Part 20 (2/2)
”So”
”What was the writing about, Gilroy?” asked Captain Moore
”That's ht,” and the desperado stalked froain
”That was a close shave,” whispered the young captain ”And it proves that the paper is valuable and that he is worried about it”
Slowly the balance of the day wore along, and at nightfall one of the ht the the food ed, but no evil effects followed the meal
At the uard, each with his rifle across his knees
”A dash into the darkness ested Darry, but the captain shook his head
”No, those fellows are too good shots,” he said ”We will have to re turns up in our favor”
Our friends wondered if the desperadoes would reone off when Gilroy went for Joe and Darry had not yet returned, and the leader of the gang see has happened to them,” he said to Fetter ”Perhaps we had better send somebody off on the trail to find out what's up”
So it was agreed, and Fetter was the man chosen for the mission
As may have been surone off to watch for old Benson and make him a prisoner The crowd numbered three, and were desperadoes well acquainted with that territory
The old scout had spent several hours in a vain endeavor to locate so in the crotch of a tree, he saw the desperadoes approaching
The rascals were tired out with their search for the scout, and came to a halt directly under the tree
”It's a fool errand,” old Benson heard one of the ht to have been satisfied with corraling Captain Moore and those boys”
”The captain wants to rand round-up,” answered another of the ht make trouble”
Benson listened to this conversation with intense interest, and soon learned the truth--that Captain Moore was already a prisoner, and that another party had gone off to bring in Joe and Darry
”This is a nice state of affairs,” he thought ”These rascals et the drop on the or two”
He watched the men as a cat watches mice, and, when the party of three moved on, stole after them like an Indian on the warpath
The desperadoes skirted the brushwood, but did not go out on the grassy slope of the valley, fearing that the old scoutand see them
They were a shi+ftless lot, and soon came to another halt, under soround, and while two of theed in a nap
Not a great distance off was a spring of pure cold water, and presently one of the et a drink