Part 10 (1/2)

Finally they brought Juarez around so that he was able to sit up.

”Where am I?” he asked in a sort of daze.

”You will be all right in a minute, old chap,” encouraged Jim, speaking cheerfully, but he did not feel so.

”You bet I will,” he a.s.sented feebly, but with invincible determination.

”What are you holding me for, Jim? Let's get at those fellows.” It was evident that his mind was not exactly clear yet. They got him on his feet and he seemed better, though still very wabbly.

”There come those fellows,” cried Jim, suddenly, with more of despair in his tone than he had ever spoken before, no matter how hard pressed they had been. But before there had always been something to do, but now they were helpless. Jim looked hastily around for some weapon. All he found was a small round stone.

With a yell of exultation, Jack Cales and the mate dashed down upon them, followed by the Captain and old Pete. They had been able to follow the distinctive mark of the mule's shoes in the soft earth until they came in hearing of the boys' voices. Then they jumped upon them. They were out for blood this time, for they had the boys' revolvers in their hands, probably because they were better than their own.

Missouri, finding himself free, made off. Tom halted when covered by one of the sailor's revolvers, but Jim dodged as the mate fired at him. The lug of lead spattered the mud between his feet, the next second he was off full speed through the fog, followed by fleet Jo.

The sailors soon gave up the useless chase, for there was no trail to guide them, so they had to content themselves with half of their original capture and they started for the cove where the Sea Eagle was anch.o.r.ed as fast as they could go, though they were hampered by Juarez.

”Better leave him, Captain,” urged old Pete. ”He is nothing but a nuisance.”

”I'll have use for that fellow yet,” said the Captain. ”As for the other lad, he won't feel so lively after a few days on s.h.i.+pboard.”

This did not have a very cheerful sound for Tom and he was in anything but a happy frame of mind. Still he had great confidence in Jim and did not give up hope of being rescued before the coast was reached. It was now getting towards daybreak, and the fog began to lift somewhat so that they could see a distance of thirty or forty yards.

Captain Broom's gang had now left the region of the level pasture and were coming to the brush section, fringing the coast, and beyond that they reached the sand dunes. The nearer they came to the sea the more depressed Tom became. The only thing that encouraged him was the fact that Juarez began to seem like himself.

Let us now return to Jo and Jim, who had been so fortunate as to make their escape. As soon as they were sure that the pursuit was at an end, they slowed down to a walk.

”Well, they didn't give us much of a chase,” remarked Jim.

”Plenty to suit me. What are we going to do now?”

”This fog is beginning to lift,” said Jim, ”and then we can take our bearings. I want to locate this ranch the first thing, and then we can get help.”

”Here's a wire fence,” announced Jo, ”I reckon it's the one the old geser cut.”

”It surely is and a straight course north is our direction,” remarked Jim.

”Here are hills that look like those we rode through,” said Jo.

”We will soon be there now,” was Jim's cheerful comment ”What's that? It sounds like a dog barking.” They stopped, listening intently, as the sound came faint, but there was no mistaking it.

”I suppose it's some big hound, that they usually keep on these ranches,” said Jo, who was beginning to feel depressed from hunger and fatigue, ”and he will jump at us because we haven't any weapons.”

But in spite of Jo's fear they hurried on in the direction of the sound.

In a short time, they came to a road between two barb wire fences, which the reader will remember that the Captain and his crew took when they were coming through the Sebastian ranch. But the boys struck it higher up, and were soon in the pasture that sloped down from the ranch houses toward the road.

Jim and Jo now heard the voices of men as well as the baying of the dogs. The men were talking excitedly about the finding of one of their number in the canyon tied and gagged, and it was evident that it was not a good time for strangers to visit the ranch of the Sebastians.

But Jim and Jo were dulled to danger and did not care what risk they ran and so they called to the men in a friendly Spanish greeting. There was instantly a great hubbub, and two men charged down upon them, preceded by a couple of fierce-looking mongrels. These came das.h.i.+ng for them with red, gaping mouths. The boys defended themselves gallantly with two stout sticks that they had picked up. Then the two Mexicans took a hand.