression on him I feltcertain, and it was a matter of much satisfaction to me to think that ithad; for if at any time he should entertain the idea of resorting toviolence against any of us, the recollection of how that steer hadpitched heels over head would probably cause him to think again.
The whole episode had not occupied more than two minutes, at the end ofwhich time Galvez, recovering himself, turned to us and said, in hisusual gracious manner:
"Well, you two, what have you come back here for?"
"We have come down to speak to you," replied Dick, as he slipped anothercartridge into his Sharp's rifle. "We have just parted with Senor Blakeand El Tejon."
The padron scowled at the mention of the two names.
"Oh, you have, eh? Well, what then?" he asked.
"Senor Blake," my partner continued, "wished us to say that he haslearned how you came to be padron of Hermanos. Pedro has told him thewhole story--everything--the Espinosa business and all."
"Oh! And is that all?"
"That's all," said Dick.
The padron, I have no doubt, had been expecting some such communicationand had made up his mind beforehand what to say, for, after sitting fora few seconds looking at Dick without a word, he smiled an unpleasant,toothless smile, and said:
"That's all, is it? Well, you go back to your Senor Blake and tell himthat here I am and here I stay, and if he thinks that three beardlessboys and a shiftless, half-crazy peon can make me move, why, he'swelcome to try. There! That's all on my side." He started to ride off,but after a few steps stopped again to add: "Except this:--I recommendyou two boys to get along back home as fast as you can and leave thisyoung Blake--if that is really his name--to manage his own affairs. Youmay find it dangerous to be mixed up with them."
He said this in an aggressive, menacing tone; but I noticed, all thesame, that his eye wandered involuntarily toward the dead steer, and Icongratulated myself again on the lucky chance that had given Dick theopportunity to show his skill with a rifle. Galvez, I was convinced,would be exceedingly careful how he provoked a quarrel with any one whocould shoot like that.
"Very well, senor," said Dick. "We will deliver your message. That isall we came for." And with that we turned round and rode away again.
In the course of an hour we were back at the foot of the mountain, wherewe found Arthur sitting on the ground waiting for us.
"Well, what luck?" he cried. "What did Galvez have to say?"
We told him all about our interview with the padron, not forgetting theepisode of the wild steer, at hearing which Arthur expressed muchgratification.
"That was a very fortunate chance," said he. "Galvez may profess todespise three beardless boys, but after seeing one of them shoot arunning steer at three hundred yards, I expect he will think twicebefore he stirs up a fuss with them. It is just the sort of thing--andthe only sort of thing, too--to make an impression on a man like that.What is your idea, Dick? Do you think he intends to stick it out, or washe only 'bluffing'?"
"I don't know," replied my partner. "I'm afraid he means to hold on. Butthough at present he puts on 'a brag countenance,' as the saying is,when he has had time to reconsider he might change his mind and skip. Myimpression is, though, that he means to hold on."
"I think so, too," said I. "What is Pedro's opinion?"
"Ah! Yes. Let us ask Pedro."
"Senores," said the Mexican, when Arthur had explained the whole matterto him in Spanish, "the padron is a pig, a mule. He will not move."
"Then that settles it!" cried Arthur, jumping up, walking away a fewpaces and coming back again. "I never really expected that Galvez wouldmove, though it was worth trying. So now I'll be off at once. As forthat old ditch-head, though I should have liked very much to stay andhelp hunt for it, you three can, as a matter of fact, make the searchjust as well without me. And whether you find it or whether you don't,makes no difference in one way--the business of getting Galvez out ofHermanos will have to proceed regardless of that or any otherconsideration. We have two things to do, you see:--To turn out Galvezand to find that ditch-head. The first is my business; the second isyours; and the sooner I get about mine the better, if I am to give you aclear title to your half-interest when you are ready to claim it."
"As to that," remarked Dick, "I don't think we ought to hold you to thatbargain. It was made more or less in joke, anyhow."
"No, no, it wasn't!" cried Arthur, emphatically. "Not a bit of it! Imeant it then and I mean it still. I'm quite content. You provide thewater and I'll provide the land, as I said. It's a fair bargain. I don'twant to be let off. But before I can perform my part of it I must provemy own title, and as I can't do it at this end of the line I'll waste nomore time here, but get right back home as fast as I can and report theconditions to my father."
"Well," said Dick, after a moment's thoughtful silence, "I believe youare right. I believe that is the best way after all, unless----"
"Unless what?"
"Unless we abandon the whole thing."
"Abandon----!" cried Arthur; but he got no further, for Dick, holding uphis hand, said, laughingly:
"All right, old man! All right! You needn't say any more. I onlysuggested it just to see what you would say. So you are determined to gothrough with this thing, are you? Very well, then, you may count on usto do our part if it's doable. Eh, Frank?"
I nodded. "We'll find that ditch-head," said I, "if we have to stay heretill snow flies."
"Good!" cried Arthur. "Then that does settle it. I'll be off thisminute. Bring my horse, Pedro: I'm going to start at once."
"Look here, Arthur," remarked Dick. "I think it would be a good plan ifFrank and I were to escort you to the other side of Hermanos. Galvez, Iexpect, guessed what you were after when you first told
him your name,and now he'll be sure of it, and it might be pretty dangerous for you ifyou should meet him alone; so we'll just ride part way with you and seeyou safely started."
"Thanks," replied Arthur. "I shall be glad of your company. Well, let usget off, then. Good-bye, Pedro. I expect you'll see me back here beforevery long. _Adios!_"
Thus taking leave of the burly Mexican, Arthur started off, Dick and Iriding on either side of him.
Keeping about a mile to the north of Hermanos, we circled round thatvillage, and were making our way southeastward toward the Cactus Desert,when we saw off to our right a great cloud of dust, and in the midst ofit a bunch of cattle accompanied by three men.
At first we were suspicious that Galvez might be one of them, but prettysoon we discovered that they were the three _vaqueros_ we had seen thatmorning. They, on their part, quickly detected us, when one of themimmediately turned his horse and came riding toward us.
As soon as he had come pretty close I saw that it was the one whosehorse had been knocked over by the locoed steer. This man, advancing toDick, pulled off his hat, and speaking with considerable feeling, said:
"I wish to thank the senor who shoots so straight. It was my little boywho was in danger."
"Was it?" cried Dick. "I'm very glad, then, that I happened to make sucha good shot. The steer was locoed, of course."
"_Si, senor_," replied the man. "It happens sometimes. This one was verybad. It should have been killed long ago, but the padron would not. I amgrateful to the senor, and if I can serve him at any time I shall beglad."
"Thank you," said Dick. "What is your name?"
"Jose Santanna," replied the man.
"Well, Jose," continued Dick, "I'm much obliged to you for your offer,and if I need your help at any time I'll come and ask you."
"_Gracias, senor_," replied the man; and with that he turned andgalloped after his companions.
"That's a good thing for us," remarked Arthur. "We may find it veryhandy to have an ally in the enemy's camp. And now, you fellows," hecontinued, "you may as well turn back. I'm safe enough now, and there isno need for you to come any further. I hope it won't be long before yousee me back again. Meanwhile you'll search for that ditch-head, and ifthere is anything you can do toward getting the water down, you'll goahead and do it. That's the plan, eh?"
"That's the plan," repeated my partner.
"Very well. Then, good-bye, and good luck to you!"