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diff --git a/39564.txt b/39564.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a36a8d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/39564.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7257 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Broncho Rider Boys Along the Border, by Frank Fowler + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Broncho Rider Boys Along the Border + The Hidden Treasure of the Zuni Medicine Man + +Author: Frank Fowler + +Release Date: April 29, 2012 [EBook #39564] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ALONG BORDER *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from images made available by the HathiTrust +Digital Library.) + + + + + +[Illustration: The weird old Zuni Witch Doctor whirled around, looked +at Billie, raised his hand and made a threatening gesture.] + + + + +THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ALONG THE BORDER + +or + +The Hidden Treasure of the Zuni Medicine Man + +By Frank Fowler + +Author of + + "The Broncho Rider Boys On the Wyoming Trail," + "The Broncho Rider Boys at Keystone Ranch," + "The Broncho Rider Boys Down in Arizona" + +A. L. BURT COMPANY + +NEW YORK. + + + + +Copyright, 1914 + +by A. L. Burt Company + + + + +CONTENTS + + CHAPTER I.--THE THREE RANCH PARDS. + CHAPTER II.--BILLIE HAS A CLOSE CALL. + CHAPTER III.--ON THE TRAIL TO THE ZUNI VILLAGE. + CHAPTER IV.--THE STRANGE SHOT. + CHAPTER V.--RIVAL DEER HUNTERS. + CHAPTER VI.--A LIVELY SCRIMMAGE. + CHAPTER VII.--THE WITCH DOCTOR. + CHAPTER VIII.--THE MAN WHO VANISHED. + CHAPTER IX.--THE POISONED SPRING. + CHAPTER X.--LOST IN THE SAND STORM. + CHAPTER XI.--AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE. + CHAPTER XII.--THE LONG NIGHT. + CHAPTER XIII.--THE PANGS OF STARVATION. + CHAPTER XIV.--THE ZUNI SNAKE CATCHER. + CHAPTER XV.--A MEETING WITH THE MEDICINE MAN. + CHAPTER XVI.--THE BLANK WALL. + CHAPTER XVII.--A SECRET OF THE SACRED MOUNTAIN. + CHAPTER XVIII.--THE STRANGE HABITATIONS OF THE ZUNIS. + CHAPTER XIX.--WHERE LADDERS WERE STAIRS. + CHAPTER XX.--BILLIE AND THE SHOWMAN. + CHAPTER XXI.--A TREMENDOUS SCHEME. + CHAPTER XXII.--ANOTHER WARNING. + CHAPTER XXIII.--THE STEALING OF THE SACRED BELT. + CHAPTER XXIV.--A DESPERATE SITUATION. + CHAPTER XXV.--THE COMING OF DONALD. + CHAPTER XXVI.--THE RATTLESNAKE DANCE. + CHAPTER XXVII.--HOMEWARD BOUND. + CHAPTER XXVIII.--AT THE END OF THE ROPE. + CHAPTER XXIX.--THE MEDICINE MAN'S SECRET. + CHAPTER XXX.--BILLIE MAKES A DISCOVERY--CONCLUSION. + + + + +THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ALONG THE BORDER + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE THREE RANCH PARDS. + + +"We'll never get another chance like it, fellows!" + +"No more we won't, Billie." + +"And so I say let's stay around this section till we see all there is." + +"That's what Adrian remarked, Billie, before you put your oar in." + +"Oh! well if it's a unanimous vote, why, I reckon the whole thing might +be called settled then, eh, Donald?" + +"We'll stay for a while, anyhow. You know our saddle chum, Adrian, is +getting just wild to take a run away up into that Northern range country +in Wyoming, where in times gone by they used to have big cattle +ranches." + +"Yes, I've heard him say he was uneasy about that ranch he owns up +there, but hasn't seen for so long. It's being run by an uncle named +Fred Comstock, and our pard has a sorter idea that it's more profitable +to Uncle Fred than to him. So he thinks he'd better take a jaunt up that +way unbeknown to all parties, and see for himself. And Donald, when he +starts there'll be _three_ of us in the bunch, won't there?" + +"Sure thing, Billie. You don't think we'd go and let our right-hand +bower trail away off like that alone. Look at him smile when he hears me +say that. Adrian knows we'll stick as close to him as a burr, don't you +now, old fellow?" + +"Well, I'm certainly glad to hear you talk that way, boys," replied the +third member of the little group standing on a rocky height, from which +a very fine view could be had of that mountainous mining section of +Arizona; and the presence of three spirited cow ponies near by told just +how the boys, who were in range costume, must have come there. + +For the benefit of those who have not had the pleasure of making the +acquaintance of these wide-awake lads in previous stories of this +Series, a minute or two might profitably be taken up here and now in +telling a little about them, so that something of their character and +aims may be understood. + +Donald Mackay was the son of a ranchman who not only owned a vast tract +of land in the Far Southwest range country, but had interests in mines +as well. Adrian Sherwood was his chum, and had been for a long time +back; while the fat chap, whose rosy and freckled face seemed bubbling +with good humor most of the time, had not been out in this wild region +many moons. + +In fact, being Donald's cousin, and a Southern boy by birth, though his +folks now lived in the North, Billie had been sent down on a year's +visit to the cattle country for the sake of his health! + +To look at him no one would suspect that this was in any degree +imperiled; for he was terribly stout, and at times fairly waddled; but +that was the trouble; and it was hoped that the free life of the range, +with all sorts of hard riding, and kindred sports, would not only reduce +his girth, but harden his flabby muscles. + +Already Billie was another boy. He had lost twenty pounds, so he +claimed, and called himself as "hard as nails," whatever that might +mean. Certain it was that he could ride in a manner that astonished +those who were liable to secretly sneer at his clumsy appearance; and as +for pluck and endurance, why Billie was as stubborn as an army mule, +once he set out to accomplish anything. + +At first he had ridden a demure old nag named Maudie, that was always +trailing so far behind those mounts of his comrades Wireless and Ten +Spot, when they rode forth, that Billie just made up his mind he would +never stand for it. So he had Mr. Mackay give him an unruly cow pony +called Jupiter, that few of the punchers cared to ride; and for weeks in +and weeks out Billie had his regular daily stunt with that raging beast. + +How many times he went over its head no one knew, for they had lost all +count; but somehow the fat boy seemed to bear a charmed life, for his +hurts were all of a minor character. And in the end he won out, just as +the others knew he would; for given time running water can wear away a +stone. And now Jupiter was under perfect control, save for an occasional +little spasm, when his old ugly nature tried to show itself for a +change. + +These three lads had seen considerable excitement around Keystone Ranch, +as the home place was called; and later on Donald had been sent down +into Arizona when his father, being disabled, could not come; in order +to settle some troubles that had arisen in connection with a rich copper +mine, in which he and some others were heavily interested. + +An unscrupulous syndicate of capitalists, headed by one Colonel Deering, +a close neighbor of the Mackays, but who had always been on bad terms +with the other ranch-owners, had secured a footing in the copper mine, +knowing of a very rich lode that had just been discovered; and tried by +every means in their power to freeze out the other stockholders, even +engineering a serious strike that threatened to be the ruination of the +whole property. + +But Donald, assisted by his two chums, had skillfully managed to alter +the complexion of affairs during their visit, as related in the second +book of the Series; making friends with the leader of the strikers in a +way that was at once wonderful and lucky; so that in the end those who +had been trying to foment trouble had to throw up their job and decamp, +for the miners all came flocking over to the side of Donald, and gladly +signed contracts to work for his father for a term of years, under the +new and favorable terms. + +Of course Billie had another name, and perhaps it would be as well to +mention all there is to say in that connection right here and now, so +that agony will be over with. + +He had been christened William Stonewall Jackson Winkle, for, as can be +seen, his father or grandfather must have at one time fought under the +most beloved general known to the Southern Lost Cause. Some of his boy +friends delighted to call him "Little Billie" and "Wee Willie Winkle," +just because he was anything but small. But when he got out there in the +cattle country, the cowboys of the ranch, seeing his natural clumsiness, +in a spirit of fun quickly dubbed him "Broncho Billie," never dreaming +that the fat boy would show such grit as to conquer that terror of the +corral, Jupiter Pluvius. And nowadays no one ever thought of calling him +by any other name. + +Billie had done considerable reading when at home, and one day while +they were still roaming all around the wild rocky region that surrounded +the Red Spar mine he had asked a lot of questions about the Zuni +Indians, saying that he had always longed to see for himself if half the +queer stories he had heard and read in connection with these quaint +people of the rock houses could be true. + +He knew that they were not more than three days' ride right then and +there from a Zuni village, and every little while he had pestered the +life out of his chums, hinting at the great and glorious opportunity +that was right then knocking at their doors, and which might never come +again. + +And now that Donald had admitted, under severe cross-questioning, that +both he and Adrian had long ago decided to see all there was to be +observed while in that section of Arizona, of course Billie was fairly +overjoyed. + +Billie was the best natured bungler any one ever knew. No matter what a +mess he made of things, when one of his chums started in to take him to +task, his blue eyes would take on such a reproachful expression, while +his jolly broad face was apt to expand in such a smile that made it +impossible for them to feel in the least degree angry; and so it always +ended in a general laugh all around, and Billie solemnly promising never +to do it again--until the next time. + +These three lads were seen so much on their ponies that they had come to +be known all through the section of country where Donald's father had +his ranch as the "Broncho Rider Boys;" and they took considerable pride +in living up to their reputation as good horsemen. + +Having come out from the mine on this particular day to investigate a +place that Corse Tibbals, the superintendent at the Red Spar Mine had +told them was worth seeing on account of the view, as well as the fact +that it had more venomous reptiles to the square foot than any other +section of the State, they had prowled around, and used the glasses +Adrian carried, until tired. + +Then Donald and Adrian had thrown themselves down, saying they would +take it easy for another half hour, when it would be time to make a +start on the return trip, if they wished to reach the mine before night +set in. + +Broncho Billie kept on "rooting," for he always loved to "browse around" +as he called it, in every old place he could find, looking for curious +things to add to the collection he was making of strange objects +calculated to astonish his boy friends at home in the East, when he +returned there later on. + +"I've heard a heap about that blessed Gila Monster," he had told the +others on several occasions since starting out on this day's gallop and +climb; "and perhaps now we might run across a single specimen, where +there are so many venomous toads and rattlesnakes and such. Oh! don't +shake your wise old heads, and look at me in that way. Just you make +sure I ain't going to touch anything like _that_! I've been duly warned +by Si Ketcham the ranch foreman, and also Harris over here at the Red +Spar Mine, to keep my distance. But if I could only get a specimen, and +stuff it, I'd be a happy Broncho Billie." + +Ten minutes afterward the two who were resting heard him calling to +them. + +"Oh! just come over here and see the rattlesnake cage I've struck, +fellows! Must be a regular nest of the varmints, dozens and dozens +asunning themselves down in this rocky pit." + +"Hold on there, be careful, Billie, what you do!" called Donald, as he +and his chum scrambled to their feet; but it was only to hear a wild +screech from the fat boy; and then followed a terribly significant +rattling of shale that struck them with a cold chill. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +BILLIE HAS A CLOSE CALL. + + +"Oh! Billie's fallen down in that rattlesnake den!" gasped Adrian, even +while he and Donald were jumping over the rocks as fast as their legs +would carry them, and headed in the direction where just ten seconds +before they had seen the fat chum waving his arms excitedly to attract +their attention, only to suddenly slip and disappear from view. + +In all their experiences with the clumsy Billie, the two boys probably +never had such a sensation of absolute horror sweep over them as at that +particular minute. + +They must have pictured all sorts of terrible results springing from +this weakness on the part of Billie to do just the very thing he should +have avoided. For him to make a misstep, and fall into that hole in the +rocks where he had just told them dozens of poisonous snakes were +coiled, and wriggling about, was possibly the greatest calamity that +could have happened to him. And it might be the last mistake poor clumsy +Billie was ever apt to make in this world of woe. + +Spurred on by fear, and almost dreading to peer into the pit, the two +boys reached the edge in a very few seconds. Both of them shut their +teeth hard as they proceeded to thrust their heads out in order to look +downward. + +What they saw gave them a new thrill. + +Billie was there, but he had not fallen all the way to the bottom of the +hole, it appeared. His old lucky streak seemed to still hold good, for +he had succeeded, somehow or other,--and Billie could never explain in +what way it came about,--in clutching hold of the rocks as he fell, so +that he was clinging there, with his fat legs kicking wildly in space, +and not more than five feet from the bottom of the rocky pit. + +And just as he had so exultantly shouted when he wanted to attract his +resting companions to view the strange sight, the floor of the den +seemed to be almost carpeted with squirming reptiles, as though this +might be a regular breeding place for rattlesnakes. + +They were some of them monsters, while others seemed to be of the +smaller species so generally found on the plains, and usually inhabiting +the burrows of prairie dogs; but which are just as deadly as their +diamond-back cousins. + +The dropping down upon them of numerous small fragments of rock, caused +by the scrambling of Billie when he tried to keep from falling, had +aroused many of the half dormant reptiles, so that they were making +quite a din with their rattles just then, and showing signs of sudden +anger, as they coiled, and waited for the intruder to land among them. + +Billie had been looking down at them, but appearing to know that his +chums must have arrived above, he turned a white, appealing face up +toward them. Such fear the others had never seen in all their lives; but +chances were their own faces must have been just as white at that same +instant. + +"Help me, boys, for goodness sake!" gasped poor Billie, as he squirmed +there, unable to find the slightest perch for his dangling feet, so that +all of his great weight came upon his arms alone, and they must have +been sorely tried when he first clutched hold of the rough face of the +rock to check his descent. + +"Hold on like everything, Billie!" called Donald, excitedly. + +"Ain't I doing that same; but please get busy and start something to +save me, boys!" groaned the one in peril. "It's just awful hanging here, +and listening to them use their old rattleboxes that way." + +"How long can you hold out?" demanded Donald, "for if I could run over +to our ponies and snatch up a rope, I'd have you out of that in a +jiffy." + +"Go!" pleaded Billie. "Anything, so that you're on the jump! I'll do the +best I know how to keep hanging here; but it's pretty tough on a +fellow!" + +Donald had already disappeared, and was flying like the wind toward the +spot where their mounts were fastened, leaping over rocks that stood in +the way as if they were next door to nothing. + +Adrian, left with the lad who was in such desperate straits, busied +himself in looking around, in the vague hope of discovering some means +for rendering "first aid to the injured." He remembered seeing certain +queer vines growing from fissures in the rocks in some places, and if +one of these only happened to be within reaching distance it might prove +valuable now. + +Luck seemed to be with him, for what should he sight but an unusually +thick specimen of this same vine not ten feet away. + +Snatching out his sharp-edged hunting knife, which he always kept in +prime condition, Adrian sprang over to where he had discovered this +treasure. + +"Oh! don't leave me alone, Adrian!" shrieked the fat boy, piteously; for +how was he to know what had caused the other to vanish from his agonized +view? + +But Adrian was already cutting away fiercely; and although the vine +proved very tough, he had it hacked through in next to no time, such was +the vigor he put into his work. + +Then back he sprang, trailing the vine with him; and when he again +thrust his eager face over the edge of the pit, doubtless that was the +most delightful vision poor alarmed Billie had ever seen in all his +life. + +"Oh! ain't I glad you didn't leave me, Adrian!" he cried, almost +whimpering in his tremendous excitement. + +"How are you holding out, Billie?" called the other. + +"Only middling! It's getting worse and worse every second," replied the +one who was hanging on so desperately below, some ten feet or more. "You +see, I haven't got much of a hold, and I don't dare try and change my +grip because if I once started going there'd be no stopping me. Is +Donald coming back yet, Ad, tell me please?" + +"I don't think he's quite got to the horses yet, Billie!" + +"Oh! my goodness! what will I do?" groaned the wretched lad, as he once +more felt his gaze drawn down to the bottom of the pit by some horrible +fascination which he could not resist. + +"Keep up your courage, old fellow," said Adrian, feeling that at any +cost he must prevent the other from giving way to despair, for that +would surely cause his muscles to relax, and should this occur the end +was certain. "See, I've got a vine here, and I'm lowering the big end to +you as fast as I can. Perhaps now you might get a grip on that, if you +felt your hands slipping away from the rock. It's got a rough surface, +and would hold better!" + +"Thank you, Adrian, that sounds good to me; but hurry it along, please, +for I'm afraid I'm slipping off right now!" + +So the one above did hasten the descent of the vine; and in another +moment he was gratified to realize that Billie had transferred his grip +to that. The strain was tremendous, for Billie weighed almost as much as +both his chums put together; but Adrian had prepared for this by bracing +his feet against a rock, so there was small danger of his being pulled +over the edge. + +He could not begin to raise Billie alone and unaided, but he expected to +hold fast until the coming of Donald. + +Then again, Billie, having a new kind of grip now, was able to strain +and draw until he had elevated himself a few feet, so that he could get +a rest with his toes upon the very small ledge to which he had hitherto +been clinging with his hands. + +"It's all right now, Adrian!" he sang out with sudden cheerfulness that +contrasted queerly with the horror that had been in his voice only a +minute previously; "I'm fixed different than before, and I reckon I can +hold out till Donald comes up. Oh! you can keep on shakin' your old +rattleboxes down there; but this ain't the time you get Broncho Billie. +But I tell you now, that was the closest shave I ever had happen to me, +sure it was." + +Donald soon came panting along, full of dire forebodings, because it had +taken him considerably longer to go and return than he had expected; and +there was no telling what might not have happened to poor, tired Billie +in the meantime. But as he had heard no shouts from Adrian, he kept +hoping for the best. + +When he saw how cleverly his chum had made use of the trailing vine that +had seemed to grow just where it could be utilized, as though Billie's +attendant good angel was as always on the job, Donald gave a faint +cheer. + +"Bully for you, Ad!" he cried, as he flung himself down by the edge of +the rattlesnake pit, to lower the loop of his lariat; "trust you to +think up some smart trick, while dummies like me can only remember that +they own a rope. Hi! Billie, can you kick your legs into that loop, and +let me draw it up under your arms?" + +"Sure I can, Donald; just try me," came from below; and then ensued a +vigorous shifting of the dangling lower extremities of the imperiled +boy, until finally the expert user of the rope above managed to lasso +them both; after which it was a simple thing to draw the loop to where +he wanted. + +Then the two above proceeded to pull Billie up. He scrambled over the +edge with a red face, and a broad grin on the same that was just the +opposite to that look of terror they had so lately seen there. But all +the same they were delighted to get him back unharmed; and both boys +squeezed his hand in a way that told Billie how tremendously they had +been aroused by his sudden peril. + +"That was a silly slip of mine, sure it was," he admitted immediately; +for Billie was always ready to own up to making blunders, which was one +reason they found it so hard to condemn him; "and let's get away from +this place as quick as we can, boys. Huh! no Gila Monster for me after +this, I reckon. I've had as close a call to being stung as I ever want +to get. Gimme a chance to rest up a bit, and then I'll be ready to hike +out of this blessed region, where there's more snakes to the square foot +than anywhere on earth, seems like." + +Less than half an hour later the Broncho Rider Boys were returning to +the copper mine by the same tortuous route which they had taken to reach +the lofty place where the view had been worth all the trouble the +journey had cost them. + +Billie was unusually quiet on the return trip. Truth to tell he was +feeling as tired as though he had done the greatest day's work of his +life; for the strain on body and mind, while he hung there above those +hissing and rattling snakes, had been simply terrific. He knew that he +would feel it for several days; but his nature was such that past +troubles sat very lightly on his mind; and he would soon be joking about +his strange experience. + +It was pretty certain however, that Billie had had his lesson; and after +that should he have occasion to come within a certain distance of any +sort of viper the fat boy was pretty apt to make sure of his footing; +one experience of that kind ought to be quite enough. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ON THE TRAIL TO THE ZUNI VILLAGE. + + +"Well, here we are on the road to the Zuni village, and with pretty near +a whole day's journey to the good behind us!" + +Broncho Billie said this as he rode close behind his two chums. Several +days had passed since that thrilling adventure with the rattlesnakes of +the rocky den; and the boys had made ample preparations for their trip. + +As it was so much more comfortable to sleep under some sort of shelter, +at the earnest solicitation of Billie, who liked comfort when he could +have it, they had accepted the offer of a tent from Corse Tibbals, the +overseer and head man at the mine, being one that had served him many a +time in the past, but which he felt he could easily spare, seeing that +these lads had worked a miracle in the way things were happening at the +Red Spar Mine. + +This same tent was loaded upon an extra mount, a sorrel mule that the +boys had named "Bray," because that seemed to be his favorite amusement +at various times during the day and night. And there were also many +bundles fastened to the back of the pack animal, said to contain all +sorts of food, and presents from the miners and their wives; all of whom +felt so grateful to Donald and his chums because they had brought the +dangerous condition of affairs to an end, and by making new contracts +with the men, caused happiness to dwell in the shanties that composed +the little mining hamlet near the Red Spar. + +Billie liked to lead Bray. Many were the glances he cast during the day +upon those various packages, the contents of which appealed to him +greatly; because it happened that the fat boy possessed a pretty healthy +appetite, and the subject of gratifying the same occupied considerable +of his attention when awake. + +They had really put in quite an arduous eight hours, and boys, as well +as ponies, showed more or less signs of being tired as the afternoon +shadows lengthened, and it seemed as though the day would soon come to a +close, when they might be looking for a decent camping spot in order to +pass the first night out on the trail. + +Donald turned his head to glance at the fat boy when Billie made the +assertion which starts this chapter. + +"All of which is true enough, Billie," he remarked, with a twinkle in +his eye; "and given a couple more such days we ought to get to where +we're aiming for. But you know from past experiences, you never can tell +what's going to happen in this Arizona country. Any time a fellow is apt +to run across some sort of an outlaw cattle rustler, and be taken in by +him as an easy mark!" + +At that Adrian could be heard chuckling; while Billie turned fiery red, +and appeared to bristle up more or less, as he hastily went on to say: + +"Oh! go on and have your little joke, if it gives you any pleasure, +fellows. But I'd do that same thing again, I reckon under similar +circumstances. That poor chap was in a bad way, what with his cuts, and +being nigh starved. I own up I didn't just like his looks, but he was in +a peck of trouble, and I just didn't have the heart to desert him till +he'd got to feeling better, and said he thought he might get on alone. +Never thought to ask his name either; and when I told the boys all about +it, and described him as a fellow with a squint in his left eye, why, +they just laughed themselves sick over it, and told me I'd been playing +nurse to the meanest rascal that ever went unhung." + +"Yes, not a man around the Red Spar has a good word to say about that +Tod Harkness," ventured Donald, still grinning; "he's been a cattle +rustler and a general all-round shirk, a thief and everything that's +bad. They thought you'd been sold the worst kind. Why, some of the men +wanted to know if the sneak hadn't stolen your pocketbook while you were +helping him walk to a place where you meant to camp, that night you got +lost." + +"Well, he didn't, and that's all there is about it," said Billie, +firmly. "Mebbe Tod Harkness is everything you say; but he was a mighty +sick man right then and there. So please forget it. I know I'm soft, and +most anybody can impose on me; but I was born that way; and they say the +leopard just can't change his spots. Let that little episode drop. I +ain't sorry one whit, I tell you. Do it again if I ran across a sick +man, don't care if he was the Old Nick himself. So there!" + +Donald gave Adrian a nod as if to say "just see how set he is in his +ways;" but neither of them continued making any further remark upon the +subject which was such a sore one with their stout chum. + +Indeed, further conversation was rendered out of the question by Bray, +for the pack mule took a sudden notion to give tongue; and when he let +out his voice no human tones could prevail against the raucous sounds. + +"I think I can see where we're going to put up tonight!" Donald called +out, some ten minutes afterwards. + +At that Billie brightened visibly. + +"Oh! that's the best thing I've heard you say for a whole hour, Donald," +he declared, with some signs of excitement. "Then, chances are we'll be +getting busy with supper before a great while. That always pleases me, +you know, boys." + +"Yes, and it's a lucky thing for all of us that the wives of those +miners saw fit to make up that hunky-dory pack of supplies, when they +heard where we meant to head for, before starting back to Keystone +ranch," Adrian went on to say. + +"Oh! I'm always free to admit that I've got some appetite along with +me," acknowledged Billie, complacently; for nothing they could ever say +along these lines seemed to disturb him in the least. + +Before twenty minutes had come and gone they were proceeding to get the +tent in position; at least Billie and Adrian set about accomplishing +this task, after the horses had been staked out where they could nibble +at the grass growing near the spring hole; while Donald arranged a +fireplace out of convenient stones, hunter-fashion, it being wider in +front for the frying-pan to set there, while the coffee-pot could +straddle the narrow section in the rear. + +Billie was as happy as a lark; he always acted that way when a bustle in +the way of getting ready to eat came along. + +"It's hard for me to believe that, after dreaming about it for years, +I'm going to actually set eyes on them queer Zunis in a couple of days," +he started to say; and then turning quickly on Donald, as though he had +remembered something he may have intended asking, he went on: "didn't +you say that this was about the time of year when they had all their +dances, and carried on such high jinks?" + +"I wouldn't be surprised, from what Corse Tibbals told me, if we just +happened to hit it about right for all the ceremonies they go through +with every year," Donald replied. "And I reckon, now, that you mean to +try and get some snapshots while that native circus is going on, don't +you, Billie?" + +"Just what I'm thinking of trying," admitted the other, naively. "Course +I've got a heap of pictures of the Zunis and Hopis at home, but that +ain't the same as snapping 'em off all by yourself. I'd rather have a +poor picture that I'd taken myself, than the finest any artist could +produce. Ain't that right, Adrian?" + +He always appealed to the other when making any statement of this sort; +and as usual Adrian quickly backed him up. + +"Of course you would, and rightly too, Billie; because that shows you +were on deck when the dancing was going on. For a fellow couldn't very +well take a picture of a thing unless he was there, could he?" + +"Sure he couldn't, 'less he piked a copy from another picture," Billie +declared. "And I only hope I'll get chances to use up a whole string of +films, with the girls and their queer head-dresses showing like the Hopi +Indians do, and p'raps the old medicine-man all dressed up in his togs +adoing a two-step, while he shakes his gourds and rattles, and tinkles +his little bells in great style. Oh! I'm cram full of the subject, let +me tell you, boys; and I'll never be happy till I see it all with my +very eyes." + +"Well, what are we going to have for supper?" asked Donald, who knew +very well that only in this way could the talkative Billie be made to +branch off the subject that had begun to be wearisome to the rest of the +little party. + +The ruse succeeded, too, as it always did; and Billie was quickly at +work undoing several of those mysterious packages which the grateful +wives of the miners had made up for the trio of saddle pards. + +His various exclamations of delight must have early convinced both +Adrian and Donald that the fat boy had made numerous satisfactory +discoveries. And later on, when that supper was cooked, and they sat +around in easy attitudes, consuming the same, they voted that the women +of the Red Spar camp were all "trumps" of the first water; because they +knew what hungry boys liked most. + +"Had we better keep any sort of watch tonight?" asked Billie, yawning, a +couple of hours after they had finished eating; the interval that had +elapsed having been occupied with much talk along various interesting +lines, during which Billie managed as usual to soak up a great deal of +information. + +"Well, of course the horses are about as good as a sentry," admitted +Donald, who had trained his pony, Wireless, to snort, and wake him up in +case enemies came prowling around; "but all the same we'd better sleep +with one eye open. It's a mighty poor policy to wait till the horse is +stolen before you lock the stable door, so my dad always says. And there +might be some rustler in this section like, well, Billie's good friend, +Tod, you know; who just couldn't keep from grabbing our mounts, no +matter how hard he tried." + +"Yes," added Adrian, as though to put a clincher in the assertion made +by his chum, "and it'd be no joke for us to be left on foot away off +here, hundreds of miles from home. We'll keep our arms handy, and if any +sneak gives us a call, why we can make him sorry he found us at home, +that's what." + +"Hark! listen to Wireless right now, would you?" exclaimed Donald, in a +low, tense voice, as he half arose to his feet, quivering with sudden +excitement. + +Billie was the only one to snatch up a gun, which he happened to have +alongside at that particular moment. + +"Look there, will you?" called out Donald; "see him scuttle off into the +darkness, of the shadows? An Injun as sure as you live. Oh! if only I +had my gun in my hands. Give him a shot, Billie, why don't you?" + +But Billie, although he half raised his Marlin rifle, failed to shoot. +Possibly the thought of hurting a human being did not appeal to him in +the same sense as it did these boys of the plains. Then again, perhaps +the haste with which the shadowy figure of the dusky warrior scuttled +out of sight rather disconcerted the fat boy. At any rate, Billie only +stood there with his gun half raised; and the next thing he knew there +was nothing but the moonlight and the shadows before him. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE STRANGE SHOT. + + +"Oh! he's gone!" exclaimed Billie. + +"Of course he is!" echoed Donald, in disgust; "say, how long did you +expect a slick Injun to stay around, waiting for you to make up your +mind to shoot?" + +"But good gracious, Donald, what should I fire away at him for? He +hadn't done a single thing but creep up here to see who was making all +this blaze and smoke. That's a mighty little thing to try to kill +anybody for. Why, I'd like as not be just as curious myself." + +Donald snorted as he turned to Adrian. + +"Listen to the innocent, would you, Ad?" he remarked, in half +discouraged tone. "Why, what else would a red be prowling around our +camp for, except looking for a good chance to steal our horses." + +"Is that so, Donald?" Billie went on to say; "then I suppose I ought to +have banged away, anyhow, and given him a scare; but you see I was that +confused I hardly knew what I was about." + +"A scare!" echoed Donald. "Why, don't you know, you innocent, that a +cow-puncher would forgive a thief for robbing him of his money, and +almost causing his death, quicker than he would for trying to steal his +mount?" + +"Yes," Adrian went on to add, "they are a good deal like the Arab in +that respect. You see, a horse means everything on the prairie, or in +the desert; and to take a man's mount is just the same as threatening +his life. Did you manage to get any half-way decent look at him, +Donald?" + +"Well, not so you could mention it," replied the other, who now had his +gun in his hand, and was staring out into the mixture of moonlight and +dim shadows as if he still clung to a faint hope that he might find a +chance to use the weapon. "But there can be no question about what he +was." + +"Some stray from the reservation, you think?" Adrian continued; while +Billie stood near by, listening eagerly. + +"Every once in so often some of the hot-blooded young bucks get a notion +that things are too tame on the reservation," Donald started to say with +the air of one who knew full well what he was talking about. + +"And so they start out to take a turn around," Adrian added, "thinking +they ought to copy after their ancestors, and feel wild for a spell. +Sometimes they play havoc among the white, being filled with firewater; +and then there is trouble enough, with some of the same young bucks +getting shot. And as Donald says, an Indian can never resist a chance to +steal a horse, when he's off on a tear like that, free from all the +restraint of the old men of his tribe." + +"Perhaps he may think to come back, and make another try?" suggested +Billie. + +"Chances are he will do just that same thing; and as he must have one or +more friends along, we may have to do some business with our guns before +morning," Donald told him, positively. + +Billie was duly impressed with the serious nature of the case. Still, he +hardly liked the idea of being compelled to shed human blood just +because of a horse like his Jupiter. Secretly he hoped that if there did +come along any necessity for this sort of thing, his companions would +accept some of the burden of responsibility, since they did not seem to +care as much as he did. + +Donald altered his plans more or less, after this plain warning. Now +that they actually knew there were thieving Indians around, they could +not afford to take any chances of losing their horses. + +Accordingly the animals, as well as Bray the pack mule, were brought in +closer to the tent. They had been given ample time to procure a supper, +and should rest contented during the remainder of the night. + +It was a toss-up between the two experienced cowboys as to which should +take the first watch. Billie, quite satisfied to see them so eager to +sit up, did all he knew how to settle the matter. + +"Here, let me be the umpire, and hold these two straws in my hand," he +remarked, complacently; "now, one of them is just a mite shorter than +the other; and whoever gets the short one is to play sentry first watch, +hear that. You draw, Donald!" + +Thereupon the party indicated proceeded to do as he was directed, and +with the utmost unconcern, as though it mattered not at all to him what +his luck might be. + +"And you're on deck the first thing!" announced Billie, exultantly, as +he held up the remaining straw, so that they could all see it was longer +than the one Donald had selected. + +"Great luck, that!" the picked vidette remarked, laughingly; "for I was +bound to take first choice anyhow, no matter what Ad said. But you +closed him up by your little dodge, Billie, and for that thanks. Are you +thinking of going inside, and getting your forty winks right now, +fellows?" + +They said they had intentions along those same lines, if he thought he +could manage things without their help; at which Donald pretended to +chase the pair to cover; and then remarked that he would find a good +vantage place, where he might stand out his spell as guardian of the +camp. + +Perhaps Billie may not have been altogether free from anxieties as he +composed himself under his blanket on that same night. The fact that +hostile Indians were hovering around, with the intention of stealing +their valuable mounts, caused him to feel a certain amount of +nervousness. He feared that he would not be able to go to sleep as +easily as was his custom; and that during the entire term of Donald's +watch he must just lie there, thinking and listening. + +Six minutes after crawling under the canvas Billie's regular breathing +convinced Adrian that the fat boy was entirely oblivious to all his +surroundings; and that whatever his mental troubles might be, they had +for the time being vanished like the mist before the rising sun; for +slumber deadens one to the cares of this world, better than anything +else that is known. + +Adrian himself also went to sleep, but it was in an entirely different +way. He simply resolutely put all thoughts out of his mind, and in this +way coaxed his senses to allow themselves to be lulled to rest. Habit +can do much along these lines. + +He may have been sleeping ten minutes, or perhaps it was a couple of +hours; for Adrian could not even give a guess as to the truth when he +was suddenly awakened by a shot outside. + +Like a flash he was up on his hands and knees. Snatching his rifle from +the ground he hastily crawled out of the tent; leaving Billie asking a +dozen excited questions, as he too felt for his rifle, and started to +follow in the wake of the more energetic chum. + +When Adrian managed to gain his feet, he looked quickly around him, +wondering how he could locate Donald; and if that had been the other's +gun he heard. + +"This way, Ad!" called a voice just then, and he caught sight of the +other waving an arm toward him from a place near by. + +So Adrian started toward that quarter; and Billie, coming rolling out +from the exit of the tent just then, saw him going, so of course he +hastened to "paddle" along after him--that was an expression often used +to describe the fat boy's method of locomotion; and somehow it just +seemed to hit the mark; since he had a peculiar sidling motion when +making an advance, that reminded one of the fins of a big fish moving +back and forth. + +"What happened, Donald?" asked the other, as he came close up to his +chum, whom he found crouched there, gun in hand, and evidently keenly on +the watch for some object at which to fire. + +"They were at it again, that's what!" replied the vidette, bitterly; and +somehow Adrian could see that he looked peeved, as well as puzzled; as +though there were certain features connected with the happening that did +not altogether please him. + +"The reds, you mean?" Adrian went on to ask. + +"Sure thing, Ad." + +"That looks like they meant to have our horses by fair means or foul; +and I just reckon we'll have to sit up the rest of the night, so's to be +ready to pick off the first brave who shows himself," Adrian ventured. + +Billie managed to reach them just then, and of course he was brimming +over with a desire to know all that had happened. But then any one would +have felt that way, after being so rudely awakened from a most enjoyable +sleep, and compelled to crawl out from under his warm blanket, to +experience the chill of the night air. + +"Is he dead?" he asked, solemnly. + +"Meaning the Injun that gave that screech, I suppose you're asking +about, Billie?" Donald went on to say, still gloomily, Adrian thought. +"Well make your mind easy, for he got away, all right; though he +certainly did let out a yelp that told he'd been pinked by that lead +pellet." + +"You are sure of that, are you, Donald?" demanded Billie, giving an +audible sigh of relief; for he had fully expected that he would be +compelled to look upon the stiffening figure of a wretched Apache young +brave who had been tempted to stray from the reservation, and try what +it felt like to pick up the old pursuits of Geronimo, the fierce chief +who gave the soldiers so much trouble years back. + +"Well, I can tell you this," replied the other; "as soon as the shot +came he let out a whoop that had a lot of pain back of it. Then he +limped across that little open piece yonder where the moonlight falls on +the ground. I reckon his mate was waiting there in the shadows for him, +with their own hosses; because I saw the one that was hurt climb on the +back of a pony, whirl the animal around, and vanish in the shadows like +a ghost. I lifted my gun to shoot, but thought it would be only throwing +good lead away, so I held back, hang the luck!" + +"I don't see why you should feel so bad about it," remarked Billie. + +"Oh! don't you?" remarked Donald, who was unusually grumpy, Adrian +realized. + +"Why, no," the fat chum went on to say, "if you had one crack at him, +and as you say, managed to give him some sort of a wound that he won't +forget in a hurry; besides chasing the beggars away in the bargain. You +hadn't ought to kick, Donald." + +"Well, I wouldn't, if only I'd had as much fun as you mention," observed +Donald, briskly; "but fact is, fellows, it wasn't me that fired that +shot at all; but it seemed to come from away over yonder. I heard the +crack, and looked out just in time to see that limping Injun pass over, +and manage to get on his pony. Before I could remember that I held a gun +he was gone. And what's bothering me is, who's our unknown friend, +hiding in the rocks over there?" + +"Let's give him a call, and ask him to join us," suggested Billie, +heartily. + +But although they shouted many times, only dense silence answered them; +whoever it was fired that mysterious shot, he evidently did not mean to +make himself known. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +RIVAL DEER HUNTERS. + + +"It don't seem to be any use," observed Broncho Billie, after they had +called out invitingly several times, without getting any sign of a +reply; nor seeing so much as the first indication that the unknown might +be even then advancing in the direction of the spot where the tent +stood. + +"Looks like he didn't care to make our acquaintance very much," grunted +Donald, still acting peevish, something out of the usual run with him. + +"Oh! well, I reckon we can get along without knowing him," remarked +Adrian. "And perhaps after all that shot wasn't meant to help us so +much." + +"Eh? What d'ye mean by saying that?" asked Billie. + +"Why, the fellow who fired may have meant to send in a random bullet, +just to help scare us; but by mistake, perhaps it went the wrong way, +and wounded one of his friends," Adrian concluded; though from his +manner it was apparent he himself had very little faith in this rather +far-fetched theory. + +Donald laughed. + +"Oh! no, that don't go down worth a cent, Adrian," he went on to +declare. "Why, I tell you there couldn't have been one chance of it in +ten thousand. Whoever it was fired that shot, he was quick as a flash on +the trigger; and he had a good eye in the bargain. Not many men could +have nailed that Injun in the moonlight, and when he just exposed +himself a little bit, while crawling along from rock to rock." + +They decided that it was useless thinking of sleeping after such an +experience. So they sat there in the shadows as time passed on, now and +then exchanging low remarks, but always keeping the horses under +observation; and their fingers were in close contact with the triggers +of their quick-firing guns, so as to be ready for any sort of emergency +that might arise. + +But that only applied to two of the boys. For poor Billie, in spite of +all his good intentions, could not keep awake to save his life; and +during the balance of the night he enjoyed quite a number of lengthy +naps all to himself. But between these he let the others know that he +was awake by asking numerous questions; and secretly he hoped that +neither of them noticed his regular breathing whenever he fell into a +doze. + +There are lots of just such fellows in this queer world of ours, filled +with good intentions, but singularly weak when it comes to trying to put +them into practice. Billie always meant well, and did the best he knew +how. With him it was indeed a case of the "spirit being willing, but the +flesh weak." + +There was no further alarm that night. + +Why this should be so they could only hazard one of several guesses. The +young adventure-loving bucks may have realized that they were up against +a snag after having one of their number wounded in that strange way; and +concluded that the possible reward was hardly worth the risk of their +lives. Then again, since the shot came from a quarter behind them, they +may have been seized with a sudden panic, to the effect that they were +literally surrounded, and concluded that they had better make off while +a chance remained. + +Little the boys cared which reason it was that actuated the movements of +the Apache braves who had threatened to give them all sorts of trouble. + +"I'm going out there and take a little look around this morning, after +the light gets better," announced Donald, as they resurrected the fire, +and Billie generously offered to do the cooking for breakfast for the +crowd. + +"I'd like to go along," remarked Adrian. + +"Hope now you ain't thinking of trying to follow them fellows up, and +leave me here all alone, to attend to breakfast, and guard the ponies at +the same time," ventured the anxious Billie, looking up quickly. + +"We don't expect to wander out of sight of the tent, make sure of that, +Billie," Adrian told him, understanding that the other must feel a +little nervous about being left by himself which, under the +circumstances, could hardly be wondered at. + +"Oh! all right," mumbled the fat boy; "I'll keep my gun handy, and if +anything comes along to bother me, why, I'll let you know. But when you +hear me give a cooee, just trot this way, because I'd hate to have to +eat all this breakfast by myself." + +They assured him that there was no chance of such a dreadful catastrophe +happening; and then, taking their guns with them, started off to scout +around the spot where, according to Donald, the Indian had been at the +time the shot came. + +"See here, you can make out where he crawled along, for his toes made a +track; and here's where his knee knuckled down in the earth," Adrian +quickly remarked as they bent low over the ground, the better to pick up +the signs. + +"Right you are," echoed Donald, coming to his side immediately; "and if +ever you felt inclined to wonder whether I dreamed all that about the +young buck over here, I reckon now you know it was real, don't you, Ad?" + +"I never doubted it in the beginning," replied the other; "because I +knew you weren't given to such things. And then, besides, I heard both +the shot, and that screech after it. What have you found now, Donald?" + +"The plain imprint of a moccasin," came from the other boy. "Looks like +this is where he jumped to his feet after that shot came that winged +him, for you can see that it heads back and away from our camp. Yes, and +here are specks of dried blood on this rock." + +"Yes, and notice the smartness of them, would you, creeping up to +leeward of our camp, so the horses couldn't scent them?" Adrian went on +to say. "You ought to know the mark of a moccasin pretty well, Donald; +how about this one?" + +"Made by an Apache squaw, for a cooky, I'd take my affidavy on that," +the ranchman's son decided, after minutely examining the imprint; for +different tribes have their own way of making elk-skin foot gear, so +that it is not a difficult task, under ordinary circumstances, to +recognize these peculiar characteristics. + +A minute later and they stood on the spot where, according to Donald, +the wounded brave had managed to straddle a pony, and make off with his +friends. + +"Just three of them, and all young bucks," Donald decided, after he had +carefully inspected the marks around them. + +With that amount of knowledge they had to rest content; because it would +have been foolish to think of following the would-be horse thieves, even +had they not promised Billie not to go outside of sight of the tent. + +Accordingly they turned back, and arrived at the camp just as the cook +was getting his lips pursed up so as to give vent to a loud "cooee," +that was to serve as notice that breakfast was awaiting their attention; +and how any mortal boy could linger after that, Billie would never be +able to understand, judging others by his own standard. + +After they had done full justice to the meal, they saddled up, and +having placed the pack on the treacherous Bray, despite his serious +objections and swelling of his body to prevent the bands from meeting, +they again took up the line of march. + +Donald had held several conversations with the one who knew the route to +the Zuni village. He had also made a rough map of the trail, and this he +verified on every possible occasion. Now it was by means of three +queer-looking stones that stood like a tripod; again it was a row of +stunted cedars that seemed as though they had originally been planted by +some gardener of the wilds long years ago; and later on they were able +to make sure they were on the right path by a most remarkable natural +stone bridge that the trail passed under; all of which were objects of +interest on his rude chart. + +But they did not always keep up here on the sides of the mountain +ranges. Presently their route trended down into the valley, where they +found trees growing, and there was always a chance of striking game. + +The boys had declared their willingness to go after the very first deer +they might spy. Fresh venison would taste splendid, they assured each +other. Even Billie stood ready to sacrifice his comfort and make a try, +if the others failed to show an intention of taking up the burden. + +When Billie first came out into the Southwest, bearing that fine new +repeating Marlin firearm, he had never been much of a sportsman. But +ambition seized him; and of late he had been doing wonderful stunts, +even to shooting a grizzly bear that had threatened to make things +interesting for him, unless he proceeded to turn the tables. + +Hence Billie felt that he had a perfect right to inflate his chest, and +look of some consequence whenever they talked of hunters' exploits. He +might be a clumsy hand with a good many things; but he _did_ know how to +ride, and also shoot. + +It was Adrian who first sighted the black-tailed deer down there amidst +the trees, and suggested that he take a try at the animal; so the others +halted to rest the horses, while the young Nimrod crept away. + +He knew all about stalking game, and his first thought was to work +around, so as to approach from leeward, because in that way the deer +would not be so apt to catch his scent as if he remained to windward. + +So Adrian kept on creeping up, until he began to feel that he was +certainly as close as any reasonable being would hope to get in order to +make positively sure of his quarry. + +After that all he had to do was to gently raise his head until he could +see the feeding deer, and then taking a quick aim, let fly. + +Even while he was glancing along the barrel of his rifle Adrian was half +conscious of the fact that there was certainly something moving among +the branches of a tree just to one side of his. But he had reached the +point where his quivering finger was already pressing the trigger of his +gun; and nothing could stop him then. + +With the report he saw the deer give a leap into the air; but Adrian +knew instinctively that he had done himself proud, for he was well +versed in the ways of deer and understood that the animal had received a +fatal wound. It would not run a dozen yards before falling dead, of that +he felt positive, even as he started to get his rifle in readiness for +another shot if necessary, as a true hunter always should. + +As in a dream the boy saw some furry object shooting straight toward +him, coming through the air like a meteor. That one glance was enough to +tell him that he had stolen in ahead of a hungry panther that at the +time was stalking the deer; and in a rage the aroused beast was now +springing straight toward him, meaning to settle the question of hunting +rights in that patch of woods then and there. + +Adrian, more through instinct than anything else, dropped to his knees, +and the leaping panther passed just over him, so that he even felt the +wind of its flying body. