Part 23 (2/2)

”Yes; all right.”

”Let him get up, then. Here, landlord--squire--a lantern here.”

”Haven't you had light enough, judge? What about my saloon?”

”All right, old fellow,” said a voice. ”You hold plenty of our gold; we'll club together to pay for a better one.”

”Thank ye, gentlemen. Hi! bring a lantern.”

At the same moment the prisoner rose to his feet, and the sack over his head was drawn off.

”I say, you know, I've come quietly,” he cried in a hoa.r.s.e voice.

”Here, put those pistols down. You haven't served my two young chaps like that, have you?”

”Bob Tregelly?” cried Dallas and Abel in a breath.

”What's left of him, my sons. They've 'most smothered me.”

”Hallo!” said the judge at the same moment. ”I took you in the dark for that red-bearded fellow.”

”I was going for him when you pulled that bag over my head,” growled the Cornishman.

”Here, who has got that fellow?” roared the judge.

”We've got his mates,” came out of the darkness, and two men were dragged forward, struggling hard to get free.

”Here, what game do you call this?” snarled one of them, as soon as he could speak.

”Yes,” said the other. ”You fools: you've got the wrong men.”

”I'm blessed! Ha, ha, ha!” roared the big Cornishman.

”You've never let those other two escape, have you?” roared the judge angrily.

”Well, you've let the big un go, judge, and caught me,” said the Cornishman merrily. ”But I say, my son, who's the guilty party now?”

”Not much doubt about that. There, my lads, it's of no use to go after them; they've done us this time, and got away; but I think we may keep the ropes ready for them when they come again.”

”Hear, hear!” was roared, and an ovation followed for the trio who had been suspected, every man present seeming as if he could not make enough of them, till they managed to slip away to their tent.

”I think a quiet pipe'll do me good after all that business,” said Tregelly. ”We've done about enough for one day. Rum sort o' life, my sons. I shall be glad to get steadily to work as soon as we know where to begin.”

The canvas was fastened down soon after, and the occupants of the rough tent prepared for a good night's rest; but it was a long time in coming to the cousins, whose nerves had been too much jarred for them to follow the example of their three companions. And they lay listening to the many sounds about, princ.i.p.al among which was the barking and fighting of the sledge-dogs; but at last they dropped into a troubled slumber, one in which it seemed to Dallas that he was lying upon his hard waterproof sheet in a nightmare-like dream, watching his enemy, the red-bearded man, who was crawling on hands and knees to the rough tent, with a knife between his teeth, and trying to force his way under the end of one of the sledges to get to him and pin him to the earth.

There he was, coming nearer and nearer, right into the tent place now, while his hot breath fanned the dreamer's cheek, and his hands were resting upon his chest as if feeling for a vital spot to strike. With a tremendous effort, Dallas sprang up and struck at him, when there was a loud snarling yelp, and Abel cried in alarm, ”What is it, Dal?”

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