Part 25 (1/2)

Clearly then, to the ears of both, came the unmistakable sound of someone or something approaching. There was the crunching of gravel, and the noise of some hard substance moving on a rock.

”It's the Yaquis!” whispered Nort, as he brought his rifle to bear on the blackness in front of him. ”They're creeping up to make an attack!”

d.i.c.k also got his gun in readiness for instant action, and the boys were just about to fire when a noise, best described as ”unearthly,”

smote their ears. It was a long drawn out cry, weird and blood-curdling. That it was the warwhoop of the Yaquis both boys were beginning to believe, in spite of knowing that these Mexicans seldom if ever used such romantic if terrible means of terrifying their enemies.

I say the boys were on the verge of accepting the noise as that, when its character suddenly changed, and the stillness of the night was fairly shattered by a loud:

”Hee-haw! Hee-haw! Hee-haw!”

The reaction was so great that Nort and d.i.c.k nearly dropped their guns, and they turned to look one at the other with sheepish grins that would have been visible had the light been stronger. And then, with one voice the brothers exclaimed:

”Maud!”

It was one of the army transport mules, an animal that helped carry the camp baggage! She had strayed.

Again rose the cry, not so weird now that its nature was known.

”Hee-haw! Hee-haw!”

And from the camp came a disgusted complaint from some sleepy trooper as he shouted: ”The chump who tied that mule so he could wander ought to be made to go get him!”

There was laughter at this, for many had been awakened by the braying of the animal. And then one of the men in charge of the animals came out and managed to corral the wanderer.

”Gos.h.!.+ I'm glad we didn't shoot!” exclaimed Nort, as their tour of duty ended and their relief came.

”Same here!” added his brother. ”How they would have laughed at us if we had plugged old Maud!”

This was the only disturbing incident of the night, the remainder of which pa.s.sed quietly.

With the first streak of dawn the troopers were up, as were the cowboys, for Rolling Stone had said, and Buck Tooth agreed with him, that if the Yaquis did attack it would be at dawn, since they seldom fought after nightfall.

But no attack came, and breakfast was served, with sentries on the watch to guard against surprise. Some steaming hot coffee, crisp bacon the odor of which was an aroma in the morning air, flapjacks and sour dough bread for those who wanted it, made the meal, which well fortified those who partook of it for the day's events, which were destined to be strenuous.

Once again the order was:

”Forward--march!”

Again they were on the trail of the Yaquis.

As they advanced the ”sign” became more p.r.o.nounced that the band had pa.s.sed that way. Whether they had the captives with them could, of course, only be guessed at.

But the trail had been carefully scanned, and there was no evidence that Rosemary and Floyd had been put out of the way. As far as could be told the captives were still the prisoners of the Indians. And there were no marks to show that any smaller body had branched off from this band of Yaquis that had the unfortunate youth and maiden in charge.

So it was with the hope of finding their cousins safe, though perhaps in dire distress, that the boy ranchers pressed on with their friends the troopers and the cowboys.

As the trail became more p.r.o.nounced, greater precautions were taken against a surprise. And a surprise in the rocky defiles through which they were pa.s.sing would have been well nigh fatal. So scouts were constantly in the lead, ready at the first suspicious sign to send back word to the main body to be on the alert.

The morning pa.s.sed without incident, save for one or two false alarms, and there was a sigh of relief when the midday meal was served without interruption in the shape of hostile bullets. Then, after a brief rest for the horses, the march was again taken up.