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +A LIVELY SCRIMMAGE. + + +Even as he dropped flat, and felt that lithe body pass swiftly over him, +Adrian heard a shout. Of course this must mean his chums had made the +alarming discovery that he was up against a hard proposition; they had +been watching him closely from a distance, and when the deer fell in +response to his shot doubtless they were about to give a whoop of +delight, but at sight of the leaping panther this was changed into a cry +of alarm. + +Adrian did not deceive himself. + +The fact that he had a couple of good, trustworthy friends so close at +hand would not cut much of a figure in his little affair with the hungry +panther, perhaps nothing at all. + +They were some distance away, and even though making all the haste +possible, they must consume several minutes of precious time in reaching +him; before that came about his business with the gray-coated terror of +the canyons of the mountains would have been finished. + +Accustomed to depending on himself in every emergency, the boy was not +at a loss as to what he should do under these trying circumstances. + +It was lucky, of course, that in making an involuntary duck of his body +he had caused the panther to miss his aim. The creature had leaped true +enough, but having once left the limb on which he must have been +crouched, watching the advance of the human deer-hunter, he could not +alter the nature of his spring. + +But just as soon as he landed on the ground the chances were the agile +beast was going to whirl around, and make another try. It was to meet +this attack that Adrian got himself in readiness, thrusting out his +rifle so as to ward off the savage claws until such time as he could +throw out the old shell, and pump another one into the firing chamber of +his gun. + +It is true that this operation may be mechanically performed, and that +it really consumes a brief space of time; but there may be occasions +when even a second counts for a great deal. Adrian considered this such +a time, for it was of more importance that he face about and make ready +to keep the animal away, than that in the desperate attempt to get his +rifle ready he allow his side to go unprotected. + +An old hunter would understand the instinct that caused the prairie boy +to act in this way; for he could place himself in a similar situation, +and realize just what a part instinct rather than reason would be apt to +play. + +It turned out to be a wise move, too; for hardly had he thus whirled +around with gun extended, than the panther, having recovered from his +disappointing leap, came straight at him again. + +It was far from a pleasant task that the boy had on his hands, trying to +thrust that clawing, growling beast away with his gun, all the while he +was fairly wild to work its mechanism, and get a good cartridge into the +chamber. + +You may not suspect what a powerful beast a panther is, just by watching +him pace restlessly back and forth in his cage when you visit the Zoo, +or see him in a menagerie; but those hardened muscles of his are capable +of a tremendous force, once the beast is aroused to a state of fury. +Many an unfortunate hunter has rued the day or night when he found such +a beast attacking him in the forest; and if he lived through the battle +it was to find his garments torn almost to ribbons, while his flesh was +badly lacerated by the keen-pointed claws that were in action every +second of the time until a fortunate shot or blow from a knife laid the +animal out dead. + +While he continued to thrust out with all his strength, in the endeavor +to keep the beast away from close quarters, Adrian was yelling at the +top of his lungs, not for help, but in the hope that the sound of a +human voice might gradually wear upon the nerves of the beast, and cause +him to slink away. + +All the boy wanted was just a few winks of an eye, in order to get that +rifle in readiness for action; but as long as he was compelled to use +every atom of his strength in fending off these constant attacks, his +ambition did not seem likely to be gratified. + +After all, the coming of Donald and Billie, also shouting like wild +Indians as they skipped over rocks, and rushed headlong toward the scene +of action, may have been a factor in deciding the result. + +Adrian himself, calmly reviewing the whole affair later on, when he +could do so in a spirit of fairness, was ready to acknowledge that he +was indebted to them for the chance he yearned to grasp. + +Hearing them coming may have slightly disconcerted the panther. It had +not been wounded thus far, so that its rage was only that of being +interfered with while stalking its legitimate prey, the feeding deer. +Consequently it might not be of a mind to face several enemies at once; +though a tiger-cat that has been made to feel the agony of a gunshot +wound will leap into a regiment at times, and start to make a clean +sweep, until borne down by force of numbers. + +The animal hesitated at one point in its attack. Adrian was quick to +notice this little but significant fact; pressing his advantage he gave +a particularly loud whoop, and instead of standing on the defensive as +heretofore, he actually assumed the aggressive. + +That proved to be the crux of the whole exciting little affair, for the +panther was surprised at the turn of events, and gave evidences of a +desire to retreat. + +By now the boy's fighting spirit had been wholly aroused, and he was +determined that under no circumstances, if he could help it, should that +impudent panther get away unscathed. It had attacked him unprovoked; and +now he meant to see that the fighting cat got full measure, pressed +down, and running over. + +Watching his chance Adrian suddenly jumped back, and at the same instant +there was heard the click of his gun's mechanism working. + +It was all done like a flash, and he had timed his movement with such +precision as well as sagacity that before the beast could recover, and +either resume the attack or jump away, the young hunter was ready to put +the finishing stroke to his warmly contested game. + +The other pair, having covered about half the ground by this time, and +still coming on wildly, saw their chum once more thrust out his gun; but +this time it was with a far different manner than before. There was also +a confidence in his action that told the experienced Donald what sort of +change had come about during that second or so of time. + +Had he been given time to shout no doubt Donald would have voiced his +belief to the effect that Adrian had succeeded in rendering his magic +fire-stick serviceable again, by those few quick movements of his hands. + +Of course it was as good as over now. At such close quarters Adrian, +being so accustomed to firearms, was not apt to miss a vital spot. And +when the discharge was heard the panther sprang into the air, rolled +over on the ground, clawing desperately, while Adrian stood close by, +though out of reach, his faithful weapon again in readiness to be used +in case of necessity. + +But it was not required of him, for by the time Donald and Billie came +panting to the spot, the fat boy blowing like a porpoise with his +strenuous exertions, the gray-coated beast had stiffened out in death. + +"Hurt any, Ad?" gasped Donald, as he surveyed his chum anxiously; +because he knew only too well how difficult such wounds as those given +by the claws of a carniverous animal are to heal, and what danger of +blood poisoning always hangs over the one who has received the same. + +Adrian laughed as well as he was able in his nearly exhausted condition. + +"Not a scratch--never touched me!" he managed to tell them; at which both +the others took off their hats, and gave a faint cheer. + +When they had managed to in part recover their wind they bent over to +examine the cat, which both prairie lads declared to be the largest they +had ever seen. + +"The nerve of the rascal, jumping at you just because you knocked over a +deer he had his eye on," remarked Billie, as he poked his toe into the +sleek skin of the slain beast. + +"Well," said Donald, laughingly, "just put yourself in his place, +Billie, and think how ugly you'd feel if you had your mouth made up for +a certain sort of meal, and just when you were going to reach out to +grab it, some fellow stepped in and scooped the prize. Chances are you'd +feel like tackling him, and trying to take it away, now wouldn't you, +honest Injun?" + +The fat boy screwed up his red, good-natured face as though pondering +over the subject; then he nodded his head like one of these automatic +dolls you see in the shop windows along about Christmas time. + +"P'raps I might, Donald; mebbe you're right about that," he went on to +say presently; "because it sure is a mighty aggravating thing to have +your mouth made up for a mess of fried onions, and then not get 'em; and +it must be worse to be cheated out of everything at the same time. Yes, +I don't blame the scamp so much after all; but say, he sure barked up +the wrong tree when he thought to scare one of the Broncho Rider Boys +off, didn't he, fellows?" + +"Looks that way," Donald replied. + +"But we got the deer all right, and that means a feast of venison right +along now, the balance of our trip to the Zuni village, don't it?" +continued Billie, his blue eyes fairly snapping with delight; for while +they had had an abundance to eat thus far, fresh meat had been only +noticeable, as Billie would say, by its absence. + +"Yes," Adrian went on to remark, "we'll have plenty of venison; and I'll +get busy cutting the animal up, if you boys will look after the horses; +and Donald you might slip that fine gray jacket off my panther; I reckon +it'll be worth keeping as a sort of reminder of the sassy way he tackled +me." + +"I'll take care of the horses, all right," ventured Billie, who knew +very little about removing the skin of a dead animal, and moreover was +not anxious to take lessons in that line. + +So it came about that for some little while all of them were more or +less busy, Adrian in cutting off the choice portions of the deer; Donald +in depriving the unfortunate panther of the sleek covering he had borne +all his life; while Billie led the horses, and after them the mule, to +water, which he found trickling down the face of the rocks near by. + +"And," said the fat boy, after he had completed his part of the +programme, "seein' how close to noon it is right now, why not stop long +enough to let me make a little cooking fire out of these dead branches +under the cedar, and try a piece of the venison?" and silence giving +consent, he proceeded to immediately get busy. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE WITCH DOCTOR. + + +"Well, it's a little tough, but all the same I like it," was Billie's +opinion of the venison, after it had been cooked, and they sat around +making a meal of it. + +"You couldn't expect anything less," Donald went on to say; "because all +meat is more juicy and tender from hanging several days, when the +weather allows. Before we're done chewing on this maverick you'll agree +that I'm right, for it'll get better with age." + +"That's a cinch!" agreed Adrian. + +As it was pretty hot around the middle of the day, none of them were +very ambitious about making a fresh start, after they had finished +eating. In fact, they lay around in easy positions, and waited for the +sun to get started toward the west, so that its rays might not be so +direct. + +"Tell me some more about the Zunis, Donald," urged Billie, thinking that +it was a good time to put forward such a plea; for long ago had he not +learned that a wise fellow will wait to ask a favor of his father until +after dinner, and not when he first comes home, tired and hungry? + +"Oh! can't you just hold your horses a little longer, Billie?" observed +the other, with a good-natured smile. "Because, you know we'll drop in +on the copper colored gents tomorrow, with any decent sort of luck; and +then you'll be able to see everything for youself." + +"Yes, that's so, Donald," the fat boy went on in his wheedling, +insinuating way; "but I've been told that whenever you expect to take a +journey into any foreign country the first thing to do is to get guide +books, and read up all you can about the people, their strange habits, +and so-forth. In that way you can understand them much quicker than if +you didn't know beans about the lot. And so, the more I can hear about +these Hopi and Zuni Indians, who all belong to the family of cliff +dwellers, and are so different from every other tribe that ever +inhabited North America, why, the quicker I'll understand what a lot of +queer things they do stand for." + +Adrian pretended to clap his hands as if in applause. + +"Seems as if he's got you there, Donald," he went on to remark. "A heap +of sound sense in what Billie says." + +"Oh!" remarked the fat boy, with a shrug of his broad shoulders, "I do +have a bright thought once a year, you know. Of course it's only an +accident, and couldn't be helped; but strike up, Donald, and tell me +something about that old medicine man who is the queerest of the whole +bunch I take it, from what I've read, and heard about him." + +Donald looked sharply at the speaker. He did not underestimate Billie, +and knew that many times the fat boy had proven to be far from being the +numbskull he pretended he was. + +"Well, whatever put that notion in your head," Donald observed, "it's as +true as anything going. Remember that I've only run across a batch of +these cliff-dwellers once, when dad took me to see the wonderful +Colorado Canyon, where heaps of their rock homes can be seen high up in +the walls of the biggest hole in all the world. So that what I know +about these Zunis we're on the way to visit I've had only from the lips +of others, generally cowboys who like to stretch things, you +understand." + +"All right; we'll make allowances for the exaggerations of Bunch, Si +Ketcham, Corney, Skinny, Alkali or even the chink cook, Ah Chin Chin. +Now start in, please, Donald." + +"In the first place," began the other, thoughtfully, "the old chap who +rattles the dry bones, and plays the part of medicine man to the Zunis +has been known all over the country for many years as the sharpest of +his kind. He's got a genuine Indian name, of course, which I couldn't +pronounce even if I remembered it; but they tell me it stands for Witch +Doctor, and that's what we'll have to call him, I reckon." + +"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," muttered Billie. + +"I'm not going to try and describe the old fakir, because I never could +do him justice," Donald went on. "Having seen one like him I could +picture the Witch Doctor, after both Si Ketcham at the ranch, and Corse +Tibbals at the mine had painted a word picture of him. Above all things +you've got to snap him off, if you want a jim-dandy card for your +exhibit, to stun the boys at home." + +"Yes, sure I will, Donald. Ain't I carrying ten rolls of films in my +pack right now, just for that same purpose?" Billie assured him. + +"What I wanted to tell you most about, though, Billie, was something +that's sort of excited my curiosity more'n a little." + +"Oh! that sounds kind of interesting to be sure, Donald; so please keep +right on, and let's hear all about it," the other pleaded. + +"It seems," began the prairie boy, "that this old fellow has surrounded +himself with a regular halo of the deepest mystery ever. All of his +stripe like to make out that they're in direct communication with the +Great Spirit or Manitou of the red man, you know; and this Witch Doctor +has got the rest of the bunch beat to a frazzle, as Teddy would say." + +"How so?" asked Adrian, as the narrator paused, possibly on purpose to +let his strange words sink in, and arouse further curiosity on the part +of his hearers. + +"It's just this way, as near as I could make out," Donald presently +continued. "Every little while the old medicine man disappears from the +sight of his people, and always after conducting a series of +cracker-jack ceremonies. They say he's gone into the mountain to talk +with Manitou; and from time to time queer sounds are heard that set the +Indians almost wild--strains of sweet music come out of cracks in the +rocks, and then a strange voice like the rumbling of thunder follows. +And at such times every Zuni will be sure to flatten himself, face +downward, on the ground, listening with all his might, but not daring to +look, for fear he might see too much, and be struck blind; because +that's what the Witch Doctor has warned them might happen if they got +too curious." + +Billie was listening with open mouth, and eyes that were round with +wonder. + +"Oh, my country!" he said, slowly yet with apparent exultation; "then +there's a real mystery for us to unravel, ain't there, Donald? What d'ye +suppose makes that music; and who does the shouting now?" + +"Ask me something easy," remarked the other, shaking his head as though +he did not attempt to solve the problem. "That old fellow has them all +locoed, is my opinion, and they believe whatever he tells them. Some +people call it hypnotism; but I just reckon that they're a lot of +fanatics, and ready to sneeze when the medicine man takes snuff. But +there's another part of the thing that was a heap more interesting to Si +Ketcham and Corse Tibbals." + +"What was that?" asked Adrian. + +"Why, it seems that on several occasions, when the old rascal has wanted +something or other that the whites possessed, and it needed the ready +cash to buy it, he's gone into his sacred teepee and come out again with +a handful of crude gold. Why, being a miner, and experienced in those +lines, Corse says that it looked like he'd just knocked a hunk off a +ledge that must have been virgin gold!" + +"Tell me that, will you?" gasped Billie. "No wonder, then, so many +palefaces wander off this way to watch the Zunis carry on when the time +comes along for their rattlesnake dance, and all that fuss and feathers. +Say, chances are that the old chap knows of the richest deposit of +precious metal ever discovered. And when he disappears inside the +mountain to talk with the Great Spirit, why, that's the time he does his +chipping of gold. Gee! now you've got me some excited, Donald." + +"Well, you want to keep right cool, and not give the thing away," warned +the one who was telling of these strange facts. "Whether the Witch +Doctor has got a hidden treasure inside that mountain or not, it's +certain that up to now nobody has found a chance to spy on him. He's too +smart for that. And besides, these Zuni Indians have so many tricks up +their sleeves, what with their hundreds of pet rattlesnakes and such, +that white men don't care as a rule to make them angry. All sorts of +stories have been told about dens of the reptiles into which they cast +those who make enemies of them. I reckon these are only yarns, because +there's been little, or no trouble between the whites and the Hopis and +Zunis; but all the same there's something about the queer habits of +these cliff-dwellers that makes miners, hungry for gold as they may be, +keep their hands off. Nobody knows what a Zuni is carrying under his +fancy blanket; and it may just be a rattler as well as not." + +Billie turned pale, and drew a long breath. Of course he was instantly +reminded of his recent terrible experience with snakes; and this took +away in some measure from the pleasure he was anticipating when he +started exploring the quaint village of the Zuni Indians, with the +houses chiseled out of the solid rock in tiers, and each door reached by +a narrow ledge that ascended at an angle of forty-five degrees. + +"I'm only telling you these things," Donald went on to say, "because +Billie has asked me to coach him about what we're likely to run across. +And perhaps, it's just as well that all of us remember we haven't got +any business to poke our noses into the private affairs of these people. +If we do it we must take the risk; and that's what men like Corse +Tibbals have always shrank back from up to now." + +"I can understand that plain enough," remarked Adrian, soberly; "for +when men get the prospecting fever well fixed on them, it's got to be +something mighty powerful that's going to keep them from trying to +squeeze a secret like this from a red, no matter whether he is a Witch +Doctor or not. Yes, our motto must be, 'go slow.' And at the same time +we might keep our eyes and ears open, so that if anything out of the +ordinary run happens, when we're in that village, we'll be ready to take +a look into the same." + +Somehow Billie asked no more questions. Apparently what he had heard +must have given the fat boy food for thought. He had a pretty lively +imagination, and doubtless allowed this to have full swing now; so that +he was picturing all sorts of astonishing things coming to pass +presently. + +They were just thinking of getting the horses, engaged in nibbling such +grass as could be found near by, when Billie chanced to look earnestly +far up the side of the mountain which formed one wall of the valley in +which the panther had been met, as well as the feeding deer. + +He seemed to be instantly galvanized into action. + +"Looky there, fellows!" they heard him call out, his voice trembling +with sudden excitement; "up yonder where that last cedar grows. Don't +you see a man and a pony as plain as day; and he's sure been watching us +lie around down here. Why, what if it was one of them young Apache bucks +we scared off the other night; and say, couldn't he just riddle us with +lead, if he took a notion to shoot right now?" + +Filled with this alarming idea Billie commenced to roll over and over; +while the others stared up toward the spot indicated by their comrade. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE MAN WHO VANISHED. + + +"There! He's gone again!" exclaimed Adrian, almost immediately +afterwards. "He must have seen you pointing at him, Billie." + +"My! but he must be a kind of sensitive fellow, if that little thing'd +make him sidle out of sight!" observed the stout chum, dejectedly. "One +second he was there, all right, and the next he had vamosed the ranch. +Now you see him, now you don't. It's mighty queer, I think." + +Donald and Adrian exchanged glances. + +"What do you make of it, Ad?" queried the former. + +"Why, just as Billie here says, it does look queer," replied the other, +seriously. "If that had been a cowboy, or an honest miner, or even a +prospector in these dangerous mountains, he might have had the decency +to wave a hand at us, even if it was too much trouble for him to make +his way down here to say how-d'ye." + +"Never made a single wave, just backed out of sight," grumbled Billie. +"But anyhow, you don't reckon it could have been one of them hostile +Indians, do you, boys?" + +"Oh! no, not at all," chuckled Adrian. "We'd have seen that fact right +away, for they wear feathers in their hair; and besides, you can't +mistake an Apache as far as you can see him. It was a white man all +right, don't think anything else." + +"But you can't guess who, now?" persisted Billie. + +"Of course not," declared Donald. "There's always a chance to come +across some rascal in this country, a fellow who has been run out of the +mining camps, or else is wanted on the ranges for some thieving job, and +has to live a hermit life. That may have been just such a man. Fact is, +I reckon he was no other." + +"And he didn't like our looks one little bit, did he?" pursued Billie. +"Seemed to be too honest in our get-up to suit him, mebbe. Well, that's +some satisfaction, anyway; though it goes against the grain to have a +fellow dodge at sight of you, like you had the epidemic in your +clothes." + +After waiting some little time to see if the mysterious stranger would +show himself again, and meeting with disappointment, the three Broncho +Rider Boys determined to resume their journey. + +When, however, Billie tried to put the packs on Bray he instantly met +with the most strenuous objection. The mule backed away from him, +snorting, and with his long ears put forward. In fact he exhibited all +the evidences of terror. + +"Hey! what's the matter with you, Bray, you silly old thing? Think I'm +going to take a bite out of you, mebbe? Well, you've got another guess +coming then; because that's the last thing I'd have in my mind. Stand +still, can't you, and let me put your pack on. Whether you like it or +not, you've just _got_ to carry our things. Put that in your pipe and +smoke it, you crazy thing. Hold still, can't you? It's the same pack you +had before, only a little fresh venison, and that fine pelt aboard." + +The other boys were laughing at the comical exertions of Billie, as he +found himself swung around by the prancing mule, with which he was +struggling so valiantly. + +"That's just what he's objecting to so hard, Billie," remarked Adrian, +presently. + +"What, that fine venison? Well, if he could only have a taste, perhaps +then Bray wouldn't be so mad at being made to carry it," Billie panted, +as he still yanked at the stout bridle of the snorting mule. + +"It's the panther skin, more than the venison, though I have known +horses to object to carrying home meat," Donald told him. "You see, they +don't like the smell of the fresh blood; and that skin just gets poor +old Bray wild. He knows just by his instinct that it came from a +terrible wild beast, that would jump on his back, and claw him, if it +ever had the chance. And the mule isn't intelligent enough to understand +that it's dead now, and couldn't hurt him." + +"But he's just got to carry it, Donald; you wouldn't think of throwing +away such an elegant skin that'll make so fine a rug, just because an +old mule makes up his mind he wants to kick?" Billie entreated. + +"Yes, and we'll lend you a helping hand, old fellow," declared Adrian. + +"He may hold out against one, but three will floor him, you mark my +words," Donald told the relieved fat boy. + +And sure enough, finding that they were all against him; and perhaps +realizing, after Donald had made him smell of the panther skin, that it +did not bite, old Bray quieted down a little, so that they loaded him +without further trouble. But he often gave a sudden lurch, and a snort +during the balance of the day, as though catching a scent of the +objectionable object, and feeling new alarm. + +Donald had mapped out their course as well as he had been able, from the +crude descriptions given to him by others. They knew that as the first +day's journey had really been wholly among the mountain heights, and +this, the second one was for the most part down in the valley, so the +third would differ in every respect from those that had gone before, +since they must cross the dreary stretch of sand that was known far and +wide as a dangerous desert. + +But they would be certain to have an abundance of water along, and by +keeping their heads about them, surely there could not be any great +peril come upon them while making this passage. + +So they thought, for youth is ever optimistic; and a merciful Fate takes +delight in hiding the future from mortal eyes. + +The middle of the afternoon found them making fair progress onward, +still in the valley, though Donald warned them that in all probability +they would camp that night on the edge of the wide desert strip that lay +between them and the region where the village of the cliff dwellers was +located. + +"I'm getting awful thirsty," remarked Billie, smacking his lips; "and +this water we're carrying along in the canteens is hot, and don't seem +to go right to the spot. I hope we'll run across a good spring after a +little while; because a nice cold drink would please me more'n I can +tell you." + +"Cheer up then, Billie, for chances are we'll do that very same before a +great while," said Adrian; "because I saw where Donald here has got a +mark on his map that means water, and we can't be very far away from it +right now." + +Donald said nothing one way or the other, though Billie did cast an +appealing look in his direction; he just kept on pushing ahead, and +turning from time to time to take note of the country they were passing +through, for his map was not very lucid, and wise Donald wanted to make +sure he was right. + +Indeed, hardly ten minutes later Billie was heard to give an exclamation +of delight and rapture. + +"There she is, fellows, and as fine a spring as you'd want to see in a +'coon's age!" he went on to call out, in his explosive way. "And say, if +somebody hasn't gone and planted palms around it, too, just for all the +world like the oasis you read about in stories of Africa. And just you +watch me lower that same basin, when I get started. We've got to keep +the ponies back, though, so they won't muddy things up before we get our +fill. See, they've scented water; you can tell it by the way they act." + +Both Adrian and Donald smiled, for they had noticed this same thing some +little time before. The acute sense of smell on the part of the animals +had allowed them to know about the presence of water long before their +masters were aware of it. + +"Hold on, take your time, Billie," warned Donald; and somehow the other +thought he said this in the queerest possible way. + +"Oh! I see how it is, you just don't feel like making a rush, and think +we all ought to be on a level footing," Billie observed, with as near an +attempt at irony as he could attain. "H'm makes me think of that story +they used to tell about the parson and his little flock on the coast." + +"What was that, Billie?" asked Donald. + +"Why, you see, he had for his people mostly wreckers; and one day when +he was preaching so fine, some one brought word that there was a wreck +floated in down the coast. Of course every man in the congregation +started to run, leaving the preacher stuck up there in his high pulpit. +So he calls out, and tells them how wicked it was to think of such +things on a Sunday; and all the while he talks he's a heading toward the +door, calming the men, and holding of 'em spellbound like. But when the +parson gets right up to the door he alters his tune immediate, for what +does he shout out but: 'Now boys, as every one has an even chance, let's +hurry down and see if we can save any poor sailorman from that terrible +wreck!' And away he goes at the head of the string, lickety-split for +the beach. And p'raps that's what our friend Donald here's got in mind." + +Both the others laughed at Billie's story; but Donald did not seem +inclined to either admit or deny the truth of the other's accusation. +Still Adrian could see that strange look on his face, and noted that +Donald had taken up his station close alongside Billie, as though bent +on restraining the other. + +They quickly reached the palms that waved above the spring. Everyone +could see that it was a perfectly lovely resting spot. The afternoon sun +was quite hot down in the valley there, and the shade under those palms, +with their wide crowns of handsome leaves, seemed particularly inviting. + +But best of all was the gleam of the water that nestled in a fair sized +cup under the trees. Billie had eyes only for this. + +"Oh! don't it look great, though?" he was saying enthusiastically, as he +hastened his pace, while the others kept alongside persistently. "Plenty +for all of us, and the ponies in the bargain. We might fill up the +canteens again with fresh stuff because there's no tellin' whether we'll +run across another spring as fine as this one seems to be." + +"Yes, seems to be," repeated Donald; but Billie was too anxious to get +to drinking to pay any heed to the word. + +He led the procession, and reached the border of the pool. It certainly +did present a most inviting aspect to those hot and tired boys, and +small blame to Billie that he should immediately proceed to throw +himself down alongside the spring, as though bent on carrying out his +threat to lower it more or less. + +To his astonishment he felt someone grip him by the shoulder, before he +could even wet his lips; and looking up in wonder, he saw it was Donald +who held him. + +"Didn't I tell you to go slow, Billie?" said the other, seriously; "and +here you are, rushing headlong into trouble, without even bothering +looking around. Just turn you head, and take a peep at what you see +there." + +Billie, his eyes as round as saucers with surprise, did so; and in +another second he found himself staring at a piece of paper that was +stuck in the cleft of a stick close to the water's rim, and which had in +large letters the one word "WARNING." