Part 7 (2/2)
”I'll take first shot at it,” said d.i.c.k. ”I'm wide awake now and since I saw this old man I'll know him again if he comes sneaking back.”
Nort and Bud were as eager to take the first watch as was d.i.c.k, but he insisted that it go to him. So, after another supply of light wood was placed near the fire in readiness to throw on and produce a quick blaze, in case of another alarm, the others retired to their blankets and d.i.c.k was left on guard.
Once more the silence of the night settled over the camp, a silence broken only by the occasional howl of a distant coyote. d.i.c.k made himself as comfortable as possible and at first he was able to keep widely awake. Then as the fatigues of the day manifested themselves in a desire to go to sleep once more he found himself wis.h.i.+ng that the intruder would come back again to furnish excitement to keep him awake.
But nothing like that happened. The night continued quiet and in due time it came the turn of Bud to relieve d.i.c.k. Later Nort relieved Bud and finished the night watch which came to an end when a rosy tint in the east announced, the coming of a new day.
”Well, you didn't catch anybody I see!” chuckled Billee as he sauntered down to the water hole to wash for breakfast.
”No, nothing happened while I was on duty,” announced Bud.
”He knew better than to come while I was sitting up waiting for him,”
added Nort.
”You didn't see anything; did you, d.i.c.k?” asked Yellin' Kid of the remaining sentry. ”I mean after the first scare.”
”No, nothing. He didn't come back--whoever he was.”
”Wonder what he came for, anyhow?” mused Bud who had started to follow Billee to the water hole.
Suddenly Nort, who was walking near his cousin, stooped and picked something up off the ground. It was a soiled bit of paper, evidently part of what had once been a grocery bag.
”Maybe he came to leave this!” suggested Nort as he turned the paper over.
”Came to leave that--what is it?” asked Bud.
”It's some sort of a warning, I guess,” was the answer. ”Look!”
He held the soiled sc.r.a.p out to the others. The writing was large and straggling, but it was plain. The warning said:
KEEP AWAY FROM DEATH VALLEY IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU.
S. T.
CHAPTER VI
AT DOT AND DASH
Silently the little circle of ranchers, young and old, gazed at the ominous warning Nort had picked up. Yellin' Kid was the first to speak, following the reading of the message on the dirty piece of bag paper.
”Well, I'll be horn-swoggled!” voiced the Kid in his usual loud tones.
Billee Dobb looked sharply from Nort to d.i.c.k and then at Bud.
”This any of your doin's?” he asked.
”Our doings! What do you mean?” challenged Bud.
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