Part 25 (1/2)

Patience closed her eyes. ”Yes,” she sighed.

Hank scratched his head and frowned, very much puzzled. ”Shucks! thar ain't no doubt 'bout it, a-tall. Course it is--an' I'm a danged old fool!”

”You're one of the four best men I ever knew,” said Patience, resting her hand on his arm.

Hank felt of the disgraceful, stubby beard on his face, scowled at his blackened hands, and furtively brushed at a bloodstain on his s.h.i.+rt.

Then he wheeled abruptly and strode off to look over the victims of the little affray. When he turned again he saw Patience and Tom going toward camp, Patience on her horse and Tom striding at her side. Fixing the strap to his own rifle he slung the weapon over his shoulder and, with the double-barreled weapon balanced expertly in his hands, slowly followed after to act as a badly needed protector to them both.

Back in camp Tom handed Patience into her uncle's care, looked at her in a way she would remember to the end of her days, and hastened on to report to the captain of the caravan. When he reached Woodson he found Hank there before him, laughingly recounting the fight. As Tom came up Hank stepped back and slipped away, heading straight for the excited group of tenderfeet at the other end of the encampment, and roughly pushed in among them.

”Look hyar, ye sick pups,” he blurted. ”My pardner da.s.sn't thrash any o'

ye, or he'll mebby lose his gal. Anybody hyar wantin' ter take advantage o' an old man? Huh! Then open yer dumb ears ter this: If I ketch airy one o' ye hangin' 'round Cooper's waggins, or even sayin' 'how-de-do'

to that gal, I'll git ye if I has ter chase ye all the way back ter Missoury!” He spat at the doctor's feet, turned his back and rambled over to where his trade goods were piled. On the way he met Zeb, who scowled at him.

Hank pulled some black mops out of his pocket, showed them, and shoved them back again.

”h.e.l.l!” said Zeb, enviously. ”Whar ye git 'em?”

”Found one on a currant bush,” chuckled Hank, and went on again.

Zeb placed his fists on his hips and scowled in earnest. ”I didn't know what that shootin' war, with all th' hunters runnin' 'round. Dang him!

He allus _did_ have more luck ner brains!”

Up at the captain's wagon Woodson nodded as his companion finished speaking. ”I reckon ye kin have 'most anythin' in this hyar camp, Boyd.

Two bars o' lead off'n th' cannon carriages, an' a keg o' powder? Sh.o.r.e, I'll put th' powder in Cooper's little waggin, an' ye kin help yerself ter th' lead when ye git th' time.”

CHAPTER XVI

THE Pa.s.sING OF PEDRO

After supper that night Hank and Tom sat around their fire and soon were joined by Pedro, who paid them effusive compliments about their defeat of the Arapahoes. They squirmed under his heavy flattery and finally, in desperation, spoke of the secret trail to Taos. His face beamed in the firelight and he leaned eagerly forward.

”You have decide?” he asked.

”Yes,” answered Tom. ”Whar we goin' ter meet, and what time?”

”Ah?” breathed Pedro. ”To that have I geeve _mucho_ thought. Eet should be ear-rly, so we be far away by thee coming of thee sun. Ees eet not so?”

”Naw,” growled Hank. ”Folks air not sleepin' sound enough then. n.o.body's goin' ter foller us. Thar'll be lots o' 'em leavin' camp at night from now on, tryin' ter beat each other ter th' customs fellers. Two hours afore dawn is time enough. But we got lots o' time ter figger that; we won't be ter th' Upper Spring fer two more days. Time enough then ter talk about it.”

”But, eet ees tonight!” exclaimed Pedro. ”_Madre de Dios!_ You teenk I mean near thee Upper Spreeng? No! No!”

”Mebby not; but that's whar _we_ mean,” said Tom. ”Think we're goin'

pokin' along through this Injun country fer two nights an' a day by ourselves? Th' caravan gits ter Willer Bar tomorrow night, an' camps at th' Upper Spring, or Cold Spring, th' next night. That puts us near fifty miles further on in th' protection of th' caravan.”

”No! No!” argued Pedro in despair. ”Eet ees too _mucho_ reesk!”

”Of what?” demanded Tom, in surprise.

”Eet may be that Armijo send _soldats_ to meet thee tr-rain, lak other times. Senores, eet mus' be tonight! Tonight eet mus' be!” He looked around suddenly. ”But where ar-re thee _cargas_, thee packs? I do not see them. What ees eet you do?”