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE POISONED SPRING. + + +All of them were staring at the little placard by now, even Adrian +feeling almost as much astonishment as the kneeling Billie. Indeed, what +they saw written there in a crude manner was quite enough to give the +fat boy a cold chill. Underneath that plainly printed word "Warning!" +was the following: + + "Don't yu drink here, spring poizened by crazy Injun long tim ago. + Dangrous. Go on further down vally, mor water." + + There was no name signed, but just then none of the boys thought +anything about that little fact. + +"What!" burst out the indignant Billie, "poisoned, this lovely spring? +Now, ain't that just too bad for anything? And so we don't get a drink +after all. But whatever d'ye think any Injun'd want to do such a mean +thing as that for?" + +"Well," remarked Donald, "I've heard something about this same spring, +and that was why I warned you to go slow. Fact is, I expected we'd run +across this before we came to the one that's safe to drink from. But I +tell you plainly though, I didn't expect to find this kind warning stuck +up here. The boys didn't say a word about that. And as sure as you live, +Adrian, I begin to believe it was put here _today_, and for our special +benefit!" + +"Listen to that, now, would you?" burst out Billie, still staring hard +at the paper in the cleft stick that had been pushed into the ground; +"the mystery deepens, seems like. One night we have an unknown friend +wounding an Injun that's trying to make way with our ponies; and now +here's somebody mighty anxious that we don't drink from this poisoned +spring. It's sure getting interesting, fellers; and I'd give a cookey to +know who he might be, wouldn't you?" + +But from the blank expression on the faces of his two chums, Billie +realized that they were just as far from guessing the truth as he might +be. + +"Then we don't take the chances of having even a little drink here, do +we?" the sorely disappointed fat boy asked, as he sat and looked +regretfully at the water that was so tempting. + +"Better not," decided Donald. "It might be only some sort of fake; but +we can't afford to take the chances, you see. Let somebody else +experiment, if they want to. So long as there is another spring hole +further down the valley, why, we'd better be trotting along. And just +notice the way the ponies sniff the air, will you? I really believe they +know that this water is bad to drink." + +"What, ponies know better than human beings, do they?" demanded Billie, +hardly relishing such a state of affairs. + +"They've been given an unerring instinct, where we depend on reason, and +that often fails us. Just watch a horse feeding, and notice how he +refuses to touch all kinds of weeds, and how a cow drops the same out of +her mouth after she's scooped in a whole bunch of grass. Instinct, and +nothing else. But there's no use in us hanging out here, when we can +soon get to good water." + +Reluctantly Billie quitted that beautiful spring. He even turned to look +back at it several times, and went on to remark: + +"That crazy Injun ought to have been shot, to do such a thing. Why +didn't he pick out an ordinary spring, and put his loco weed in the +same?" + +"Oh! well, perhaps that story is only one of the Indian legends we read +about, and it's really something else that makes the water coming from +that spring bad, so that people who drink it feel sick right away. I've +got an idea myself that it must pass through some sort of copper deposit +that poisons the water. Because if this thing happened years and years +ago, as the reds say, how could the poison still keep on working?" + +"Well, now, that doesn't stand to reason, does it?" remarked Billie. +"And I reckon you're right when you say it, Donald. But let me tell you +I never was more disappointed in my life. But I didn't notice any bones +lying around there, or graves either." + +"What makes you say that?" demanded Adrian. + +"Why, if the water is really poisoned, lots of fellows must have drank +of it, time in and time out, not knowing how dangerous it was; and if +they fell down and kicked the bucket, wouldn't we see their bones +scattered around, just as the wolves and coyotes had left 'em?" + +"Oh! it doesn't kill you outright, they say; just sickens you, until you +feel like you'd be glad to die to end it all," Donald assured him. + +"I've heard people talk that way about being seasick," Billie observed; +and then he seemed to fall into a musing spell, as though the recent +strange event had, as was only natural, made a serious impression on his +mind. + +It was only half an hour later that the ponies again manifested an +unusual eagerness to get on. Donald called the attention of Billie to +the fact. + +"You notice that there isn't the least sign of water, so far as we can +see for ourselves, Billie; and yet they scent it plain enough. Doesn't +that prove what I said about their being smarter than any human being?" + +Billie admitted that it did; for he was very frank, and ready to own up +to anything, after he had been convinced of his error. + +"P'raps we might let the ponies try first this time," he suggested, +cautiously. "If they tackle it right off the reel, then it ought to be +safe for us to drink, eh, fellows?" + +"Not a bad idea at all, Billie, and does you credit," said Adrian; "sort +of taking advantage of their sagacity, you might call it, I reckon." + +"Only don't let 'em muddy things for us," admonished the fat boy. +"Somebody else will have to lend me a hand with Bray here, because I +just can't hold him in when he takes a notion to do something." + +"That's easily managed," laughed Donald, coming up on the other side, so +that he could lean over, and grip the rope that served as a bridle for +the pack mule. + +The little trick turned out very well, for none of the animals +manifested the slightest disposition to scorn the water of the second +spring. Indeed, they one and all sucked in such huge draughts that +Billie immediately became alarmed lest they exhaust the limited supply. + +"Hold your horses, there!" he called out, pulling back on Jupiter's +bridle, although the horse seemed unwilling to mind; "give a fellow a +chance, won't you? Don't go and hog it all, just because we were +considerate enough to let you drink first. Have some manners, can't you, +I say? Drag 'em back, boys, and let's get a sup ourselves before it's +all gone." + +"No worry, Billie," said Donald; "because, if you look sharp you'll see +that the spring is running at a lively rate, and the cup'll fill up with +fresh water right off. It creeps away under this rank vegetation, and is +lost in the sand beyond. But there's going to be plenty of water right +along. Better let the ponies have all they want while we're about it." + +"Oh! I s'pose that's right," grumbled Billie, "but I was always brought +up to say 'gentlemen first;' and it kind of goes against the grain to +just keep on being thirsty while animals are sucking it all down by +barrels full." + +However, when a little later on the pool filled again with fresh water, +Billie admitted that it was delightfully cool and refreshing. And then +besides, they owed the horses something for showing them that the water +was uncontaminated, and good to drink. + +"I'm going to propose something that will have to be settled by a +majority vote," said Donald, a short time later, as he looked smilingly +at his two chums. + +"I can give a guess what it is; but go on," observed Adrian, nodding. + +"What time is it, Billie?" the other continued. + +So Billie, consulting the little nickel watch he carried, replied that +it wanted just three minutes of four. + +"You see, the day is pretty nearly done," Donald continued, +impressively; "and we couldn't go much farther if we tried. Besides, we +won't find another spring on the trail between here and the edge of the +desert, which truth to tell can't be far from this spot. So I was going +to propose that we camp right here tonight." + +"Eureka! count on my vote in favor of that same!" cried Billie, promptly +falling in with the scheme, as Donald knew full well he would; because +if there was one thing the fat boy liked above all others it was fresh +water; and there were times when it seemed as though he could never +drink enough, especially should the weather turn hot. + +"Make it unanimous, Donald," laughed Adrian; "for I knew that was what +you meant to say. Fact is, I was thinking about broaching the idea +myself, when you took the words right out of my mouth." + +"Another thing," ventured the pleased Billie; "we can fill up our +canteens fresh before we start in the morning; and make the ponies drink +all they want; for if we have to cross that sand stretch, why, the +chances are it'll be a dry job, and we'll be glad we stopped over night +here, see if we don't." + +As it was settled that they should go no further that day, the three +lads started to get the camp in shape. First they found a place where +the animals could be staked out, so that they might pick up some of the +grass which seemed only to grow around the spring hole, as is often the +case in this country of the Southwest, where arid wastes and rocky +regions predominate. + +Then the tent was erected, and the fireplace made; so that in a short +time things began to take on the appearance of a regular camp. Billie +was in his glory at such a time. He knew that soon there would be a +delicious aroma filling the air, as they started to get supper ready; +and that always tickled him greatly. As the war horse prances when he +whiffs the smoke of battle, so Billie became animated as soon as he +caught the first scent of onions frying, or coffee boiling; as he would +himself say, "simply because he was built that way, and couldn't help +it." + +And so the second day of their journey across the wild country that lay +between the Red Spar Mine and the village of the Zuni Indians, came to +an end, with all well. Billie could not see that they had any reason to +complain, as, seated on the ground, tailor fashion, with his legs curled +under him, and a pannikin of venison, together with fried onions and +beans, in his lap, his tin cup of fragrant coffee resting close beside +him, he started in to appease the ferocious appetite that had been +worrying him for half an hour and more. + +Why, the future looked as bright as that glowing sky that marked the +going down of the sun in the west. For it did not lie in their power to +roll back the curtains of the future for even one day, and see what lay +awaiting them on the morrow. Perhaps Billie might not have felt so +light-hearted had he known what was coming; but after all it was just as +well. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +LOST IN THE SAND STORM. + + +They passed a fairly comfortable night, in camp there by the spring. +Nothing occurred to cause an alarm, though Donald and Adrian would not +allow the camp to go unguarded, and took turns playing sentry. + +Billie, too, was quite anxious to try his hand at the job; and they had +to let him have a turn; but not feeling any confidence that the fat boy +would stay awake Donald made sure to keep one eye open. And sure enough, +later on he found Billie calmly sleeping, with his gun across his knees. + +At first Donald was half tempted to give the other a scare by firing his +own gun close to the slumbering sentry's ear; but on second thought he +decided not to do this. Billie meant well, and was so good-natured; +besides, it was hard for any one to get provoked at the fat chum, no +matter what happened; because he was always trying to do his level best. +Then again, the report would give Adrian a shock, which must seem cruel +and unnecessary. + +Morning found them much refreshed, and ready to take up the new duties +of the day. Although Billie had now been quite some time in this country +of the Southwest, he had as yet never had but one experience in crossing +a desert, and nothing had happened at that time to strike him as odd. + +Donald warned him that perhaps he was going to experience something now +he would not be apt to soon forget. + +"For they told me," he went on to add, "at the mine, that this same +strip of burning sand lying short of the Zuni village is a particularly +wicked place to be caught out on, should one of those sand storms come +along." + +"Sand storms, did you say, Donald? Now what under the sun can you mean +by that? Does it rain sand out here?" Billie wanted to know immediately. + +"You'll think it does before long, if we're so unlucky as to run across +such a thing," Donald told him. + +"You see," Adrian explained, "the sand is so fine that when the wind +increases to a gale, instead of rain, the air is filled with clouds of +sand that choke you, and cause those hills and windrows to come and go, +changing after each storm. Over in Africa the Arabs fear them worse than +anything else going. They have animals in the camels that are fitted +best of all to live through such a storm; and so they just give up, and +hide their heads until it's all over; then dig a way out, and continue +their journey." + +"Whew! that sounds interesting like," commented Billie; "and do you +think we'll strike it as bad as that?" + +"Nobody can say," continued Donald; "but let's hope by all means that we +get across without any experience of the kind. Perhaps you think it +sounds interesting, but take my word for it, Billie, if it comes, you'll +sure believe you're having the worst time of your whole life." + +After that Billie did not seem quite so anxious to know what a sand +storm was like. He realized that when his chums took a thing so +seriously there must be something about it that was menacing. + +Donald was right when he said that they had camped not a great ways from +where the mountains came to an end, and the glistening desert lay +beyond; for two hours after leaving the spring they found themselves on +the border of the wide sandy stretch. + +Billie looked out over that sizzling desert, and began to realize the +meaning of what Donald and Adrian had said when they told him about its +terrors. But there was no other trail by means of which they could reach +the Zuni village; and unless they wished to give that project up for +good and all, they must proceed, come what would. + +As Billie was the one who wanted to look upon the strange sights +connected with the quaint homes of the cliff dwellers, he held his +peace; though truth to tell the prospect of a ride of hours across that +desert did not appeal very much to him now, after he had heard such +dismal stories about what it could do when it took a notion. + +The sunshine was very vivid, and half blinded them when they tried to +look far away to where Donald said the other elevation undoubtedly lay, +amidst which the Zuni village was to be found. From another quarter it +could be reached without any necessity for crossing the desert, but not +from the south. + +"Kind of like buying a pig in the poke, ain't it, this thing of starting +out there without seeing where you're heading for?" remarked Billie, a +little uneasily; for now that he was gazing on the sandy waste, its +tremendous possibilities began to really awe him; and then the way the +sun was shining on the billows of sand made him feel as though they must +come near being roasted before they had gone a great ways. + +"Oh! we know that we've got to keep heading straight into the northwest; +and what's the use of having compasses with us if we can't keep our +course?" said Donald, who did not appear to be worried at the prospect. + +So they started off. + +It soon began to feel uncomfortable for the fat boy; and he was heard to +mumble more or less to himself; but Billie was a "stayer," as Adrian +called it; and once he embarked on an undertaking he would not easily +give up. So he mopped his reeking forehead, and kept everlastingly at +it, even urging his pony to renewed exertions; though the wise animal +seemed to know there was no use trying to make haste while plodding +through these sand hills. + +"Well, I never knew before I came out here, that a desert was like +this," Billie had blurted out once, when Adrian came alongside, and he +just felt that he had to say something. + +"Few people do know anything about it until they see with their own +eyes," returned the other boy; "for of course you believed that it must +be perfectly flat, and as level as a billiard table, didn't you?" + +"That's right," returned the frank Billie; "and here it's all sand +hills, many of 'em equal to little mountains, and all frilled and +scolloped like. That's where the wind makes its fancy work, I take it. +Many a time I've seen dry snow cut like that; and sand acts just the +same way, don't it?" + +"Exactly," answered Adrian; "and as we've been moving along for nearly +two hours now, look back and see where the mountains we left lie." + +No sooner had Billie turned his head than he gave a cry of wonder. + +"Why, they've gone!" he exclaimed; "blotted right out of sight, too. +Never saw anything like it before, believe me. It must be the glare of +the sun on all this white sand that does it. Only for the dark glasses +we're wearing, that same would be making us nearly blind, I take it." + +"Sure thing," Adrian told him, and then almost immediately he went on to +say in a different tone of voice, that had a vein of new anxiety in it, +Billie thought: "I wonder why Donald is rubbering so much for toward the +southwest. Perhaps he feels the hot breeze that's beginning to blow from +there. I hope it doesn't mean we're going to have a sand storm." + +Billie pricked up his ears, so to speak; that is, he showed considerable +interest, and himself turned to watch Donald. + +"He does look like he had got on the track of something out of the usual +run, for a fact," he muttered, uneasily. + +Then he sneezed several times in quick succession, at which Adrian +looked as if even this simple event had its significance. + +"Beginning to be dust in the air, and I always sneeze when it tickles my +nose," Billie started to say, as if in apology for his explosion. + +"Yes, the breeze is picking up, and already the air is starting to get +full of the fine sand," Adrian told him. + +"Does that mean we're bound to run up against a real sand storm?" Billie +wanted to know at once, scenting trouble. + +"Donald's coming this way, and we'll soon hear what he thinks," was all +Adrian would say. + +"Looks to me as if we're going to get caught out here in a lovely mess," +Donald told them, as he came up. + +"Sand storm, is it?" demanded Billie, trying not to show any +apprehension, for he never wanted others to know when his heart was +beating faster than its wont. + +"Yes, and coming down on us like two-forty," the other declared. "Watch +the nags, and you'll see that they know what they're in for. Here's +_Wireless_ been looking over that way every little while for ten minutes +past. The wind's rising, and all around us the sand is stirring, so that +the air's getting thicker all the while. Before half an hour we'll have +the worst of it around us. It's about noon now, and let's hope that we +get to the hills before night sets in." + +"What's the programme?" asked Billie, undaunted Billie, carelessly +enough. + +"Keep as close together as we can travel, and go straight ahead," +answered Donald; "there'll be all sorts of queer noises around us, so +pay no attention to them. Be sure and keep your mouth shut all the time; +and have water along with you, every fellow, so that in case one of us +did stray away, he wouldn't die of thirst before he could be found. Now, +let's push on again." + +His words were more than verified, for presently the wind grew to the +proportions of a gale, and the way that fine sand whirled through the +air was something that Billie had never expected to experience in all +his life. + +It was a terrible task to press on, but luckily the prevailing wind was +from the southwest now, and so they had the worst of the sand storm to +their backs. Only for that they could not have ventured to attempt any +progress whatever; but must have camped where they were, to wait for the +whirlwind of sand to cease. + +Billie, with his head bowed, and drawing his breath with great +difficulty, kept steadily moving on. He managed to keep in close touch +with his chums for some time, and then, falling into some sort of a +dreamy state, possibly brought about by his sufferings, and the effect +of the blinding sand with which the air was charged, he forgot to keep +constantly on the alert. The consequence was that suddenly Billie +aroused to the startling fact that neither to the right nor to the left, +nor yet ahead of him could he discover the faintest sign of the others. +All about was the whirling, blinding sand; while strange noises made his +head ring, and he fancied that he could see tempting pools of cool water +close at hand, which his common sense told him were only the effect of +imagination. + +And then and there Billie had a cold sensation in the region of his +heart that contrasted strangely with his torrid surroundings, for he +knew that he was lost! + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE. + + +At first poor Billie was almost wild with the fear that swept over him, +when he realized his true condition, and that he was lost in that sand +storm in the heart of an Arizona desert. + +He started to shout, but made a sorry mess of it. The fine sand almost +choked him as soon as he opened his mouth; and the fierce wind that was +sending it scurrying all around in little whirlwinds carried his feeble +cry away, so that he knew it could not be heard twenty feet distant. + +He sat there on the back of Jupiter, and waited, still hugging the hope +to his heart that his chums would immediately miss him, and come hastily +back on their course to find him. And if that happened, Billie knew that +his chances would be considerably improved did he stay where he was, +rather than start roaming this way and that. + +But the minutes lengthened into nearly half an hour, and there was not +the slightest sign of any one being near him. The storm still kept up, +and Donald had said that the probability was it would continue until +sundown, when the wind might lull, so as to allow the choked atmosphere +a chance to rid itself of the floating gritty sand. + +By degrees Billie began to get his nerve back. He was far from being a +coward; only he lacked experience; and was moreover hardly fitted either +physically or through education for butting up against these rude +experiences. + +"I've just got to do something, and I can't stay here, that's plain," he +told himself; "which means I've got to go on. But I want to be mighty +careful about how I travel. I've heard tell how people are apt to go +round and round in a circle till they're played out, and exhausted. None +of that for me; and why should there be when I'm carrying that precious +little compass." + +Thereupon Billie fumbled around in the various pockets of his khaki +hunting coat, meaning to find the said compass, and get his bearings. He +had quite a fright at first, for he failed to find it where he expected; +and was running through all his other pockets wildly, when he happened +to remember placing it in his hat at the time he last looked at the +instrument, which was when one of his chums mentioned the fact that they +would have to depend on the magnetic needle should they be overwhelmed +in just such a storm. + +It was a great relief to the fat boy to discover the little brass bound +compass safely lodged in his hat when he hastily looked. Owing to the +air being filled with the flying sand it was only after considerable +difficulty that he could see just which way the indicator pointed. So he +started off, urging the unwilling Jupiter to put his best foot forward, +though the animal gave evidences of being more inclined to stand still, +with his tail toward the storm. + +Billie would never be likely to forget that terrible experience. Why, +the worst he had pictured came far short of the reality. + +He suffered keenly constantly, and many times thought he could not bear +it any longer; but it is wonderful how much any one can do when they are +compelled to by a merciless fate; and so as the time dragged on poor +Billie kept moving along, always keeping toward the north, as best he +could decide. + +When he came to examine his little watch, and saw how late it was +getting, he was ready to throw up his hands, and quit. It looked as +though he was just bound to spend a lonely night out there on the wild +desert, no matter how he fixed it; and that being the case, why not give +in now, and have it done with? + +Besides, he was utterly worn out with trying to urge the unwilling +Jupiter on; as well as from his own physical sufferings. Half blinded, +and hardly able to get his breath on account of the fine dust that +settled in both nostrils and throat, Billie was an object of pity to +himself about that time. + +When he made up his mind that he must grin and bear it, even if +compelled to camp there all by himself on that dreary waste, Billie +started to dismount. Why, at first he could hardly move, he was so stiff +with sitting there in the saddle so long, and in a cramped position; but +exerting himself again, he managed to half tumble to the ground. + +Jupiter did not offer to run away. Indeed, the horse seemed to cower +close to his young master, as though trusting to his sagacity in this +emergency. Billie noticed this, and somehow it struck him as curious; it +also did more than a little to bolster up his courage. For if the +broncho felt such confidence in him, surely he must exert himself to +prove that he was worthy of such sublime faith. + +After all it was little he could do save cower there, patiently waiting +for sundown to come; for he remembered that one of his chums had said +the sand storm was very apt to peter out at about that time. + +How glad he was that he had water with him,--not enough to share with +Jupiter, to tell the truth, for he could not tell how long he might +remain lost, and was apt to need every drop himself, to keep life in his +body. + +The animal whinnied whenever he opened his canteen to wet his parched +throat, and somehow the sound made sympathetic Billie feel badly. After +that he made it a point to step aside when he meant to quench his own +thirst, just to avoid having Jupiter reproach him for being stingy. But +it was not to be thought of for a minute, because the horse would +exhaust the flask, and then not be a quarter satisfied, leaving him in a +desperate state indeed. + +Fortunately he had a little food with him, and this he proceeded to +munch as he sat there behind the shelter of the horse. + +He asked himself if the storm showed any signs of diminishing its fury; +and after taking several estimates joyfully admitted that at least the +wind was not so fierce as formerly. + +This in itself was a glorious sign, for without the wind the sand could +not fill the air; and by degrees it must settle down once more, so that +one might breathe without feeling choked. + +If that would only come about Billie felt that he could easily stand +anything and everything else that was liable to happen. But should he +have to endure that agony another few hours he believed he would go out +of his mind. + +Yes, there could not be any mistake about it, the storm was surely +subsiding, and if conditions kept on improving as they seemed to be +doing now, by the time night set in fully it was going to be a thing of +the past. + +Billie even began to tell himself that he had no reason to complain, +because it might have been a great deal worse. Except for the fact that +he was compelled to keep a lone camp, away out there on that desert, and +was tired almost to death, he could not say that his condition was in +any way dreadful. Yes, he even believed he had plenty of water to quench +his thirst; though it was evident that he would have to cut his +allowance down to half rations, for his repeated sips had already caused +the big canteen to feel considerably lighter. + +Looking up toward the heavens when he found that night had really set +in, he was surprised to find that he could not see a single star; and +the moon was also absent. This must mean that there were clouds sailing +over him, something quite out of the common where a desert is concerned; +since rain seldom if ever is known to fall there; for if it did the +desert would not long remain such, but blossom like the rose with +fertility. + +"Going to be a black night, in the bargain," he grumbled; "seems like a +fellow just has to rub up against all sorts of things when once they get +started. But so far I hadn't ought to complain. I only hope the other +boys fare as well. Wonder how about them now; and if they got off the +desert? Chances are they hunted around for Broncho Billie more'n half +the afternoon. P'raps they're keeping everlastingly at it even now. Huh! +reckon Billie ain't a baby, and can look out for himself some, if I do +say it myself, as hadn't ought to. Huh! I'm alearning right fast, seems +to me." + +The fact that he had come out so well thus far seemed to inspire a new +confidence in the stout boy. He even patted himself proudly on his +chest, and congratulated himself on having snapped off several pictures +of the gathering cloud of sand as it bore down upon them. If these +turned out half-way decent, he would have something worth while to +exhibit to his schoolboy friends away off in the East, when he went home +again after his vacation was over. + +The wind having died down fully now, the sand settled, and Billy +believed that if it were daytime he might see where the hilly country +lay in the midst of which was the Zuni village. But of course, in the +darkness of a moonless night he could not make any sort of a discovery, +and must apparently be satisfied to remain there in his makeshift camp +until another day dawned, and brought new hope in its train. + +He had secured Jupiter the best way he could, not wanting the pony to +wander away during the time he, Billie, might be asleep. That would be a +calamity the fat boy disliked to even contemplate. It was bad enough +having to ride over that scorching sand; but to be compelled to go +afoot, with the heat burning through the soles of his shoes, must be ten +times worse. + +The pony had evidently made up its mind that what "could not be cured +must be endured." He stood there, close to where Billie had camped, and +hardly moved. Perhaps later on he would lie down to rest, for he too +must be weary, after such a strenuous day. + +Billie found himself nodding presently. He was tired clean through, and +knew of no reason why he should not secure his fair portion of balmy +sleep, the strength renewer. + +Once he had thought he might try shouting as loud as he could, but gave +the idea up as useless. Even if his chums heard him in the far distance +what good would it do to start them out on the desert again, roaming all +around in search of him? No, it was best that he simply make the time +pass by what means lay in his power, and with the dawning of another day +he would feel refreshed, so that he could set out toward the north, +always toward the north, he kept on telling himself, as he fondly +touched the pocket where the compass was securely hidden. + +Again Billie was nodding as he sat there. Had he been left undisturbed +the chances were that before five minutes he would have rolled over in +his blanket, and settled down to sleep; and after that the hours would +slip along, for Billie was a famous sleeper. + +But this was not to be, for a certain sound came stealing along over the +desert and struck upon the ears of the boy, causing him to instantly sit +up, wide-awake: + +"Wolves, as sure as anything!" he told his pony, already whinnying the +alarm. