Part 10 (2/2)
Bill put it in his own pocket.
”There!” he said. ”Now what you going to do about it?”
The general was as red all over as his hair and looked as if he wanted to fight or cry. Fitz was white and red in spots, and I was so mad I shook.
”Nothing, now,” said the general, huskily. ”You don't give us a chance to do anything. You're a lot of cowards--tying us up and searching us, and taking our things.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”BILL DUANE WENT THROUGH HIM.”]
Then they laughed at us some more, and all jeered and made fun, and said that they would take the message through for us. I tell you, it was humiliating, to be bound that way, as prisoners, and to think that we had failed in our trust. As Scouts we had been no good--and I was to blame just because I had fallen asleep at my post.
They were beginning to quit laughing at us, and were starting to get supper, when suddenly I heard horse's hoofs, and down the bridle path that led along an edge of the park rode a man. He heard the noise and he saw us tied, I guess, for he came over.
”What's the matter here?” he asked.
The gang calmed down in a twinkling. They weren't so brash, now.
”Nothin',” said Bill.
”Who you got here? What's the rumpus?” he insisted.
”They've taken us prisoners and are keeping us, and they've got our burros and flags and a message,” spoke up the general.
He was a small man with a black mustache and blackish whiskers growing.
He rode a bay horse with a K Cross on its right shoulder, and the saddle had bra.s.s-bound stirrups. He wore a black slouch hat and was in black s.h.i.+rt-sleeves, and ordinary pants and shoes.
”What message?” he asked.
”A message we were carrying.”
”Where?”
”Across from our town to Green Valley.”
”Why?”
”Just for fun.”
”Aw, that's a lie. They were to get twenty-five dollars for doing it on time. Now we cash it in ourselves,” spoke Bill. ”It was a race, and they don't make good. See?”
That was a lie, sure. We weren't to be paid a cent--and we didn't want to be paid.
”Who's got the message now?” asked the man.
”He has,” said the general, pointing at Bill.
”Let's see it.”
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