Part 7 (2/2)
At last from out of the darkness of the trail came three men on foot
They were Matt Gilroy and his companions They had tethered their horses in the bushes sorim and silent shadows
CHAPTER VIII
THE STEALING OF THE HORSES
”Go slow, men,” came softly from Gilroy ”You knohat kind of a rowl froot an account to settle with him, too”
”I'm pretty certain the boy is here,” went on the leader ”But we must make sure if the others are here too, or if they have ridden off to the fort If they have gone to the fort----”
”Hist!” ca too much I've heard that this Leeson sleeps with his ears wide open”
”He does,” grumbled Fetter; and then the three desperadoes relapsed into silence
They were advancing upon the cabin from the rear, and each held a ready pistol in his hand, while his rifle was slung over his back They had seen the boys and Benson head for the trapper's hoh cliff; but darkness had closed in on the scene, and they had conorance of what had followed
Tiptoeing their way they reached the lean-to where the horses had been stabled, and with caution Gilroy went inside By feeling the animals he soon learned that three had been in use but a few hours before, while the fourth was cool and comfortable
”Their horses are here,” he announced ”And a fourth is here, too”
”That's Leeson's,” answered Fetter ”But I thought he had two or three”
”Might as well take thes will bring soo to sell 'em”
”Let them out,” answered Gilroy ”Without horses they'll have their hands full trying to follow us”
It was no easy task to untie the horses in a place that was pitch-dark, and it took so to our friends released
As Fetter and Potts took the ani to Hank Leeson This was a pet aniht hold of the halter she gave a neigh of suspicion
”Hush!+” murmured the desperado, and ran his hand down the mare's nose
But this made her skittish, and she stamped sharply half a dozen times
”What's up thar?” came in Hank Leeson's voice, and the trapper ide awake on the instant ”Whoa, Nancy, whoa!”
”Hang the luck!” muttered Gilroy, and ran outside after Fetter and Potts ”He et out!” responded Fetter ”He's a sure-shot, re but the darkness can save us”