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE LONG NIGHT. + + +"That's right, it never rains but it pours," Billie went on to say, as +he fondled his Marlin repeating rifle, which had of late proven its +value in many ways; one of which accounted for the skin of a grizzly +bear which the overseer at the Red Spar Mine had promised to cure for +the boy, and send to the ranch later on. + +He listened and soon made up his mind that the howls were approaching. + +"Course they just seem to know there's a chance for a fine meal, out +here on the wild old desert; and there they come, licketty-split, as +fast as they can run. But they needn't think they've got an easy mark to +deal with. Reckon that if I could knock over an old he-grizzly, I ought +to be able to take care of a pack of cowardly wolves and coyotes. Huh! +let 'em come, I say. But I wish that old moon'd peep out from behind +them clouds; it'd sure be a heap more sociable like." + +Brave words these were, and Billie doubtless meant to prove that he did +not fear the coming of the four-footed pirates of the plains and the +desert. All the same, his hands trembled more or less as he handled his +gun, nervously drawing back the hammer several times, as if to make +certain that it worked mechanically. + +There could be no doubt but that the wolves were heading straight toward +him. Billie was amazed. Why, had it been daylight, so that they could +see him with their sharp eyes, they could not be taking a more direct +course toward the spot where he and Jupiter were encamped. + +Once he thought that perhaps he ought to jump on the back of his pony, +and let the broncho shoot off over the desert as he pleased; feeling +certain that Jupiter would do everything that lay in his power to keep +out of the reach of the wolves. + +Hardly had this idea occurred to him than he turned it down. + +"That would be fool's play," he declared, aloud, so that Jupiter might +hear him, and perhaps understand what motives influenced his actions. +"They'd keep right on after us, and sooner or later we'd just have to +haul up and fight it out. So what's the use changing base? If it's got +to come, this is as good a place as any. And if I've been and got +anywhere near the border of the desert, what a goose I'd be to head back +into it again, when that sand storm may commence in the morning. No +sir-ee, here I take my stand, come what will; and that's all there is to +it!" + +Somehow Billie felt better after all that heroic talk. It does brace one +up to exhibit such defiance, say what you will about it. + +He no longer lay there on his blanket, but was on his feet. The first +thing he did proved that Billie was getting on, and no longer the +greenhorn he had been; for he made sure to secure the canteen; in case +Jupiter took it into his head to run away, he would not carry off this +priceless article with him. + +That proved to be one of the smartest things the boy had ever done in +all his life, and showed how he was waking up these days, under the new +conditions which surrounded him, making him think for himself. For the +terrified pony did presently jerk loose, and go galloping away, much to +the chagrin of his owner. + +However, there was no time now for crying over spilt milk, as Billie +told himself. The approaching wolves were very close, and would soon be +upon him. + +Billie tried to figure out whether the cowardly creatures would attack +him immediately; or after their customary manner, hang about in a circle +at an ever decreasing distance, waiting for him to be overpowered by +sleep. + +"Looks like I'm up against it," he said aloud; "and let's see how a +Winkle can pull through. There's lots of 'em been soldiers, and never +yet did one turn out to be a _coward_; and I ain't meaning to be the +first, hear that?" + +Whether he was addressing the wind, or the nearby wolves, Billie did not +say; but his defiance was meant all the same. + +He tried to penetrate the darkness so that he might see some object at +which he could fire, for he wanted to make every bullet count, if +possible. There was no telling how many of the wolves and coyotes there +might be. If he kept on shooting them down, and more continued to +arrive, the dreadful moment must come when he would run out of +ammunition. What then? The programme ceased to interest Billie after +that stage. True, he would still have his trusty hunting-knife, and that +possessed a keen edge on both sides; but what a puny weapon it must +always be in the hands of one unaccustomed to wielding a blade like +that, and with an unnumbered throng of four-footed adversaries leaping +about him. + +Now the howls were along a different order. Billie fancied that he could +trace exultation among other things in the last series; just as though +the wolves began to feel sure of their supper, and rejoiced accordingly. +Many a time had Billie himself shouted with glee because of that call to +the spread; and now he was experiencing how it felt to be on the other +side of the fence, with these hungry wolves springing to the feast. + +Well, first he would at least have some satisfaction in knocking over a +few of his lupine enemies--he believed that was what they were called in +books he had read concerning their characteristics. + +There was certainly something moving close at hand, and coming toward +him too. Billie swung his ready gun that way. Looking closely he felt +sure that he could make out a dark, slinking form--yes, and there were +two shining dots that made him think of a cat's eyes as seen in the +dark, such as he had often done at home. + +Billie waited for no more. He knew the first of the wolves had arrived, +and that he could not get busy any too soon now. The quicker he taught +these varmints a much needed lesson, the better. Besides, if he could +only succeed in killing a few of the gray rascals perhaps he might take +that keen edge off the appetites of the others, for he knew that they +would lose no time in pouncing on any of their mates from whom blood was +drawn. + +With this in mind he leveled his rifle, took as good aim as was possible +under the conditions, and pulled the trigger. + +Instantly a wild screech arose, proving that his bullet had not been +wasted. He instantly got his rifle in readiness for further operations, +and then grimly waited to see what followed. + +There was a great scurrying around out there in the gloom, accompanied +by all sorts of snapping noises, some growls, and the sounds of a +battle. + +"Glory!" ejaculated the boy, as he crouched there, trying to pierce the +darkness that shrouded the scene so completely, "I do believe the rest +of the gang have tackled the one I hit, and are tearing him to pieces +right now. Ugh! hear 'em snap and growl, would you? Don't I wish it was +light enough to see, and wouldn't I just like to send another chunk of +lead straight in among the lot? Oh! why can't the beggarly old moon peep +out, just to encourage a poor fellow once in a while?" + +Apparently his earnest plea must have been heard, for just then there +did come a break in the clouds, allowing the moon a chance to look out. +Billie seemed to take it for granted that he was being favored, and that +he must make a quick use of the golden opportunity. + +He was already looking straight out toward the place where all this +commotion seemed to be in progress, so that as soon as he saw the +whirling figures there he started in to send several shots that way. + +That he did not waste his ammunition was evident, for there was a wild +scattering among the fighting animals; and he could plainly see several +forms lying there, before the moon again hid her smiling face. + +"Good boy! do it some more, can't you?" Billie cried out, being wildly +exultant by this time, because of his success. + +The wolves kept at some little distance after that. They had learned a +lesson, and would be careful how they attacked the one who apparently +had it in his power to deal out death at will. + +Half an hour later he could hear sounds again in the same old quarter. +He understood from this that the hungry beasts were making a meal off +the unlucky victims of his fire, but as this suited him very well, +Billie did not attempt to interfere. + +That threatened to be the longest night in all his experience, for he +knew that he dared not go to sleep, even for a minute, lest those daring +beast of prey jump upon him; and once at close quarters, where the +repeating rifle did not count for more than a cudgel, get the better of +him. + +Sometimes it was almost impossible for the boy to keep his eyes open, +despite the fact that he was fully aware of the serious consequences, +that would follow, should he forget himself. He fought fully fifty +battles while night held sway; and often victory was gained only by a +close margin; for more than once he had nodded until his head fell +forward, and this served to arouse him again. + +He had matches with him, and once in a long time used one so that he +might have the consolation of learning the time of night. + +It seemed to Billie that his little nickel watch must have stopped, +though he had surely wound it up, and so far as he knew it was not +subject to tricks of any kind. But those minutes did drag most terribly, +and when four o'clock arrived he began to look toward the east most +expectantly, though he knew full well that he could not possibly +discover the first gleams of coming day for at least an hour and a half. + +All was well, however, and that gave the boy considerable solid +satisfaction. He experienced the pleasure that always accompanies a task +rightly done; and even fancied that Donald and Adrian must find reasons +for congratulating him, when they heard how he had kept guard all +through that dreadful night. + +He could hear the wolves moving around every little while, but as a rule +they had learned their lesson well, and kept at a certain distance away. +Then again it was of course possible that, not being so ferociously +hungry as they had been in the beginning, they were no longer ready to +take desperate chances. + +Twice Billie had discovered a pair of glowing eyes shining in the +darkness like twin stars; and thinking that he might as well do what +execution was possible, while the chance remained, he had on both +occasions carefully aimed his gun, and then fired. And as he gleefully +told himself on each occasion, from the clamor that ensued he felt +pretty positive that he had hit something. The other wolves did the +rest; because that was what they were on the spot for, to secure a meal. + +But now it was almost time when he felt he must detect those welcome +signs in the east that would tell of coming day. + +Billie rejoiced to know that he had really come through that terrible +night in such decent condition. He was not a particle sleepy now, for +all that had worn off, and he felt that he could hold his own. All the +same, he continued to look anxiously toward that promising quarter of +the horizon where he must soon discover the first gray streaks of +morning. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE PANGS OF STARVATION. + + +"I really and truly believe that's it, coming along at last; and say, I +give you my solemn affidavy right now, that I never saw daybreak as +thankfully as this same morning!" + +That was what Billie was telling himself, as he strained his eyes, and +perhaps his imagination at the same time, in staring into the magic +east, where all his hopes lay. As the reader has found out before now, +this same Billie was something of a talker, and could ask more questions +in ten minutes than most fellows would think up in an hour. And when he +had no one else to impose on as an audience, he did not hesitate to talk +to himself, yes, and often carry on a regular conversation in that way. + +But at least his hopes with regard to the breaking of day were not +doomed to be disappointed this time; for that was really the first faint +streak beginning to light up the horizon, where it lay low and flat +against the east. + +He watched it slowly broaden, and kept telling himself that he was a +mighty fortunate boy to be able to see the morning, after all his +troubles. + +At the same time Billie felt a dash of real pride, to think that he had +managed to hold his own, even when pitted against the perils of the +desert. + +"Oh! yes, I'm getting to be a veteran, that's what," he remarked, +complacently, when he found that he could begin to see a little over the +sandy range, where the small dunes showed the fury of the previous day's +dry storm; "and mebbe I won't have a stunning story to spin for the +benefit of my two chums, when we get together again. Say, by the way, I +wonder where they are right now; and if Broncho Billie after all will +have to do the rescue act for the rest of the bunch?" + +That was certainly putting on airs for you; it would be the climax of +all his experiences if some time or other he, the late greenhorn, could +run across an opportunity to stretch out his hand and render assistance +to those seasoned prairie range boys. + +All at once Billie remembered something. + +"Wow! I have got a fine lookout before me, now, haven't I; without a +broncho to help me along my weary way? Hang that measly Jupiter, why +couldn't he have stuck by me? He ought to have known Little Billie +better than that. I was able to keep them fierce wolves from devouring +him, sure I was; didn't I prove it by knocking over a whole lot of the +critters. And that reminds me I ought to step out to see what became of +my game." + +This he at once started to do; and it gave him a creepy sensation when +he made the discovery that all there was left of the slain animals were +some scattered and clean-picked bones, together with fragments of gray +hide. The balance had completely vanished before the assaults of the +rest of the wolfish pack. + +"Whew! that's what I call going some!" exclaimed the astonished boy, as +he surveyed the battlefield ruefully; "and I reckon I ought to feel +thankful they didn't get a chance to try their sharp teeth on me. I owe +a heap to this faithful gun of mine; and after this nothing will ever +tempt me to sell the same, or give it away. It ought to be handed down +to my grandchildren, and kept with a red ribbon tied on the same, +hanging from the wall; like that old Revolutionary musket is in our +house, which was once owned by my ancestor, who fought under General +Marion, the Swamp Fox. Oh! but I'm hungry, though; and that reminds me +my troubles ain't over yet by a jugfull. I could eat a petrified loaf of +bread, or even a--a--well, a muskrat; and I used to think they were the +limit when I saw that trapper in the marsh cook one, and call it +musquash, fine and dandy." + +The prospect for breakfast certainly looked pretty slender to poor +Billie. + +He stared hard all around him, as the light grew stronger, and a rosy +flush told where the coming sun would presently break above the horizon, +to start another hot day. Not a thing in sight was there, that gave +promise of succor. As on the previous day, one could not see any great +distance accurately, on account of a peculiar haze; and this prevented +him from making out the hilly ranges that he felt sure must lie to the +north, and not such a tremendous distance away either. + +So Billie heaved a big sigh, as he reduced his girth by drawing in his +belt. + +"If this keeps on I'll soon be as thin as a living skeleton," he told +himself, as he counted the remaining holes in the leather, and figured +on how he would look when he had by degrees reached the end of the +string. + +Gathering up his blanket, and making as small a bundle of it as +possible, he shouldered this, and then set his face toward the Promised +Land, which, in his case, lay directly to the north. + +His little compass again came in handy, and showed him his course. Every +few minutes the anxious boy would consult it feverishly, for he was +dreadfully afraid that he might wander away from his prearranged route, +and get to making that fatal circle he had heard lost people usually +traveled. + +When not staring at the face of the small, brassbound compass Billie was +casting his eyes ahead, and trying with might and main to make out +something hopeful there, the dim outlines of rocky elevations perhaps, +anything to break the horrible monotony of that dreary sandy waste of +which he was already so heartily sick that he hoped he might never set +eyes on another desert in all his life. + +And of course the more he considered his deplorable condition, the worse +his sensation of hunger became. It seemed to Billie that he could not +have eaten much of anything for a whole week, and he feared he would +soon become so weak from starvation that it must be impossible for him +to put one foot in front of another. + +And yet this was the same boy who had devoured almost as much of that +cooked venison at noon on the second day previous, as his two chums +combined; followed that up with a hearty supper; then a breakfast and a +lunch on the day they pushed out on the desert, and finally finished +what food he had with him on the preceding evening. + +Still, he was frightfully hungry, just as boys who never have missed a +regular meal in all their lives, do get, when up against it for a +change. + +Billie plodded on. + +The sun was now an hour high, and getting very hot, he thought, as he +stopped to drop his burden and rest; while he took his red bandana +handkerchief and mopped his streaming brow with it. + +"I wonder how long I can hold out this way?" he asked himself, with a +most forlorn air, and a dismal shake of the head. "If I only had some +dried beef, or venison like the Injuns call pemmican, to gnaw on, it +wouldn't be so bad; because then I'd keep my strength; but seems like +there's a gnawing inside me like my appetite was beginning to start on +my vitals. I wonder if all starving people feel that way first. Oh! how +ashamed I ought to be about the many times I've thrown away good crusts +of bread, and such things. I'll never be guilty of such a sinful waste +again, so help me. I've reformed, I have, and I'm going to lead a +different life after this, licking my platter clean every time. If I +only had some of the stuff I've wasted right now," and he fairly groaned +as the delightful array came before his mental vision to tantalize him. + +All at once Billie seemed to feel an electric flush. He rubbed his eyes, +and looked again, as though fearing that he was dreaming. + +Why, that peculiar haze, which is so often met with in dry seasons of +the late summer, and hides the features of the landscape even within a +mile of the observer, had apparently mysteriously lifted, so that he +could see hills ahead; yes, and at no great distance either, the green +trees looking like heavenly dashes of color after his eyes had been so +long accustomed to only that deadly white of the desert. + +"It is, I really and truly believe it must be my goal!" he exclaimed, +almost in passionate delight. "Oh! there may be a chance for me yet; +unless this is just one of them mirages they say dying men always see on +the desert, before the end comes. But I must press on. One more notch +I'll take my belt up, and after that you watch me toddle for that +Paradise ahead. Oh! don't it look inviting, though? Will poor old +Broncho Billie ever live to reach it?" + +He did press resolutely on, although the heat began to tell upon the fat +boy very seriously. It seemed to Billie that he was baking, yet he was +that stubborn he refused to drop his blanket, or gun, or the first thing +he was carrying like a pack horse. + +"What's that I see over there?" he suddenly asked himself, shading his +eyes from the glare of the sand by holding one trembling hand above +them. "Moving figures, eh? Now, I wonder if they're Injuns, and p'raps +them same hostile young Apache bucks we had trouble with before. Well, +here's my faithful Marlin ready for business as always. It kept me from +being made a supper for them wolves, and I reckon now it ought to do the +same--but hello! seems to me I ought to recognize the way them fellers +ride! Glory hallelujah! if it ain't my bully chums, for sure; and say, +if that ain't Jupiter trailing along after 'em, I'll eat my hat! Oh! joy +unbounded; for now I don't have to starve to death." + +That was his first thought, and seemed to afford him the most +consolation; for in the mind of Billie there could not be a more +terrible fate meted out to any mortal here below than having to go +without his regular meals; which proved that the fat boy was not made +out of the same stuff as the suffragettes over the sea. + +Swiftly the two others bore down upon him, swinging their hats above +their heads, just as cowboys always will when excited, and giving vent +to the wildest cheers. Billie grinned with happiness as they came closer +and closer. He even began to champ his teeth, as though desiring to make +sure that his jaws were still capable of doing their customary duty, +before starting in to make up for lost time. + +"Hurray for Billie!" cried Adrian, as he drew in his reeking pony close +by. "He's all wool and a yard wide, sure he is; and his pards are proud +of him," Donald shouted. "Here, give us your hand, Billie; this is the +biggest round-up ever. We were afraid you'd come into a peck of trouble; +but we ought to have known you better than that. Ain't he just the +jim-dandy fellow, Adrian? Full-fledged by now, and taking nobody's dust. +Yes, I say with you, hurray for Broncho Billie!" + +But the wanderer, though undoubtedly gratified by this expression of +confidence shown by his chums only stretched out his hands and +exclaimed: + +"Food! gimme something to eat, fellows, because I'm starving!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE ZUNI SNAKE CATCHER. + + +Whatever the other boys may have thought about it, knowing that Billie +could not have gone a great while without food, they understood his +weakness too well to make any remark. + +Fortunately they had something along with them; for as cowboys Donald +and Adrian had long ago learned to always look ahead, since no one could +tell when he would need food when abroad on the range. And so they +quickly thrust into Billie's eager hands quite a quantity of stuff. + +He ate like a hungry wolf, while his chums sat there in their saddles, +and waited patiently for him to take the first savage edge off his +appetite. Billie was mumbling to himself meanwhile, just as a starving +boy might when food has come into his possession. In imagination he had +been pretty far gone; but it was all right now; and soon Billie was +feeling himself again. + +"Thought I could make way with a cartload of grub," he said, "judging +from the way my empty stomach kept griping me; but seems like I'm +stalled already. P'raps it wasn't _quite_ so bad as I believed; but +excuse me from ever going through such a terrible experience again. Just +thinking you're starving to death is mighty near as bad as the real +thing!" + +"You're right, Billie; and more than one man has just died from the +effects of imagination, believe me," said Adrian. + +"But ain't you going to tell us all that happened to you since you lost +touch with us yesterday?" demanded Donald, showing how anxious he and +Adrian must be to know what their lost chum had been doing all this +while; and how he had been able to keep steadily on, headed into the +north. + +"Yes, when we found Jupiter grazing along the border of the desert this +morning," Adrian went on to say, "we thought at first you must be in +camp, and we looked everywhere but couldn't see hide nor hair of you. +Then Donald here noticed that while the pony had his saddle and bridle +on, you'd roped him; and from that we guessed he must have broken away +when you had him staked out, for your pin was at the end of the lariat. +Then we _were_ in a stew, because we knew what it meant to be left on +foot out on the desert." + +"What made the pony break away, Billie?" asked Donald, suspiciously. + +"When the wolf pack came down on me, the beast got frightened, and just +left his poor master in the lurch," returned the rescued one, calmly, +yet watching out of the corner of his eyes to notice the others exchange +quick looks, and nod their heads, as if to say: "see, just like I told +you, Billie was equal to anything that came along; he's all right, +Billie is!" + +"Wolves, eh?" remarked Adrian, presently. + +"So the hungry critters got scent of you last night, did they, Billie?" +questioned the other chum, eagerly; "and you must have had a tough time +staying awake to chase the pack away. Knock over any?" + +"Oh! I don't know how many, because as fast as I bowled one over the +rest would jump in, and gobble him up. This morning all I could find +there, was a lot of bones scattered about, and some chunks of hair." + +Billie said this as coolly as though after all it were a very little +matter, and hardly worth mentioning, after a fellow had alone and +unaided slain a grizzly bear. + +"And you've really not had any sleep all night, then?" Adrian asked; as +though that was the most astonishing part of the whole business in his +eyes. + +"Never a wink I can truthfully say," the hero of the occasion declared, +holding up his right hand in affirmation; "but I'm feeling all right +again now. I could stand the wolf part of it, yes, and the keeping on +guard a thousand hours, like it seemed to me; but the _starving_ was +just awful. I'm mighty glad to be with you both again. And p'raps, when +noontime comes, we can cook something warm." + +"Oh! we'll promise you that, old fellow," laughed Adrian; "but let's be +getting out of this blistering heat. I think it's even worse after that +sand storm. Over yonder we've got our camp, with poor old Bray waiting +for us. He pulled through in good shape, because a mule is tougher than +most horses. Come, jump up in your saddle again, and see how it feels to +ride." + +Billie had stepped over and secured Jupiter. The truant horse actually +seemed glad to greet his stout master again, for he had given several +snorts, and rubbed his velvety muzzle against