Part 16 (1/2)

”You got rid of a mouthful that time, son,” observed Yellin' Kid. And then, lifting his voice he roared out:

”As I was ridin' on the trail, My true love for to see.

I met a four-legged grizzly bear, An' th' grizzly he met me!

”'Oh kind Mr. Bear,' I gently called, 'Move on!' but he shook his head.

So then I ups with my .45 An' fills him full of lead!”

Having gotten this out of his ”system,” Yellin' Kid seemed to feel better. He smiled genially at the boy ranchers, and flapping his hat down on the side of his pony sent the animal ahead in a cloud of dust to join some of his companions in the lead.

Thus, making merry as possible under the circ.u.mstances, the outfit from Diamond X resumed the trail, the more experienced cowboys looking here and there for any ”sign” that would indicate the presence or the pa.s.sage of the Yaquis.

As a matter of fact Snake Purdee did not expect to ”meet up” with any of the Indians for some time. He and Rolling Stone had talked the matter over, and Rolling Stone had given the benefit of his experience in trailing Yaquis.

”With them,” said the new acquisition to Diamond X, ”it's a sort of a flash in the pan. They get excited for some reason or other, have a war dance, a pow wow or some ceremony, and before they know it some crazy leader has taken the trail with some of his friends, and they're bent on shooting up some Mexican or American town, getting strong drink when they can, and stealing everything they can lay their dirty paws on.

”That's when they're in the first rush of excitement, and I take it that it was on a time like this the Yaquis took Miss Rosemary and Floyd. Why they did this, instead of shooting 'em, as they generally do, I can't make out. The Yaquis don't ordinarily use those methods.”

”Unless they took my cousins to hold for ransom,” suggested Bud.

”Well, of course that's possible, but I didn't know the Yaquis were that smart,” answered Rolling Stone. ”Still, some new leader may have gotten together a band, or it may be some half breed, or even some renegade American is at the bottom of this. I can understand a chap like that holding prisoners for ransom.

”But what I started to say was that once the first wild outburst is over, the Yaquis will keep mighty quiet. They won't go about with a bra.s.s band, advertising their hiding places.”

”You mean it won't be easy to find them?” asked Nort.

”That's it, son. They're going to be mighty cute and foxy, and while a Yaqui isn't in it with our old time American Indians in the matter of covering a trail, still we aren't going to have any walkover. We've got our work cut out for us.”

”I believe you!” shouted Yellin' Kid. ”But we'll get the devils sooner or later.”

”The sooner the better,” said Rolling Stone quietly, and there was in his very quietness a menace which the boys understood very well. Every hour that Rosemary and Floyd remained in the hands of the Yaquis meant an ever increasing danger. And once the mad frenzy of the Indians wore off and they began to realize what they had done, antic.i.p.ating the consequences once they were captured with the prisoners in their possession, there was hardly a question of what they would do to Rosemary and Floyd. The captives would be killed to get them out of the way.

It was this that urged the rescue party ahead with all the speed possible, and consistent with preserving their horses' power to travel.

In spite of wounds, and some were seriously hurt (one dying later) there was no sign of gloom in the midst of the party of which the boy ranchers formed an important element. Some of the cowboys sang, and Yellin' Kid intoned another verse or two of the many songs with which he seemed plentifully provided.

Coming to a deep ravine, along which the trail led into the mountains, where it was reported the Yaquis had headed, Snake Purdee called a halt.

”What's the matter now?” asked Rolling Stone.

”Do you see anything?” asked Bud, for he noticed the veteran cowboy looking down into the black depths.

”No,” answered Snake slowly, ”but it strikes me this is a good place to get rid of the saddles and truck we took offen Del Pinzo. No use carting the duffle along. It's no good to us and it only tires our pack mules. Heave it down this gully, boys and we'll ride lighter.”

This was soon done, and the baggage animals, at least, went forward with easier burdens. The trail became more rough as it led upward, but Snake explained that they would cross one range of the mountain, and come to a level plain which must be traversed before the second range would be reached.

”And we'll either come across the Yaquis in the plain, or as we go up the second mountain,” said the cowboy. ”That will be about their limit I fancy.”

They camped that night on the downward slope of the first mountain, having crossed the ridge through a narrow pa.s.s, not easy to negotiate.