Part 26 (1/2)

”We got about a ten-hour start on 'em,” growled Tom, ”but they'll cut that down quick, once they git goin'. Reckon I'll lay back a-ways an'

slow 'em up if they git hyar too soon.”

Zeb and Jim wheeled their horses and without a word accompanied him to the rear.

Hank, leading the bell mule, pushed on, looking for the site of his old cache and for a good place to cross the swollen stream, and he soon stopped at the water's edge and howled like a wolf. In a few minutes his companions came up, reported no Mexicans in sight, and unpacked the more perishable supplies. These they carried across to the other bank, their horses swimming strongly and soon the mules were ready to follow. Tom led off, entering the stream with the picket rope of the bell mule fastened to his saddle, and with his weapons, powder horn and ”possible”

sack high above his head. His horse breasted the current strongly, quartering against it, and the bell mule followed. After her, with a slight show of hesitation, came the others, the three remaining hunters bringing up the rear.

As the _atejo_ formed again and started forward Hank hung back, peering into the stunted trees and brush on the other side of the stream.

”Come on, Hank,” said Tom. ”What ye lookin' fer? They warn't in sight.”

”I war sorta hankerin' fer 'em ter show up,” growled Hank with deep regret. ”That's plumb center range from hyar, over thar. Wouldn't mind takin' a couple o' cracks at 'em, out hyar by ourselves, us four. Allus hate ter turn my tail ter yaller-bellies like them varmints. I hate 'em next ter Crows!” He slowly turned his horse and fell in behind the last mule, glancing back sorrowfully. Then he looked ahead. ”Thar's my ol'

cache,” he chuckled.

Before them on the right was an eroded hill with steep sides, its flat top covered with a thick ma.s.s of brush, berry bushes and scrub timber, and on its right was a swamp, filled with pools and rank with vegetation. The dry wash marking the end of the great buffalo trail was dry no longer, but poured out a roiled, yellow-brown stream into the dirty waters of the Cimarron.

Rounding the hill they stopped and exchanged grins, for in a little horseshoe hollow two horses, with pack saddles on their backs, stopped their grazing, pulled to the end of their picket-ropes, and looked inquiringly at the invaders.

”Thar's jest no understandin' th' ways o' Providence,” chuckled Hank as he dismounted. ”Hyar we been a-wis.h.i.+n' an' a-wis.h.i.+n' fer a couple o'

hosses to take th' place o' these cold-'la.s.ses mules, an' danged if hyar they ain't, saddles an' all, right under our noses.”

While he went along the back trail on foot to a point from where he could see the river, his companions became busy. They pooled their supplies and packed them securely on the Providence-provided horses, put the rest on their own animals, picketed the mules and removed the bell from the old mare, tossing it aside so its warning tinkle would be stilled. Signalling Hank, in a few minutes they were on their way again along the faint and in many places totally effaced trail leading over the wastes to the distant trading post on the Arkansas. Coming to a rainwater rivulet Hank sent them westward down its middle while he rode splas.h.i.+ngly upstream. Soon coming to a tangle of brush he forced his horse to take a few steps around it on the bank, returned to the stream and then, holding squarely to its middle, picked his way through the tangle and rode back to rejoin his friends, having left behind him a sign of his upward pa.s.sing. In case Providence went to sleep and took no more interest in his affairs, he had the satisfaction of knowing that he had done what he could to hide their trail.

He found his friends waiting for him and he shook his head as he joined them. ”Danged if I like this hyar hidin',” he growled, coming back to his pet grievance. ”I most gen'rally 'd ruther do it myself.”

”But it ain't a question o' fighting,” retorted Tom. ”We got ter hide our trail from now on in case some greaser gits away, like they did from them Texans back nigh th' Crossin', an' takes th' news in ter th'

settlements that we didn't go ter Bent's after we left th' wagon road.

Ye'll git all th' danged fightin' yer lookin' fer afore ye puts Santa Fe behind ye--an' I'm bettin' we'll all show our trails a hull lot worse afore we git through ter Bent's. Come on; Turley's ranch is a long ways off. If yer itchin' ter try that repeatin' rifle ye'll sh.o.r.e git th'

chance ter, later.”

Hank grinned guiltily and while he was not thoroughly convinced of the soundness of their flight, so far as his outward appearances showed, he grunted a little but pushed on and joined his partner. In a few minutes he grinned again.

”I ain't never had th' chanct ter try fer six plumb-centers without takin' th' rifle from my shoulder,” he remarked. ”Jest wait till I take this hyar Colt up in th' Crow country!” He chuckled with antic.i.p.ated pleasures and then glanced sidewise at his partner. ”Say, Tom,” he said, reminiscently; ”who air th' three other best men yer gal was thinkin'

of, back thar in that little clearin'?”

”What you mean?” demanded Tom, whirling in his saddle, his face flus.h.i.+ng under its tan. ”An' she ain't my gal, neither.”

Hank chirped and twittered a bit. ”Then who's is she?”

”Don't know; but she won't like bein' called mine. Ye oughtn't call her that.”

”Not even atween us two?”

”Not never, a-tall.”

”That so?” muttered Hank, a vague plan presenting itself to his mind, to be considered and used later. ”Huh! I must be gittin' old an'