Billie's hand, as though +apologizing for having deserted him so basely. But Billie was of a +forgiving nature, and could not hold a grudge. He was moreover so +delighted to see his mount again that he just forgot his grievance. + +It was with some difficulty, however, that he climbed into his saddle, +for his limbs seemed more or less stiff after such a wakeful and uneasy +night of it. Once mounted, and they started to gallop over the billowy +surface of the desert, heading toward the nearby hills. + +Billie soon began to experience the old familiar sense of exhilaration +as of yore. + +"This is what I call great!" he called out, as he urged Jupiter on after +the flying steeds of his chums; "they say you never miss the water till +the well runs dry; and I'm sure I never really appreciated what a joy it +was to ride till I had to peg it afoot this same morning. But I've had a +great experience all around, boys, and I've learned my lesson, yes, lots +of 'em." + +"Glad to hear it," said Adrian, over his shoulder; "and what might one +of the same be, Billie?" + +"Never to scorn small things, and to lick the platter clean," responded +the fat boy, promptly; "why, all morning long I've been haunted by +remorse, I tell you. Seemed like I could see the ghost of every bit of +food I've wasted for years rising right up to accuse me. You notice how +different I'm agoing to live after this. No scraps going to waste from +_my_ dish, let me tell you." + +The others laughed heartily, and remarked that such noble sentiments did +their author proud; also more to the effect that from that time forth +they would expect to see Billie putting on additional weight, since, if +he wasted nothing, his rations must increase in proportion. + +Presently they reached the border of the desert, and Billie gave a cheer +as he found himself actually under the shelter of the trees, whose green +branches he had seen when far out on the sandy waste. + +The tent was soon rounded up, with Bray tethered close by; and it seemed +to Billy, whose heart was overflowing with gratitude and thanksgiving, +that the old pack mule's salute was meant in honor of his coming back +from the dead, as it were. + +"So this is the country where the Zuni village is located, is it?" +Billie asked, later on, when they began to make ready to break camp, and +start off once more, this time avoiding the desert, and sticking to the +hills. + +"Yes, somewhere not a great distance off we can expect to run across the +canyon where the rock houses that are really caves, were cut out, +hundreds of years ago by the ancient cliff dwellers," Adrian went on to +say. + +"And," added Donald, "it wouldn't surprise me if we ran across some of +the Indians any old time now, because this must be their stamping +ground. Get your cayuse, Billie, and we'll be off. Course you feel rocky +after not getting any sleep last night, but it'll wear away. Don't I +know what it is, after night wrangling the saddle band of horses, when +there were cattle rustlers hanging around, ready to stampede the herd, +so the boys couldn't set out after them? All ready to start, Adrian? +Then here we go!" + +So the three of them set out, with the pack mule bringing up the rear, +as unwilling to move as ever, and having to be half dragged along, until +the fit of stubbornness wore away. + +Donald remembered all that he had been told concerning the ground they +were now passing over and accordingly laid his course toward the +northeast. + +Sometimes they were surrounded by rocks, and then again trees would add +a pleasing change to the landscape. + +"There's the first Indian!" remarked Donald, suddenly, as he reined in +_Wireless_, and pointed ahead. + +"Whatever do you s'pose he's adoing there, a-bending down, and hunting +like he'd lost something precious?" Billie wanted to know. "They don't +pick up diamonds around here, now, I shouldn't think, do they, Donald?" + +"Well, the diamondbacks are found in another part of the country," +replied the other, with a laugh; "but these smaller prairie rattlers are +just as poisonous, I'm told, even if they don't look so terrible." + +"Oh! do you mean that warrior is ahunting rattlesnakes?" demanded +Billie, with a shiver; for, as we happen to know, he had lately found +reason to conceive a great aversion for the scaly reptiles, one and all. + +"Looks like it to me," replied Donald. "You see, their big dance comes +along soon now, and as they need a lot of the wrigglers to show off +before the people who come here just to see them do their stunts, why, +of course they've got to hustle, and call in every one that lives around +this section." + +They slowly advanced toward the spot where the Zuni brave was bending +down, and with a stick tickling a coiled snake, in order to induce him +to straighten out, so there would be little danger of his striking when +he was snatched up; for it is a peculiarity of the rattlesnake that he +cannot defend himself unless coiled, which is the reason they instantly +throw themselves that way when alarmed. + +"Oh! a heap of people believe they draw out the poison fangs, and the +little sack that holds the green fluid, so that there ain't no danger +after all," remarked Billie, in rather a loud voice, as they halted +close by to watch the Zuni finish his risky task. + +He must have heard what Billie said, and understood the implied slur, +though he kept right on with his job. They saw him finally succeed in +inducing the rattlesnake to uncoil, and start to wriggle away; when +quick as a flash that dusky experienced hand shot out, the fingers +closed upon the neck of the snake, and thus it was lifted triumphantly +from the ground. + +"He's beckoning to us to come up closer," said Donald, guessing what the +dusky Zuni brave wanted with them; and a minute later they were bending +over from their saddles, watching him, while he squeezed his captive in +such a fashion that its jaws spread wide open, and revealed two long +fangs projecting from the upper jaw, and from which drops of a greenish +fluid were slowly exuding. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +A MEETING WITH THE MEDICINE MAN. + + +"There, what do you say to that now, Billie?" exclaimed Donald, as he +turned to see the fat chum staring at the snake, with whitened cheeks, +and a horrified expression on his plump face. + +"Gosh! it ain't so that they take out the poison sack, is it?" muttered +Billie; "and that stuff must be the deadly thing they push into a fellow +when they strike! Oh! ain't they the limit, though, them rattlers? And I +ought to be thankful every day I live that I didn't go all the way down +into that hole when I slipped." + +The Zuni never even smiled as he saw how easily he had convinced the +three white boys that this snake at least had not been tampered with +before caught. He did not appear to be surprised to see them here. +Doubtless at this particular season of the year they were accustomed to +having quite a number of white people visit the village, to examine its +wonders. And of course the shrewd Zunis always made it a point to have +plenty of curios to dispose of, at fancy prices, to these palefaces who +had heard the story of their wonderful rock homes, and had come hundreds +of miles it might be, to gaze on the same with their own eyes as one of +the curious things of Arizona. + +He turned and stalked away, his keen black eyes evidently on the watch +for signs of other snakes; though from the way his bag was filled out, +he must already be carrying several at the time. + +"Looks kind of interesting, eh, Adrian?" remarked Donald. + +"I reckon we're going to be well paid for that tough ride across the +desert," was the other's reply; but as for Billie, he only shrugged his +plump shoulders, and muttered something to the effect that it was queer +what some people saw in horrible sights; but as for him, he would rather +spend his time going through a county fair, where they had all sorts of +good things to eat, than to witness a dozen of these hideous rattlesnake +dances; though of course, since they were on hand, and his chums seemed +so set on witnessing the ceremony, he supposed he'd just have to stand +for it. + +"Anyhow, I got a snapshot of that queer looking Zuni holding that snake +by the neck, with its jaws open," he added proudly, at which the others +complimented him on his smartness, though this was not news, since both +had heard the sharp "click" when Billie pressed the button. + +Donald was taking careful note of his surroundings. His prairie +education really enabled him to tell which way a certain trail he had +struck run; and it seemed plausible that by following this up they must +sooner or later arrive at the cliff where all those ancient homes had +been hollowed out centuries back. To tell the truth Donald already had a +good idea where it lay; judging from the trend of the ground, and what +he saw beyond, where the rocky elevation started upward. + +Several times they discovered moving figures, and in each instance these +proved to be other braves who, carrying bags slung over their shoulders, +seemed to be also hunting for the crawling reptiles whose day was so +close at hand. Rattlesnakes were apparently held in great respect by +these simple people of the cliffs, perhaps because from ages back they +had been looked upon as an oracle, or an object of worship. + +Once or twice they even had a friendly nod from these searchers, who +were apparently accustomed to seeing whites around the neighborhood of +the village. + +Donald had just drawn rein close to one of these young braves, meaning +to ask if he were following the right trail to the village, when an +exclamation from Billie caused both he and Adrian to raise their eyes. + +What they saw was surely enough to cause them to stare; and as for +Billie, he fairly gasped for breath. + +A strange and hideous figure was coming along a cross trail, and both +boys knew instantly that thus early in their visit had a lucky freak of +fortune enabled them to gaze upon the wonderful Witch Doctor, the +medicine man of the Zunis. + +He was about as wonderfully rigged out as the wildest imagination could +picture him; though Donald noticed that just then he did not wear the +tinkling bells, and the little gourds that had stones inside to cause +them to rattle with his every motion; these were only assumed on state +occasions, when driving away the evil spirit that came with sickness; or +when leading the wild dance of the tribe. + +But all the same he struck Billie as the most fantastic figure he had +ever run across in all his life; and the boy stared as hard as he could, +almost forgetting to even breathe, as the medicine man crossed their +trail, and started to move off in a stately manner, as though he +realized that as the recognized head of the ancient Zuni tribe he had an +office to hold that always demanded respect on the part of those with +whom he came in contact. + +"Whew!" muttered Adrian, "ain't that the limit, though?" + +"He beats the one I saw in the Yellowstone Canyon all hollow," admitted +Donald. + +"My stars! what a great get-up!" whispered Billie, as though half afraid +lest even such low tones might cause the Witch Doctor to turn upon him, +and put him under some mysterious spell. + +Donald turned to the young brave, who had salaamed when the old humbug +strode past, and looked after him a little uneasily; for evidently the +medicine man was greatly feared by the other members of the tribe, to +whom he seemed "the real thing," as Adrian put it. + +"Is that the Witch Doctor?" Donald asked, in a low tone as he bent down. + +The brave nodded his head. Perhaps he wondered why these paleface boys +did not exhibit more evidences of respect and fear when the wonderful +fakir was passing. Perhaps he also secretly envied them their courage, +too; for no Zuni brave dared to refrain from making that salaam when +coming upon the man of magic, who could make the very rocks sing, and +whose incantations frightened off the angel of death _sometimes_, when +all conditions were favorable. + +"Where is he going now?" continued Donald, just as though he may have +been entertaining a suspicion as to the truth, and wished to +substantiate the same. + +The rattlesnake hunter lowered his voice so that the dreaded Witch +Doctor might not hear him speaking; and this was what Billie heard him +say in fairly good English at that: + +"He go make much talk with Great Manitou--come back bimeby--much must do +'fore can lead rattlesnake dance. Ugh!" + +With that, as though fearful that he may have said too much, the brave +scurried away, his head bent low in the endeavor to locate still another +of the reptiles, the presence of which was so vital to the carrying out +of the great annual festival and its strange ceremonial dance. + +The boys exchanged looks. + +"Do you believe that, Adrian?" asked Donald, as he looked after the +Witch Doctor, still close by, though receding from the spot where the +three Broncho Rider Boys sat in their saddles. + +"It sounds on a par with what you heard told at the mine, and at home +among the punchers who've been over this way," answered the other, +quietly. "And sure that young buck ought to know when the Zuni people +expect their wonderful medicine man to hold daily talks with the Great +Spirit in the mountain." + +"Yes, the story runs that he disappears from sight for hours, and that +while he's gone the Zunis who dare to listen hear the most wonderful +strains of music coming from the inside of the mountain; and then +perhaps that awful voice which they believe belongs to Manitou, the +Great Spirit, with whom the medicine man is conversing, grumbles in the +depths of the rocks." + +"Hello! what's up now, Billie?" + +Adrian asked this as he saw the fat boy suddenly slip out of his saddle, +and start to run toward the receding figure of the Witch Doctor. The +only reply which Billie deigned to make was to wave a hand in the air, +while he kept his attention riveted on the object of his feverish +advance ahead. + +"Oh! I know what ails him!" exclaimed Donald, with a laugh; "see, he's +gripping his little kodak in his hand. Billie has suddenly remembered +that one of his purposes in coming here was to snap off some pictures, +and that strikes him as the finest thing ever." + +"And I reckon Billie knows a good subject when he sees it," chuckled +Adrian, as he sat at ease in his saddle, and watched operations on the +part of the kodak fiend. + +Billie had judged where he might get a fine, unobstructed view of the +retiring medicine man; and it was really laughable to see how quickly +all his past troubles were forgotten when this glorious chance to get a +splendid snapshot came along. + +He stumbled several times, and once the boys feared he had smashed his +camera against a rock; but as Billie kept right along they concluded +that he had been smart enough to protect it in some way, possibly at the +expense of his hands. + +"Now he's got to the place he was aiming for; watch him shoot!" said +Adrian. + +They plainly heard the sharp "click" of the shutter as Billie made his +exposure. So did the Witch Doctor, evidently, because Donald always said +he gave an involuntary "duck," as if that metallic sound might have made +him think of the hammer of a gun being raised. + +The weird old Zuni humbug whirled around, and looked at Billie. He even +raised a hand, and made some sort of threatening gesture. When he took a +couple of steps in his direction poor Billie really believed he must be +about to visit some terrible punishment upon his head as a judgment for +his rashness; at any rate the boy spun around, and came hurrying back +toward his chums, looking quite concerned. + +But he need not have worried, for the medicine man was apparently not +annoyed enough to give chase, or else he proved to be averse to exerting +himself when he had serious business on his hands. He turned again, and +walked away, vanishing among the rocks and brush. + +"Oh! I got him, and believe me that was a splendid snapshot!" gurgled +Billie, as he joined the others; and after finding that he was not being +pursued, showing signs of considerable relief. + +Again Adrian and Donald exchanged glances. It was as though the same +thought might have come suddenly into both their minds. + +"I dare you to make the try!" said Donald, aggressively, as though he +knew how such a proposition would meet with instant favor from Adrian, +who would not be held in contempt for anything. + +"I got you!" was the ready response, as the other jumped to the ground. + +"What are you fellows meaning to do?" demanded the surprised Billie. + +"Oh! just trail after that old humbug, and see where he goes," replied +Donald. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE BLANK WALL. + + +Billie wanted to go with them very much; not that he felt any great +desire to come into close contact with that grim looking old medicine +man; but he disliked being left alone worse still. After his recent +experience on the desert he felt like having company, no matter under +what conditions. + +Of course the others would have much preferred that Billie stay with the +animals, but neither of them dared hint as much. He had as much right to +go as they did, if he felt so inclined. + +So Donald hastily started to fasten the pack mule to a branch. As for +_Wireless_, the broncho had been well trained, as a cow pony always is, +and when his reins were dropped over his head he would stand a long time +unless something unusual occurred to frighten him. + +Adrian was of the same mind, as could be seen from the way he threw his +bridle forward, and then landed on his feet. + +"Me too," said Billie, promptly; and with the words he proceeded to fix +_Jupiter_ after the same fashion, knowing that the horses would be quite +content to stand there in company. + +All this had taken place in much less time than it takes to tell it. The +Witch Doctor had disappeared from sight, but could not be so far ahead +but that they might quickly overtake him, if they were spry. + +Donald led off, as it had been his proposition which the others had +accepted; and on this account, as well as his familiarity with the +customs of these strange cliff dwellers, he might be accorded the +position of pilot, during the time they remained in the neighborhood of +the Zuni village. + +The boy had taken particular note of the place where the strangely +attired old medicine man had last been seen; and it took the three chums +but a few seconds to arrive there. + +Just as the guide anticipated, he found that there was something in the +nature of a path worn along the rocks, and among the dead fragments of +brushwood. It was as though the Witch Doctor had gone back and forth +along this same route many times a week for years and years. + +What influenced Donald and Adrian to accept of this sudden opportunity +to spy on the Zuni medicine man it would be hard to say. Perhaps Donald, +whose father was a mine operator as well as a big rancher, may have had +a little notion that he would like to know more about the source of that +precious metal which report said the old magician knocked from some +wonderfully rich ledge inside the mountain nearby the village. That +would not be so very strange after all, though the boy might be taking +fearful risks in thus following such a vindictive old fellow as the +Witch Doctor was reported to be. + +As for Adrian, he did not have the same sort of temptation beckoning him +on. In all probability the subject of mines and rich ore deposits would +have failed to lure him; whereas the prospect of a pleasant little +mystery to be solved would act as a spur. + +And somehow, what Donald had told about that mysterious music, the +strains of which often floated faintly to the ears of the Zuni people +after their medicine man had betaken himself off to one of these famous +audiences with Manitou, had taken a firm hold on the mind of Adrian. He +hoped that before they quitted the country of the Zunis a chance would +arise whereby they could find out if there was really any truth in these +stories; and should it prove to be so, learn just what caused the music +that the ignorant natives believed supernatural or angel voices. + +And as has already been said, Billie went along simply because he was +afraid to stay there alone, and not that he felt any particular interest +in either gold mines or cherub voices. + +Two minutes later, and Donald held up a hand warningly. That was enough +to tell the others he had sighted the object of their pursuit. And as +they did not wish to let the hideous figure that stalked along ahead +know how he was being followed, they hung back until their guide again +beckoned them on. + +"He's just gone back of that line of brush yonder," Donald whispered, as +they joined him. "Let's wait here a minute, to give him a chance to move +along. And we can keep an eye on that cliff over yonder; because, unless +I'm mistaken, he was heading that way when last I glimpsed him." + +They crouched there and waited, Billie nervously fingering his camera, +as if in readiness to use it again should the chance arise. + +"There he goes!" ejaculated Adrian, suddenly. + +"Oh! where?" asked Billie, giving a start, as if he had at first +suspected that the old fellow might have stolen a march upon them; and +from the way Billie looked above his head one would think he half +expected that that hideous figure would come tumbling down upon them, +his arms filled with rattlesnakes, perhaps. + +"Over near the cliff, just as I said," replied Donald, pointing as he +spoke. + +"I see him, all right," announced Billie, immediately, as though that +were something worth mentioning. + +"Looks like he meant to climb up somewhere," suggested Adrian. + +"We'll watch, and see the circus, then," added Donald; "but better keep +down, so he won't glimpse us if he happens to look back this way." + +"That's good advice!" muttered Billie, dropping flat, and then poking +his head up as best he knew how, so that he might see without betraying +his presence; Billie had not been in the company of these two prairie +boys for weeks without picking up at least a smattering of the things +they knew. + +"Why, he's gone!" he exclaimed, a second or two later; and commenced to +rub his eyes vigorously, as though inclined to suspect that they had +played him a trick. + +"Did you see that?" remarked Donald, of Adrian; for they had been +looking all the time Billie was fussing, and getting himself so nicely +fixed that he had temporarily lost track of the medicine man. + +"He went behind that twisted cedar, and then seemed to just melt away in +thin air," the other replied, with a vein of wonder in his voice. + +"Then he _is_ an old wizard after all, ain't he?" remarked Billie, +hearing this. + +"That remains to be seen," declared Donald. "Shall we go over there, and +take a look around, Ad?" + +"Sure he ain't just hidin' behind some rock?" asked Billie, grown +cautious, it appeared, after his recent experiences. + +"You can see for yourself that the whole face of the cliff looks open, +and there isn't an outlying stone that would shelter a cat, much less a +fellow of his heft," Donald told him; "how about it, Ad?" + +"If you think it's right, why let's walk over, and make out to be +interested in the formation of the wall of rock," replied the other. "If +he chances to pop out on us, then we can make him believe we're +geologists, and interested in the history of these old-time hills." + +"A good idea, sure it is!" admitted Billie, always wanting to put in his +oar, and at the same time willing to give praise where it was due. + +Donald no doubt thought the same, even if he only smiled, and nodded his +head. + +Having thus decided they stepped out from their place of concealment, +and in an apparently careless manner walked toward the cliff that reared +its head far above, being fully a hundred feet from base to summit. + +Billie trailed along in the rear. He did not feel wholly at ease, +although in the society of his chums, whom he knew to be capable of +holding their own with any ordinary peril. But somehow Billie had an +idea that they were taking big chances when they accepted the risk of +spying on the Witch Doctor. And he wanted to be in a position to render +a good account of himself, in case anything happened. + +He had slung his little camera over his shoulder by means of the strap +attached for this very purpose; and now held his rifle in both hands, +feeling very much of responsibility, somehow or other, because he came +in the rear, and let them do all the looking for an explanation of the +mysterious disappearance of the old Zuni, while he kept his eyes on the +alert for trouble. + +Just as Donald had so positively said, there were no outlying stones of +any size along the base of this cliff. The two boys had even glanced +eagerly upwards more than once, half expecting to discover signs that +might tell how the mountain here had once been used by some of the cliff +dwellers; but so far as they could see there was not a single hole hewn +in that blank wall from top to bottom. + +Adrian picked up a piece of stone, as though carrying out the little +scheme he had suggested about their pretending to be geologists; and +while he and Donald put their heads together, as though they were +examining the same, they were exchanging remarks. + +"See any sign of the old fraud, Ad?" asked Donald. + +"Not around here, that's flat," answered the other. + +"But we're directly behind that crooked cedar," urged the rancher's son; +"and as sure as I'm here, that's just where I saw him last. And you know +as well as I do, Adrian, he couldn't have slipped away to either side, +nor yet climbed the face of this cliff!" + +His chum shook his head as he glanced all around; and then stepping +closer to the face of the height that arose far above, he scrutinized it +carefully. + +Then he laughed. + +"Tell you what, Donald," he said, "this makes me think of plays I've +seen on the stage, where the magician disappears through the face of the +rock in a wonderful way; but everybody knows that it's only canvas, +painted to look like the solid wall. Here, though, there's no such +thing; and yet you say he came to this spot and then just went up like a +puff of smoke. Take it from me now, that there must be some secret way +of getting in back here, if only we had the key to the mystery!" + +"Whew! is that what you think too, Donald?" asked Billie, taking time to +stare at the wall of rock, which up to now had interested him very +little, since it was the Witch Doctor himself for whom he was looking. + +"I reckon it must be something like that," Donald admitted. "We don't +believe in magic, and all that stuff; there must be a real explanation +for everything that looks so queer; if, as Adrian says, we only had the +clue to the trail. But even the rocks here show no trace of his +footsteps, so we can only give a guess how he gets in and out." + +"Huh!" grunted the incredulous Billie; "I reckon, then we're up against +a blank wall right now, in more ways than one; and the old chap's got us +guessing, all right." