Part 34 (1/2)

”No telling what those rascals are up to,” answered Frank Andrews.

”This may be only a rumpus kicked up to cover a cattle raid or something like that.”

In the midst of the excitement the telephone in the main office began to ring and was answered by one of the clerks. A few minutes later he came rus.h.i.+ng out to where Mr. Obray stood talking to his a.s.sistant and the boss of the construction camp.

”Just got a telephone from the Tolman ranch,” announced the clerk.

”Old man Tolman said they had been raided and that half of the raiders were coming this way. I tried to get some details from him, but in the midst of the talk I was shut off. I suppose somebody cut the wire.”

”I thought that might be it,” answered the head of the engineering corps.

”We ought to help Tolman all we can,” announced the boss of the construction camp. ”He promised to a.s.sist us in case we had any trouble, and turn about is fair play.”

”Right you are, Peterson, and any man who wants to go out can do it.”

And word was pa.s.sed around to this effect.

Dave and Roger listened to this talk and what followed with much interest. In less than five minutes over thirty men from the construction camp had signified their willingness to go after the raiders, and these men were joined by Frank Andrews and three other civil engineers, all well armed and mounted.

”I'd like to join that crowd and go after those Mexicans!” exclaimed Dave, his eyes sparkling.

”So would I!” returned the senator's son, quickly. ”Those fellows can't be anything but plain bandits and cattle thieves.”

”Sure! No regular revolutionists would come over the border and act in this fas.h.i.+on.”

”What do you say, Dave--shall we go?”

”I'm willing.”

”No, no! You young fellows had better stay in the camp,” announced Ralph Obray, who overheard the talk. ”Just remember that in a certain sense I am responsible for your safety while you are under me.”

”But those others are going,” returned Dave, somewhat reproachfully.

”So they are, Porter. But they are all older than you, and most of them have had experience in this sort of thing. I would rather that you stayed here. Maybe if those raiders come this way we'll have our hands full defending the camp.”

Dave and Roger realized that for the head of the camp to express his desire in this instance was equal practically to a command; so they at once gave up the idea of following Frank Andrews and the others. The men rode off quickly, and were soon lost to sight in the darkness of the night.

An hour of intense anxiety pa.s.sed. During that time those left in the camp heard an occasional shot in the distance. Then several shots seemed much closer. There followed some yelling, and, then about five minutes later, came a dull explosion.

”That's at the bridge!” exclaimed Dave. ”They must be trying to blow it up!”

The dull explosion was followed by a sudden rattle of rifle and pistol shots and more yelling. Once or twice some men seemed to come quite near to the construction camp, the hoof strokes of the horses being distinctly heard.

All who remained in the camp were on the lookout, and each man stood ready with his weapon to do what he could to defend the place should the occasion arise. But with the explosion and the rattle of rifle and pistol shots that followed, the conflict seemed to die down, and presently all became utter silence; and thus two more hours pa.s.sed.

”Whoever they were, they seem to have left this vicinity entirely,”

said Roger.

”I wish it was morning,” put in another of the young men present. The watching was beginning to get on his nerves.

At last, just as the first streaks of dawn were beginning to show in the eastern sky, a number of hors.e.m.e.n were descried approaching from the southward. All in the camp were instantly on their guard, but it was soon seen that it was their friends who were coming back. They came in somewhat of a horseshoe formation, driving in their midst four prisoners, one of them with his arm done up in a sling and another with his head bandaged.

”They've got somebody!” exclaimed Roger, as the crowd came closer, ”Four greasers!”