Part 26 (1/2)
”Them fellers!” exclaimed Larry Jaley, catching sight of the boys. ”I remember 'em. Say, maybe they heard us talkin'!”
”Sure--they must have,” mumbled Sol Blugg.
”Do you know these men?” asked Mrs. Carmody.
”We saw them on the train last night, that is all,” answered Roger.
”They said something about Mr. Blower queering a land deal for them.”
”Yes, he told me about that, too. They were going to swindle some folks, and Abe heard about it and gave the thing away. Abe won't stand for anything that ain't strictly honest.”
”Say, I want you to know----” commenced Sol Blugg, and tried to catch hold of Mrs. Carmody again. But this time Dave was too quick for him. He pushed the man back, turned him around, and sent him flying down the steps to the street.
”Now, you go on!” he cried. ”If you don't, you'll get into trouble!”
”That's what!” said Roger.
”Perhaps you'd like to be arrested,” added Phil.
”Come on!” said Larry Jaley, in a low voice. ”Come on, Sol. I told you it wouldn't do any good to come here.”
”I didn't expect to see them young fellers,” growled the leathery-looking man. ”But I'm a-goin' to git square with Abe Blower, jest wait an' see,” he added, thickly; and then he and his companion started up the street and around the first corner.
”The beasts!” murmured Mrs. Carmody, as she gazed after them. ”I do wish I had used the broom over Sol Blugg's head! Maybe it would have done him good!”
”You know these men, then?” asked Dave.
”Oh, yes, and Abe knows 'em, too! It seems that, years ago, before I came here, Abe used to train with those men, in the mining camps. But they were a hard crowd, used to drinkin' and gamblin', and Abe gave 'em up and went with men like Mr. Harrison, and Tom Dillon. That made Sol Blugg and his crowd sore, and they often tried to do Abe harm. Now that Abe queered that land swindle for 'em I suppose they are more sore than ever. But I don't think they would have come here, only they have been drinkin'.”
”You had better keep on the lookout--they may come back,” said Dave.
”I'll keep on guard, don't fear. I've got one of Abe's pistols in the house, and a club, too. And I'll get that neighbor Abe spoke about to stay with me,” returned Mrs. Carmody. ”But, say,” she added, suddenly.
”You better keep on guard, too. 'Tain't no nice thing to run up against that bunch, I can tell you that!”
”Yes, we'll have to be on the watch from the very moment we leave this house,” said Roger.
The boys talked for a few minutes longer with the old lady, getting what information they could, and then hurried back to their hotel. On the way they kept a sharp lookout for the leathery-looking man and his cronies, but they did not show themselves.
It was an easy matter for them to find old Mr. Dillon, who was reading a mining journal in the smoking-room. He listened with much interest to what they had to tell. As they felt they could trust such a man, they withheld nothing from him.
”It certainly is some game--this trying to locate that lost Landslide Mine,” said the old miner. ”I've been thinkin' it over again since you told me about it, and it interests me mightily. So you want somebody to go with you, and help you find the right trail, and find Abe Blower?
Well, if you don't think I'm too old, I'll go myself!” And he smiled broadly at the boys.
CHAPTER XVI
ON TO BLACK CAT CAMP
”You go!” cried Dave.