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +A SECRET OF THE SACRED MOUNTAIN. + + +"If we hang out here any length of time, Adrian, we'll try and come back +to this place again, and see if we can make a discovery," suggested +Donald, presently. + +"You'll find me agreeable," replied the one addressed; but Billie made +no remark, and doubtless secretly hoped they might change their minds. + +"I've got the exact spot marked in my mind, so we won't make any mistake +about it," Donald continued, seeming to have set his mind on solving +this mystery, concerning which there was so much talk among the miners, +and the visitors who came to the Zuni village from time to time, led by +curiosity, and a desire to see the queer customs of this ancient people. + +"It's his secret, all right," muttered Billie. + +"And like as not," Adrian went on to say, thoughtfully, "handed down to +him from his ancestors, or some other medicine man; for they tell me +that at some time in their lives each Witch Doctor selects the one he +thinks ought to succeed him, and teaches that party all the things he +knows, that go to make him different from the other men of the tribe." + +"Yes," added Donald, "as you say, this secret way of getting into the +mountain has been known all the way back, for hundreds of years; but so +much afraid are the Zunis of their medicine man, that never once would a +brave dream of following the same, to watch him talk with Manitou in the +heart of the Sacred Mountain." + +"It's a trick, then, you believe?" questioned Billie. + +"No doubt about that, Billie," Adrian replied, wishing to settle the +matter once and for all in the mind of the other chum; "if you could +once find the 'Open Sesame,' here to this rock, the same that Ali Baba +did, you remember, in the '_Forty Thieves_,' ten to one you'd learn that +the inside of the mountain has passages running through it +every-which-way; and that once he gets inside the old humbug just feels +able to appear and vanish whenever he feels like it, because he's right +at home." + +"Now, that sounds like hard, common-sense; and I'm beginning to think +you're on the right track after all, fellows," Billie told them. + +"That's comforting, anyhow," chuckled Adrian. "When we've advanced the +argument so far that Broncho Billie approves of it, things begin to +move, eh, Donald?" + +"I s'pose now, that if one of your miners came along here, and set off +his little dynamite cartridge right at the base of this same cliff, +there'd be something showing after that, a hole in the rock that somehow +we just can't seem to find now?" was the next suggestion on the part of +the stout chum; who liked to think up all sorts of strange ideas that +often bordered on the ridiculous; though he had been known to give his +comrades a hint once or twice that had led to good results in their +hands. + +"We haven't any more business around here, have we, Ad?" asked Donald, +with a little chuckle, as of amusement. + +"I can't remember having lost anything," replied the other; "and if +you've looked all you want to, and marked the place with a white stone +in your mind, why, I reckon we'd better vamose the ranch." + +"Second the motion; all in favor say ay--motion carried unanimously, so +come on, fellows, let's back track to the ponies," Billie went on to +say, hurriedly before Donald had half a chance to get a word in. + +"All right, let's see if you can lead us there, Billie," suggested +Adrian. "You've been showing some pretty clever stunts lately; and +keeping track of things as you go, in case you want to return the same +way, is part of the education of a true plainsman, you know." + +Billie looked dismayed. The fact of the matter was that while they were +on the way to this place he had been so busily engaged in keeping a +bright lookout for signs of the dreadful medicine man, that he had paid +little or no attention to the surroundings. + +Still, that was no reason he should expose his ignorance to his chums, +who, as Adrian had just said, were coming to have a good opinion of his +abilities. + +"Oh! all right, just as you say about it, boys!" he declared, cheerily; +"but I'm hardly myself after my late terrible experience; and it might +save time and bother if one of you took charge of the return trip. Not +but that I'm able to do the thing, if it seemed really necessary--you +understand that, of course." + +Neither of his comrades made any remark, though able to read between the +lines, and judge for themselves just how capable Billie might prove. + +"Looks quite different in here to what it was out on the sand desert, +don't it, boys?" Adrian remarked, after they had started away from the +cliff. + +"I should say it did," replied Billie, "with the trees around, and these +bushes too. Ain't that a hazel bush, Donald, and this one, say, didn't +you call it a rattlesnake weed once, when we were on the ranch?" + +"Yes, but it doesn't get the name from being eaten by the crawlers, +Billie. And here's another bush you ought to know," Donald told him. + +"Buffalo berries, as sure as shooting," said the stout chum, eager to +show that his memory was good. "I hid in a patch of the same that time I +tried to coax an antelope up close enough to nail him, by waving my red +bandana every little while. And he did come trotting along, now +retreating, and then getting closer, till I just couldn't stand it any +longer, and blazed away; but somehow I didn't get my game, though I +thought I hit him, all right." + +"But you could do much better than that now, Billie," said Adrian, +soothingly; "because you've had ever so much experience since that try. +Yes, and brought down game worth talking about, too." + +"Thank you, Adrian; it's kind of you to say that, and I won't forget it +soon, either!" declared Billie, as he turned his head to take one last +look at the beetling cliff before they passed out of sight of it. + +Immediately they heard him give an exclamation. + +"Well, I declare!" + +"What is it?" asked Donald, also whirling around. + +"Why, he must have been watchin' us all the time, fellows; just think of +the cunning of the old rascal!" continued the fat boy, whose face was +filled with a mixture of surprise and alarm. + +They did not have to question him any farther, because both of the +others had by now made the same discovery that had arrested the +attention of Billie when he turned to say good-bye to the mysterious +cliff. + +There, about three-fifths of the way to the top they sighted an object +marked plainly on the white face of the wall. It was indeed the old +medicine man, dressed in all his panoply of feathers and skins and +colored beads until he looked like a gay advertising sign. + +"Whew! he's staring right at us," said Billie, uneasily; "just like he +knew we had gone and follered him here, and wanted to ask us what +business it was of ours if he chose to sneak away and talk with the +Manitou of his people?" + +"Try your kodak on him, then, Billie, and have something to show to +prove your story when you come to spin it," suggested Donald, who did +not appear to be very much concerned over the new happening. + +Apparently Billie thought this might not be a bad idea, for dropping his +rifle he hastily swung the little camera around until he could grip it +in both hands. + +"Better hurry," warned Adrian, "because I think he's on to your dodge, +and objects to being potted without having his palm crossed with silver. +That's the way with most of the Indians along the line of the Southern +Pacific now; they dodge, and hide their faces whenever they see a camera +coming, or poked at them, until you throw them a quarter, when they'll +pose." + +"Click!" went the shutter, followed by a satisfied exclamation from the +operator. + +"That was another good one, I'm telling you!" Billie affirmed, +triumphantly; "mebbe I won't have a dandy lot of views to pay for all my +trouble in toting this same little black box all the way over desert and +mountains." + +"He still watches us," observed Donald; "and I'd give something just to +know what is passing through the mind of that sharp old humbug right +now; because he must guess that we're interested in his actions, or we +wouldn't have followed him the way we did." + +"Oh!" remarked Adrian, "chances are he's been followed many times before +now, without anybody ever picking up any information worth while. Trust +the crafty old scamp for knowing his business through and through. If +you were close enough right now to see what he's doing I reckon you'd +find him laughing in his sleeve, as they say, because we ran smack up +against a dead wall over there. We're not the first, by a long sight, +because the story of that lump of gold would be apt to lure lots of +prospectors over this way. And they've been fooled every time by his +disappearing so queer like. Perhaps some of them, being ignorant and +superstitious like the Zunis, really began to believe the Witch Doctor +did have the power to open the side of the mountain, whenever he wanted +to talk with Manitou." + +"Anyhow, it's plain he means to stand up there and watch us out of the +place," Billie went on to say; and then being overwhelmed with his +customary desire to acquire information he added: "looks like the face +of that cliff is as flat as any house wall; so what d'ye think he can be +standin' on up there all this while?" + +"Some sort of small ledge, you'd find, if ever you got there," Donald +advanced, positively enough, as though it did not admit of a doubt in +his mind. + +"Oh! that's it, eh?" Billie continued; "then he must have come out +through some crack that we can't see from here." + +"But we may, some fine day not a great while off," remarked Donald, +lightly. + +"That is, if you can find the way in down at the base?" said the fat +chum, who did not like to take things for granted when they seemed to be +barricaded with all manner of unsolved problems. + +But as Donald turned away and resumed his progress along the trail he +was heard to say, half to himself, though the others caught his words +plainly enough: + +"That hidden entrance down below shouldn't bother us any, if once we +make up our minds we mean to see for ourselves what the old chap has got +concealed inside his Sacred Mountain; because cowboys always carry ropes +along, and it wouldn't be such a hard job, after all, to drop down from +the top there, and land on that same ledge, some time when we knew the +Witch Doctor was busy in the village. I've got the spot marked to a +certainty in my mind, and all of you notice that there's the finest +cedar growing directly above him on the top of the wall, just as if it +had been meant to fasten a lariat to. Leave it to your Uncle Donald, and +perhaps before a great while we'll make a try to solve the secret of the +hidden treasure of the Zuni medicine man." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE STRANGE HABITATIONS OF THE ZUNIS. + + +Both of the others of course heard all that Donald said. Adrian only +smiled, and nodded his head, as though the idea rather took his fancy; +but Billie put up his broad shoulders in a way he often did when in sore +doubt. + +If his two chums made up their minds to try and invade the secret +quarters of that hideous old medicine man, in the heart of the Sacred +Mountain, why, Billie realized that he would have to accompany them. +This would not be because they insisted on it, but on account of his +never being of a mind to find himself left out, when an enterprise was +planned, as though he might not be equal to the strain, for Billie was +very touchy, and proud, for a good-natured boy. + +This being the case he shuddered to imagine himself dangling at the end +of a rope, far down the face of that sheer hundred and more foot cliff, +with a drop beneath, in case the rope slipped, or broke, sufficient to +insure a smash that was going to end his pilgrimage in this world. + +But then Billie had learned that it was folly to cross a bridge before +one came to it. While his comrades might lay great plans, there was +always a chance that something would happen, making it impossible to try +and carry the same out. + +What was the use in borrowing trouble, anyway? To-morrow had not come, +and wasn't his good mother always telling him that old maxim "sufficient +unto the day is the evil thereof?" + +So Billie concluded he would live in the present, and let the future +take care of itself. + +They were heading for the queer Zuni village right now, and before long +he expected to get busy with his camera, taking all sorts of +entertaining snapshots that later on must astonish and delight hosts of +friends in the faraway East, after he returned home. + +That they were now drawing very close to the Zuni settlement all of them +knew to a certainty. Plenty of signs pointed that way--they could hear +loud voices, and the laughter of children, just as though they might be +approaching a village of white people; for after all, children do not +differ very much, whether they be white, black, copper-colored or +yellow; it is only when they grow older and copy the characteristics of +their parents that they change, and follow the groove of their species. + +"I can see the cliff, all right!" announced Billie, in some little +excitement, as he stretched his fat neck to a dangerous degree, +"rubbering," as he himself described it. + +"Yes," said Adrian, "that's the top row of homes we see yonder; and if +things are anything like I expect, from what I've heard we'll find a +dozen other rows of holes in the rock most all the way down the cliff." + +"But not near the bottom," corrected Donald; "because, you see, the only +object that ever made these people, away back many hundreds of years +ago, build their homes in this way was to feel free from their enemies, +whoever they might be; and so far as I've been able to find out, nobody +really knows who they were afraid of." + +"P'raps the Injuns got on the warpath every little while; and made a +raid, looking for scalps and plunder?" suggested Billie, quickly. + +"You might think so," Adrian told him; "but it's been agreed on that +when these same old cliff-dwellers held out in these valleys, making +their homes high up in the air, and digging them out of the solid rock +in certain places where it was easy to do the job, why, there were no +Indians. That was long before the time of the red man, as we know him in +history. So there you are, Billie." + +"All of which is true," added Donald; "so think it over, Billie, and +some time let us know what sort of an explanation you get to. Look, +there are several more lines of holes in the rock, and you can see the +many crazy ladders that lead up and down, like the lines of a puzzle." + +"Sure thing," declared Billie, excitedly, "and there are some people +climbing and coming down right along. Hurry up there, Jupiter, and quit +your poking. I'm all of a quiver to get right in, and see these sights +at close range. Oh! mebbe it ain't going to be in clover for me, with +this jolly little kodak of mine. Won't I be able to snap off some of the +funniest pictures you ever saw, with fat squaws and papooses ahanging to +them ladders in all sorts of ridiculous positions? Well, let me tell you +before we go any further, boys, I'm real glad I came." + +"In spite of the scare you had when you fell into that rattlesnake den, +eh, Billie?" ventured Adrian. + +"And no matter if you did get lost on the desert, while a nasty sand +storm was raging?" added Donald, mischievously. + +"With the wolves keeping you awake all night in the bargain; can you say +that, remembering all these things that have happened, Billie?" Adrian +concluded. + +The fat boy placed one hand in the region of his heart. + +"Really and truly I'm glad right now," he went on, "and I'll be a dozen +times more so before long, I'm thinking. All the things you mention +belong to past history; and what's the use crying over spilt milk?" + +"Hurrah for you, Billie!" cried Adrian. + +"Remember what we used to write in our copybooks at school when we were +kids," the fat boy went on, seriously; "mebbe I ain't got the words just +right, but the sentiment is the same: 'The wheel of the mill ain't ever +agoing to run again, with the water that is past.' Them's my sentiments +every time, boys." + +"Bully for Willie Winkle!" laughed Donald; "he's better to have along +than any school teacher that ever lived. But here we are, boys; and now +look your fill, both of you, because you'll see sights such as few +people ever get a chance to set eyes on, let me tell you." + +And they did. + +They had now turned a bend in the trail, so that the whole Zuni village +was before them. It was a bustling scene, too, for there were scores of +persons moving all about on the ground, among the rocks, and in the +central plaza, where doubtless the ceremonial dances were wont to take +place from time to time, according to the customs of these strange +people. + +The Zunis are very clannish, and never marry outside of their own +people. They believe themselves to be far and above the common herd, and +can look back to a past that antedates the history of all other tribes. +Some of those wise men who have tried to study out their traditions +associate them with the Aztecs or sun worshippers of Mexico; but they +claim to go back centuries beyond the time of those really modern +people. + +Their dress is as picturesque as their mode of living, so vastly +different from that of any Indian tribe in America. They are accustomed +to meeting whites, and in reality shrewdly welcome strangers to visit +their village, because they love to shine in the lime-light; and most of +them are natural-born actors. Besides, they make a great deal of money +in various ways, such as posing for pictures, selling quaintly woven +baskets, pottery made after their tribal custom, and all sorts of +souvenirs such as tourists with fat pocketbooks love to pick up, to +prove that they have journeyed to the land of the "original people," +known as the Zunis. + +"Why, we ain't the only strangers here, after all!" ejaculated Billie, +shortly, as he and his two chums came closer to the scene. "There's a +bunch of palefaces over yonder atalking to that old squaw, who looks +like she might be a gypsy queen, or some sort of fortune-teller." + +"Perhaps she is," laughed Adrian, "because these people have gotten so +used to having the whites visit them, especially at this time of year, +that they're on to all sorts of schemes to coax the nimble dollar out of +the pockets of the pilgrims. Am I right there, Pard Donald?" + +"You're cleaving close to the line, let me tell you, Chum Adrian; and +you'll find that money talks even among the Zuni and the Hopi Indians, +just as it does, they say, over in Switzerland or Italy, where every +blessed person, young and old, has the itching palm as they call it, so +you can't ask a civil question without fishing around in your pocket for +a tip. But let's forget all that, now, and mingle with the crowd." + +"First of all," suggested Adrian, wisely, "don't you think we'd better +be making a camp for ourselves? The ponies will have to have water and +grass; and as we've got a tent, it ought to be stuck up somewhere to +show where the Broncho Rider Boys have their headquarters." + +"Right you are, Ad; and here comes the very party we had ought to speak +to, unless I'm mistaken. Now, it happened that Corse Tibbals was able to +do these people a mighty good turn, once upon a time; and he told me if +I mentioned the fact that I was a friend of his, it might make things +pleasant for us; which I expect to spring on this old fellow who's got +our number, and means to find out who we are, and what we want here." + +The man who approached them was evidently one of more or less authority +among the Zunis; for his manner, as well as a difference in his style of +dress, told that he must exercise the authority of a chief. + +Billie had been wondering what sort of Choctaw or Greek he was about to +hear the Zuni use in addressing them, and how Donald could understand +him. Billie, having once taken a few lessons in the sign language, had +even been trying to brush up his memory, under the faint impression that +he might have to join in the conversation, and assist his chums, when he +heard the other ask in very good English who they were, and why they had +journeyed hither. + +Of course it was only a sort of ceremonious way of introducing himself, +because all the palefaces who came to the Zuni country had only one +object in view, which could be set down as an overwhelming curiosity to +see for themselves these wonderful things of which they had heard or +read so much. + +Donald gave the name of each of his chums, as well as his own. He told +how they had been down to the copper mines on business; and finding that +they would be in time to witness the famous rattlesnake dance, which +once a year the Zunis indulge in, they had crossed the burning desert in +a sand storm to visit their brothers. + +And when he mentioned that Corse Tibbals was a very good friend of his, +and really in the employ of his father, the sober face of the old Zuni +actually lighted up with what seemed to be pleasure. + +He and Donald chatted for some little time in an animated way, after +which the old chief took himself off, and the boy returned to his +friends, a satisfied look on his face, that told them things were +"panning out" well. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +WHERE LADDERS WERE STAIRS. + + +"It's all right, fellows," said Donald, as he joined his chums; "the +chief remembers our foreman at the mine, and is glad to have us here. +Fact is, he gave me to understand that he'd look on us as his special +guests during the ceremonies connected with the yearly dance to the +Little Father, as they call the rattlesnake, under the impression that +it was connected with the religion of their forefathers, away back +thousands of years." + +"Huh!" grunted the unbelieving Billie, "take my word for it now, that's +the same kind of talk he gives every new batch of strangers that shows +up here. You see, I'm something of a reader of character, though I've +never let on to you two fellows about it before; and if ever I saw a +shrewd look on the face of a human being it was written large on his +phiz." + +Adrian chuckled. + +Possibly that was his own private opinion, for he believed that the +annual gathering of numerous whites, deeply interested in the religious +ceremonies, and dance of the Zunis, had by degrees come to make it +somewhat of a commercial affair. They found so many chances to "bleed" +the good-natured travelers that the spirit was now rife in the +community, just as you find it in every gypsy camp. + +After that they wandered around for quite some time, "visiting," Billie +called it. They talked with the natives, finding that the vast majority +could not only understand English, but speak it fairly well in the +bargain. + +Donald led his comrades up a crazy ladder to the lower strata of rock +houses, as the holes in the face of the high cliff were called. + +They found that they were singularly lacking in what white boys were +accustomed to look upon as actual necessities in their homes. The +sleeping places, instead of being comfortable beds, consisted for the +most part of some skins thrown down in a corner. + +"But then," ruminated Billie, who was given to speculating on occasion, +"I reckon now that an up-to-date brass bed would kinder look queer and +out of place in this antique hole in the wall. The beds and other +furniture are about in keeping with the people and the habitation, ain't +that so Adrian?" + +"Well," observed the one addressed, "what else would you expect to find +in a living place that had been used for hundreds and hundreds of years +by these people, and those who went before them? But you admit that it's +all mighty interesting, don't you, Billie?" + +"That's what it is, Adrian," heartily replied the other, "and from the +way these other visitors are prowling around every-which-way, seems to +me they think just the same as we do. Several look like cowboys; you +don't happen to know any of the same, I suppose, Donald?" + +"No," Donald answered, after taking a good survey of the parties in +question; "never ran across them before; but that isn't queer, when you +come to think how many ranches there are in this Southwest country; and +how seldom punchers go outside of the limits of their own range." + +"Then there's a bunch of real tourists," continued Billie; "father, +mother and two half-grown children, people of means, they must be, for +they look like it; and they've got three guides along with 'em too, so's +not to get lost on the desert, like some sillies have a habit of doing. +Chances are these Zunis will get considerable graft from that +free-and-easy crowd." + +"Among the balance of the strangers in town there's one man I've been +watching, and he somehow gives me a bad feeling," remarked Adrian. + +"P'raps, now, I might pick him out, and then not half try," added +Donald; "just because I felt the same way about him. See here, Ad, is he +that tall, domineering man, with the inky-black mustache, who looks +about like the frisky gambler you see in the moving pictures of this +Western country?" + +"Hit it the first guess, Donald; but I took the trouble to ask a few +questions about him from that smart looking young brave you saw me +talking with a bit ago; and it seems that his name is Mark Braddon; and +he's some sort of showman." + +"Oh! you mean a circus proprietor, out here in the Wild and Woolly West +to pick up novel attractions for his outfit in the East, is that it?" +demanded Donald, quickly. + +"That's what he claims; and the youngster told me Braddon was trying to +induce the chief to take a big party of braves, squaws and papooses, and +go with him to exhibit this same rattlesnake dance in his circus. Says +it would be the biggest card ever put before the public, and insure him +crowded houses all through the winter in Chicago." + +Donald looked grave. + +"I don't like his ways, that's all I can say," he remarked, still +watching the important looking man in question, who was not far away at +the time, showing the family of tourists the largest cliff dwelling, +with an air of proprietorship; as though he already felt that he had +acquired an interest in the whole village by reason of the fact that he +was daily and hourly increasing his offer of big pay, until the chief +_must_ give in, and accept a contract. + +"And from what you told me about these people," Adrian went on to say, +gravely, "it seems to me they never could give that strange dance day +after day, and have it still hold its solemn, religious character." + +"Never!" declared Donald, who knew so much about these Indians of the +rock dwellings; "it can be danced only once a year, at a most particular +season. Everything has to be just so, the moon at a certain age, and all +sorts of other conditions are to be suitable, or it loses its +significance. But then money is a strong factor nowadays, and if that +tempter only made his offer _big_ enough, he might get the old chief to +consent." + +"That would be bad enough in itself," remarked Adrian; "but between you +and me, Donald, I've got a big suspicion that this circus man is +something of a fake." + +"You mean that he would have some other scheme up his sleeve, in trying +to tempt the chief to start out with him, taking the best part of the +tribe along, is that your idea, Adrian?" asked the other, earnestly; as +he again cast his gaze toward the big man with the deep, loud voice, and +blustering ways, whose manner had seemingly struck them both as +peculiarly offensive. + +Adrian simply nodded. + +He saw Billie listening with open mouth, and eyes that were distended, +as though the information regarding these suspicions on the part of his +chums was thrilling him through and through; and Adrian did not think it +wholly advisable to get the fat boy started in the question line, +because he would never stop quizzing them. + +As Donald caught his meaning, he gave him a wink and a nod, after which +he dropped all mention of the dark-haired man with the loud voice, and +the bold stare. + +When they became tired of climbing ladders, and investigating the quaint +homes of the Zuni people, the three chums went back to where they had +erected their tent, and had their animals staked out so they could +secure their fill of grass. + +Billie, of course was hungry; it was very seldom he could be found any +other way these days; and so they thought it might be wise to start a +fire, and cook something in the line of food. + +Some of the Zuni boys gathered around to watch their operations, but as +Donald had said, these people were strictly honest, the chums had no +fear of their tent being entered during their absence, and anything +stolen. + +While dinner was being prepared Adrian noticed that Billie was unusually +quiet and thoughtful, for him. He wondered what ailed the stout chum. +Once he thought that what he and Donald had said concerning the big man +with the loud voice and overbearing ways had affected Billie; and he was +busying his brain in trying to figure out what sort of game the circus +man could be engaged in carrying out. + +Desiring to ease his mind on this score, and let him feel that after all +their suspicions might not amount to anything, as the other was possibly +just what he claimed to be, the proprietor of a Wild West Show, on the +keen lookout for new and taking novelties to offer the public, Adrian +presently introduced the matter to his companion. + +"What makes you so sober, Billie; not feeling sick, I hope?" he +remarked, while Donald was doing something over where the horses were +tethered, and the pair of them found themselves temporarily deserted by +the Zuni youths. + +"What, me?" exclaimed the other, starting, and looking quickly up at the +speaker; "oh, not at all, Adrian; far from it, because I never felt in +better shape, only I'll be stronger after we've had our grub, of +course." + +"But something's worrying you, Billie!" persisted the other. + +"Oh! well, I wouldn't be happy, Ad, you know, unless I was badgerin' +this old think-box of mine over something or other," answered the fat +chum, with a nervous laugh. + +"And what is it now?" asked Adrian, fully expecting to hear him say that +he was unable to get the conversation he had heard between them +concerning Mark Braddon, out of his mind, to his surprise it turned out +to be a very different affair entirely. + +"Why," said Billie, soberly, with three lines across his broad forehead, +such as always appeared there when he found himself up against a hard +proposition, "you see, Adrian, I just can't get it through my mind who +he can be at all. Bothers me right along now, and the more I pound my +head the worse it gets." + +"But suppose you decide that he's just what he claims, and let it go at +that," suggested the other. + +Billie's lower jaw fell, and he turned to stare at the speaker. + +"Say, now, who d'ye suppose I'm talking about?" he demanded. + +"Why, that man Braddon, of course," replied Adrian. + +Then Billie laughed merrily. + +"Why, bless your innocent heart, Ad," he said, in his jolly way, "I +wasn't bothering my head the least bit about that gruff-voiced fellow. +What's been on my nerves is the mystery we're up against." + +"Mystery!" echoed Adrian, in a puzzled way; and then, as a light +suddenly broke in upon him he went on to say hastily; "oh! I see now +what you mean, Billie; you're still badgering your poor brain about the +unknown who shot the thieving young Apache buck when he was trying to +rob us; and who you think must be the same party who put that warning in +the split stick at the poisoned spring?" + +"That's what, Adrian!" declared the other, with a big sigh; "and it's +keeping me awake nights wondering just who our unknown friend can be." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +BILLIE AND THE SHOWMAN. + + +It was some time after the Broncho Rider Boys had finished their dinner +that Adrian, while wandering around the village, chanced to come upon +the old chief again. + +As the other beckoned to him, and started a conversation, Adrian found +himself irresistibly impelled presently to tell the chief what he +thought about such a scheme as the one he had heard the circus man +propose. + +Adrian was something of a good talker; indeed, he some day expected to +study to be a lawyer on this very account. And as the chief seemed glad +of a chance to get some other person's opinion concerning the honesty of +Braddon, and the likelihood of his keeping a contract to the letter, he +asked many questions. + +But of course Adrian was too wise a boy to state boldly that he believed +the other to be a fakir, when he had no evidence along that line, save +his own conviction backed by that of his chum, Donald; and they were +supposed to be only a pair of boys, hardly capable of forming judgment +on another. + +He confined the line of his argument upon other grounds, and succeeded +in making the old chief very uncomfortable by his questions concerning +the religious nature of the famous snake dance, and whether it would not +be next door to sacrilege to perform it daily, just to amuse thousands +of careless white people, for the mere sake of gain. + +In other words, Adrian was hinting that possibly the Great Spirit might +take it as an insult to have this same ceremonial dance made a common +byword among the palefaces, and visit some terrible judgment upon the +heads of those who were concerned. + +He even asked what the medicine man thought about the scheme, and was +not surprised to learn that the Wizard Doctor violently opposed anything +of the sort; and it was his opposition that had caused the arrangements +to hang fire so far. + +The chief seemed very friendly, and Adrian believed that he had +succeeded in influencing him to go slow about making such a radical +change, without in any way reflecting upon the honor of the circus +proprietor. + +As he turned away after this long and earnest talk with the old Zuni +chief he felt impelled to look to one side, as though some influence +forced him to turn his eyes that way. And just as he half expected, he +discovered that Braddon had been intently observing him, possibly much +of the time he and the old chief held their heart-to-heart talk. + +There was a dark scowl on the strong face of the big man. He smiled in a +queer way, as he saw Adrian looking toward him; and somehow the +expression on his face seemed anything but agreeable. + +The boy half expected that Braddon would stalk toward him, and demand to +know what he and the old Zuni leader had been talking about so +earnestly; he was bracing himself to decline to answer, when he saw the +other whirl around, and hurry after the chief, evidently meaning to get +that information at first hands. + +"I reckon that might spell trouble for me," mused Adrian, as he walked +on; and having somewhat tired of observing the strange sights of the +village by now, or perhaps feeling that the company of his chums would +be more agreeable, he headed toward the tent where Billie lay taking a +nap in the shade, and Donald was busily engaged writing up some incident +in his daily log. + +Half an hour afterwards who should turn up there but Mark Braddon. When +Adrian saw the big, dark-faced circus man approaching, with a set look +on his countenance, he knew that there was going to be an explosion. + +And he was not far wrong, either. + +Donald stopped his writing, and jumping to his feet, hurried to the side +of his chum, recognizing the signs of a storm when he saw them. + +"See here, youngsters," said the man, in his big bass voice, while he +tried to look as fierce as possible, under the impression that in this +way he might send a spasm of fear and dismay to the hearts of the boys +whom he addressed, "it'd be a mighty good thing for you to stop poking +your noses into my business, and look after your own affairs. Get thet, +don't you? Well, unless you want to find yourselves hurt rather sudden, +just keep hands off, and allow me to run my own circus." + +He even shook his finger threateningly at them; and somehow the action +angered Donald, who was quicker to flare up than Adrian. Billie was +sitting up by now, and listening, with widely distended eyes, and open +mouth. + +"Oh!" said Donald, "I reckon, now, you're doing all that talking about +my chum advising the old chief that his medicine man was right in saying +they would risk the ill will of the Manitou of the Zunis, if they took +their sacred dance away from the spot where it has been done year after +year for centuries, and made it the laughing stock of a rude crowd of +white people at a circus. Well, the chief asked his opinion, and he had +a right to give it, as any other person might." + +"Yes," added Adrian just then, "of course it doesn't matter a red cent +to any of us whether the chief takes up your offer or not; but I've got +my opinion about whether he'd be a fool to try it, and so I told him. I +don't know you, Mr. Braddon, and I'm not saying that you wouldn't deal +honestly with these simple people; but I do know that they would never +be the same again after they came back. That was what I asked him; and +I'd do just the same again if any of the other Indians wanted to know my +opinion." + +The big man looked at the speaker in surprise. He had doubtless counted +on being easily able to cow these young fellows, who were only boys at +best, while he had a fierce look, and in his own mind at least a +resistless way of domineering. + +"I give you fair warning right here and now," he went on to say, +furiously, "that unless you keep your hands off my personal business +you're going to think you've run up against a buzz-saw. I ain't in the +habit of knuckling down to a set of kids, when I plan a big thing for my +show; and I won't stand for it, hear that? Why, I've got a good notion +to give you a lesson right here and now." + +He had assumed an attitude that looked dangerous, as though his passions +had run away with his judgment; and Adrian was sorry that neither he nor +Donald chanced to have anything along just at that critical moment in +the way of firearms, with which to make things seem more even. + +"Oh! I wouldn't do that, mister, if I was you," drawled a voice just +then. + +Of course it was Billie, and as all of them glanced toward the spot +where he was squatted, they saw him handling his pet Marlin repeater. + +Somehow the sight of that gun seemed to make the fierce showman change +his mind. He shrugged his broad shoulders, and allowed a cynical smile +to cross his face. + +"Never mind raising that weapon, son," he called out; "on second thought +I guess I'd have been a fool to lay a hand on any of you. But just keep +my warning in mind, and leave my plans for amusing the public alone, +will you? I give you my word you'll be sorry if you bother me any more." + +He wheeled, and hurried away. Billie chuckled a little, as though +amused, and as the showman turned and shot a vindictive glance back +toward him it was evident he must have heard the sound, and also that it +rankled in his soul. + +The three boys soon had their heads together, and of course this time +the subject of their talk was the man who had made such a fool of +himself as to threaten Adrian, because he had spoken his mind when the +old chief asked his opinion. + +"He's a sure enough bad egg," Billie affirmed, and neither of the others +seemed inclined to differ with him on that score, at least. + +"I saw him talking to two different men awhile back," remarked Donald. +"It was after you and the chief had been having that nice little confab, +Adrian; and from the way he pointed over this way several times, I got +the idea in my head he was telling them about what he'd seen you doing." + +"In that case then, you would know who two of his crowd might be?" +suggested the other chum, quickly. + +"That's right, I do; and let me tell you both while I'm about it; +because, if it seems we're just bound to have a rumpus with Braddon and +his set, the sooner we spot the whole outfit the better." + +"Go ahead then, Donald," urged Adrian. + +"First, there was that little sawed-off we were watching awhile back; he +seems to be a lively specimen, even if he is so short; and I don't fancy +the cut of his jib any more'n I do that of Mr. Braddon, the showman." + +"Call him Shorty, then, since we don't know his real name," remarked +Billie. + +"The other was that young fellow who is dressed in the loud check suit, +and who might be a son of the showman, for all anybody could say to the +contrary. Seems to me they do look a bit alike, eh, Ad?" + +"All right, let's take that for granted, and call him Mark Braddon Jr.," +Billie went on to say, before Adrian could give his opinion; for it +seemed as if the fat chum was feeling rather lively since he had +surprised his comrades by his prompt holding up of the furious showman +when he was threatening violence toward Adrian. + +"Then we know three of the crowd," Donald went on. "There may be others +still, and we'd better keep our eyes open to pick the same out, from +time to time." + +"You talk as if you thought we'd sure have trouble with the bunch yet," +remarked Adrian. + +"Oh! you never can tell; but the signs all point that way right now," +Donald went on to say; "and you know, we've been brought up to keep on +our guard all the time. They might take a silly notion to try and run us +out of here." + +"Say, I hope not before that old dance comes off!" cried Billie, +"because I've got my heart set on taking some fine snapshots of the +same, and it'd grieve me a heap to have to toddle out of here before +then." + +"Make your mind easy, Billie," said Donald, with a firm closing of his +jaws together, and a gleam in his eyes that proclaimed the spirit of the +prairie boy, "we don't leave this same village until we're good and +ready, no matter what Mr. Mark Braddon and his crowd think, or want us +to do. And if it came to a fight, I've got an idea those several cowboys +from the ranches would flock to our side, once I told 'em who I was, and +that my dad owns the good old Keystone Ranch." + +Adrian looked up at that, with a smile on his face. + +"Now that isn't half a bad idea, Donald," he remarked, hastily; "and if +I was you I'd just stroll out, and make the acquaintance of some of +those same punchers. There are three of them, and they seem to be a +jolly lot. Not much danger that they're in touch with Braddon in his +game, whatever it may be." + +"I'll do it, right away," announced Donald, as he went into the tent to +strap on his belt with its dangling six-shooter, without which no cowboy +would care to be seen abroad; and waving his hand to his chums, he +sauntered off on his mission. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +A TREMENDOUS SCHEME. + + +Billie began to tire of lying around, and once more started out to +investigate things for himself. He carried his little kodak along with +him, for there were a couple of pictures he had thought of which he +wanted very much to get, if the opportunity arose, and he could induce +some of the Zuni boys, in their peculiar costumes, to pose for him, and +he thought that would not be hard for a fellow whom his chums both said +had such an insinuating, wheedling way about him. + +He spent a good hour in the task, while Donald still remained absent; +and Adrian put in his time in various ways, now with the horses, and +again at the tent. + +The one who had remained behind was somewhat surprised at seeing Billie +hurrying toward the camp after a while, and to note the look of deep +anxiety upon the rosy face of the fat chum. + +"Hello! there, what's been happening to you now, I wonder?" Adrian +remarked, as Billie threw himself down on the ground beside him, +seemingly short of breath, for he was panting heavily. + +He made a gesture to indicate that after he had managed to get in +half-way decent shape again, he would proceed to enlighten the +stay-at-home chums; and so Adrian had to take it out for a minute or two +in vague guessing. + +"Chances are three to one that it's got something to do with that same +Braddon?" he proceeded to say, presently, when Billie failed to start +explaining. + +A violent nod of the other's head announced that his first shot had hit +the mark in the bull's-eye. + +"Don't tell me he tackled you, and abused you in any way?" demanded +Adrian, with a look of gathering anger on his face. + +Billie shook his head, this time in the negative. Then he seemed to have +reached the opinion that he had recovered enough of his breath to +explain. + +"No, it wasn't that, you see; but what I managed to hear them say," he +exclaimed. + +"Meaning Braddon and some of his bunch; is that it, Billie?" + +"Yes, and the very pair Donald was warning us against, Shorty and +Junior," the fat boy went on to declare eagerly. + +"So, they were having a nice little confab all by themselves, were +they?" asked the other. + +"Just what they were; and say, Ad, d'ye know the temptation was really +too much for me, and I _had_ to make the try, even if I did know what +I'd rub up against if they discovered me listenin' to 'em talk." + +"Do you mean to say you crept up close enough to hear anything?" +demanded Adrian, as though he could hardly believe it possible on the +part of the stout chum to attempt such a bold thing, in the first place, +and actually carry it to a successful issue in the second. + +Billie wagged his head, and a proud gleam came into his sunny blue eyes. + +"I got away with it, though how I did the same will puzzle me lots," he +started to explain. "But when I saw that bunch with their heads so close +together I just made up my mind they must be plottin' like fun; and I +wished I could get a chance to listen. Then, all at once I noticed that +there _was_ a way a fellow might crawl up back of the rocks, if only he +knew how to do it. How I wished either you or Donald was with me; +because you see I was afraid that I'd make a bad job of the thing, and +only get a few nice kicks for my trouble. But all at once I gritted my +teeth this way, you know; and when I do that there's going to something +happen, make up your mind to that." + +"Yes, I know, Billie, there surely is; and so you concluded to try the +crawl by yourself, did you?" + +"I just got down on my ham-bones, and began to sneak along the best I +knew how," the enthusiastic fat boy went on to say, excitedly, as though +even the remembrance of his recent feat stirred him to the core. "Inch +by inch, and foot by foot, I went crawling along, till at last I landed +in the snuggest little nook you ever saw, and where I couldn't go any +further because there wasn't any more cover." + +"And what did you hear?" asked Adrian. + +"I just managed to pick up a few words now and then, when one of the +bunch talked a little louder than common; and at first it was like a lot +of Choctaw to me, because, you see, I hadn't got my clue yet. After a +little I could put things together better, and then the whole thing +flashed on me like an avalanche." + +"Yes, go on, Billie, I'm listening," urged the other, beginning to +himself feel the thrill of eager expectation, which of course was what +Billie was leading up to all this while. + +"Let me tell you what I reckon that schemer Braddon is planning to do +with his big pay promises to the old Zuni chief," Billie continued, +impressively; "he wants to get the greater part of the tribe to flock +away after him; and when he finds a chance he means to give 'em the +slip, come back here, and force the old medicine man to show him where +that wonderful treasure of his lies, that has been talked about so much +all through this region for years! What d'ye think of that for a grand +scheme, now, Pard Adrian?" + +The other sat there for a full minute, as though digesting the +tremendous idea in his mind, while Billie waited to hear what his +opinion might be, his face reflecting the various emotions that +controlled him. + +Finally Adrian looked up. + +"First of all, let me congratulate you, Billie, on doing what you did. +It was the work of no greenhorn. After this Donald and myself have got +to look out, if we don't want to wake up some fine morning, and find +ourselves only has-beens. You're getting there with a rush. But I reckon +you hugged that hiding-place till they went about their business; you +never tried to crawl back again, and take new chances?" + +"I guess I knew enough for that, Adrian. I just lay there, and waited. +They went off after a bit; and when the coast was clear, I stepped out +and walked around, like nothing was the matter. But as soon as I got the +first chance, let me tell you I scooted for the camp, licketty-split. I +was fairly bursting with that news. And it's nice of you to pay me such +a compliment, that's right. I feel as if it was worth all it cost, just +to know that one of my chums appreciates me." + +"And the other will say the same when he hears what you did," Adrian +hastened to declare. "But I wish Donald would show up; he's been gone +all of two hours." + +"Say, you don't think they could a got hold of him, any sort of way, do +you, Adrian?" questioned Billie, as though a sudden terrible suspicion +had gripped him. + +"Well, hardly, in broad daylight," laughed the other; "if it was night, +now, there might be some little reason to think that way. He'll be along +soon. P'raps he's found those cowboys good company, and is clinching +them as friends, so we could rely on their backing, if it came to such a +showdown." + +"Oh! I hope we don't have trouble with that bunch," remarked Billie; +"because I'm opposed to violence, you know; but then, if they try to +chase us out of this Zuni town, I reckon I'd get my back up, and kick +just as hard as the rest of you. But you believe what I told you, don't +you, Adrian?" + +"It seems almost too terrible to believe, but when I remember the look +on the face of that man, Mark Braddon, I'm tempted to say that nothing +would be too dreadful for him to try, if he thought he saw a chance to +make a big haul by it." + +"Well, he would, if his game worked well, and they could force the old +medicine man to give up the secret of his hidden treasure," Billie went +on to say in a reflective sort of way. "Goodness knows we've heard a +heap about the same; and if even one tenth of it is true, he must know +where a mighty rich gold vein lies in the heart of this old Sacred +Mountain of theirs." + +"Still, do you know, I'm not so very much surprised at what you've been +telling me," the other chum went on to say. + +"You sort of had an idea he was up to some dodge like that, didn't you, +Adrian?" Billie asked; for he had fallen into a way of believing that +these two wide-awake comrades of his could see through puzzles that +bothered him greatly. + +"He looked like a man who would engineer a big game, and yet I couldn't +seem to get it through my head what sort of a play he could make by +luring the chief away with more than half the tribe. Then what I heard +about the tremendous pay he offered, which he kept on increasing every +new time he talked it over with the head man, made me suspect that he +never meant to do the right thing. But honest now, Billie, I never once +thought of such a clever scheme as you've been telling me about." + +"Well, what'll we do about it?" demanded the fat chum. + +"Nothing right away, I should think," replied Adrian, after apparently +thinking it all over. + +"What, not even tell the chief how he's been taken in and done for; +would that be fair and square for us, Adrian?" + +"There's no hurry, you see," answered the other, calmly; "look at the +thing without getting excited, Billie, and you'll agree with me. +To-morrow comes the day for all this Zuni ceremony business to reach a +head, for they're going to give the rattlesnake dance then. After that's +once over with we can get the chief to listen, while you tell all you +heard. He'd be a fool after that to take any stock in the big offers of +money that Braddon is making, to coax him to be an attraction for his +Wild West Show, which, between you and me, I never heard of, and don't +believe ever had any existence." + +Billie sighed. Perhaps he still thought they should "make hay while the +sun shone," and it may have been that he secretly feared lest the +schemer Braddon find some way to get the better of them; so that his +path might be cleared, and nothing interfere with the carrying out of +his villainous scheme. + +But then he was so accustomed by now to yielding to the better judgment +of his two chums that he did not offer any further objections. + +"We'll see what Donald says about it when he comes in," added Adrian; +"though I feel pretty sure he'll think the same that I do. We don't want +anything to interfere with our enjoying that wonderful affair tomorrow, +you know. And this fakir of a showman can't just swoop off with the main +part of the village in the wink of an eye. If they concluded to go with +him they'd have to take some time to make preparations, you see; and +that'd let us have a chance to whisper a few interesting things in the +ear of the old chief, that might make him sit up and take notice." + +"You're right, Adrian, quite right," admitted Billie, as though fully +convinced by this time; "there's no desperate need of hurry; and just as +you often say, many a well laid plan's gone to pieces because of too +much haste. But we'll soon know what Donald has to say about it, because +here he comes right now, and with a wide grin on his face, as though +he'd made good friends of those cow-punchers!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +ANOTHER WARNING. + + +That night saw many strange things going on in the Zuni village, to all +of which our three young friends gave close attention; for they were +deeply interested in the quaint ceremonies of these people who traced +their ancestors far back beyond the time of the red man on the continent +of North America. + +They did not forget to keep close together after the shades of night +fell; for both Donald and Adrian were agreed on that subject, to the +effect that a man with such a lack of conscience as Braddon, who would +scheme to rob these poor Indians, and lure them away from their home on +a false trail, just to endeavor to learn the old medicine man's secret, +and profit by the same, would not stop at anything. + +Donald had been of the same mind as the other chum, with regard to +keeping their secret for a short time, until the Zuni ceremony of the +rattlesnake dance had been gone through with. And accordingly none of +them had made the first move looking to interviewing the old chief, who +was so much taken up with his duties that he had no time for talking +now. + +When they finally came back to the tent, cautious Adrian made it his +business to carefully examine it all over. Billie watched this operation +with interest. He finally demanded to know what the other expected to +find, and if it could be anything in the nature of a bomb. + +"I know that away Down East, around New York City, the Italian Black +Hand do that sort of thing regularly; but I never dreamed it could +happen out here," he went on to say, uneasily; as though it was not very +pleasant to suspect that in the middle of a sentence a fellow might be +suddenly hoisted heavenward by some infernal machine exploding under his +blanket. + +"Oh! I hardly expected to find that," Adrian assured him; "but this is a +queer country, and all sorts of strange things happen. Remember, now, +about that poisoned spring. With so many crawling critters around here, +it struck me that a fellow would be only showing ordinary wisdom to look +under his blanket before he lay down." + +"That's right," added Donald; "and I'm going to put that horse-hair +lariat of mine in a double loop around the tent; because cowboys say +that a snake will never crawl across one of that sort. The hair tickles +'em, and scares 'em off, I understand." + +"Besides, we're going to keep watch, you know, Donald," Adrian remarked. + +Billie was on the point of stoutly announcing that he must have his +assignment in this part of the camp duty, when he suddenly remembered +the mess he had made of it the last time they let him try. So he was +forced to gulp down his bitter disappointment, and let it pass him by. +If Billie's ability to accomplish things were only as good as his +ambition to try, there would never have been any trouble; but the fact +was, he could not keep awake after a certain hour any more than he could +refrain from eating when hungry, and the opportunity came along. + +But after all, there was no sudden alarm during the night, although the +sentry sat there with a gun across his knees every minute of the time he +was on duty, and ready to give any creeper the surprise of his life. + +Perhaps those whom they fancied might want to disturb them guessed that +the boys would be on the watch; and knowing that they possessed rifles, +they did not care to take the risk of being shot. + +At any rate, morning found them just as the sinking sun had left them, +making preparations for a meal; and in the eyes of Billie this was the +essence of delight, as we have learned long since. + +The morning was to be given up to a number of minor events that would be +of considerable importance, though it was in the afternoon that the +culmination of the whole ceremony would come about in the thrilling +rattlesnake dance, the reputation of which had gone all over the land. + +The Broncho Rider Boys were deeply interested in everything, and Billie +used his little kodak freely, in snapping off pictures that appealed to +him as worth preserving. + +Like all other tribes of Indians, the Zunis have a test through which +their boys have to go before they can be called real braves, and be +looked upon as full fledged warriors, capable of taking arms, and doing +the fighting for the tribe; though it has been a long time, doubtless, +since the Zunis have gone upon the warpath, because their old-time +enemies, the Apaches, have been on a reservation for many years. + +Still, that must not interfere in any degree from the making of +warriors; and as might be expected, the ability to stoically endure +terrible bodily pain is the main feature of these tests. + +There were half a dozen applicants, being young boys who aspired to +assume the privileges of the warrior class, perhaps select a future +wife, and settle down to having homes of their own, up among those tiers +of rock houses. + +They showed what they could do in all manner of contests, and after +winning the admiration of all observers, these young lads submitted +themselves to the committee, headed by the old medicine man, and which +had a programme laid out that caused some of the paleface observers to +shudder, and turn away. + +Those dusky sons of the desert allowed their judges to pass splinters of +tough wood through certain muscles of their arms and shoulders, and not +one of them by so much as a single groan manifested any interest in the +matter. A stolid look on their faces told that they had steeled +themselves to endure anything, rather than be disgraced by a cry of +anguish. + +They were then hung up from the supports erected for this especial +purpose, the ropes being actually secured to the wooden splinters that +had been passed through their flesh. + +It made even Donald shudder when one of the judges, at an order from the +awful-looking medicine man, actually started to turn the victims around; +for the agony must have been terrible indeed. + +One of the wretched candidates actually fainted dead away, and hung +there in that condition; but there was not a groan, not even a sigh, or +a look of pain on any of their faces. + +It was the greatest exhibition of courage, and ability to suffer in +absolute silence, that any of the spectators had ever witnessed. Billie +had to put his quivering hand before his eyes, and finally turn away, +being utterly unable to stand it any longer. + +Still, this had been the custom of these people for all the centuries. +They believed that no man could assume the name of a warrior who was not +able to laugh at his mortal foes as they invented all manner of fiendish +cruelties in the way of torture, should he by chance fall into their +hands during war times. + +Other things not so fearful were carried out, some of them ceremonial +dances that had to do with the "sacred meal," and such things. Billie +had taken pictures of everything that came along; even the six dangling +candidates for honors as budding warriors had not been neglected, though +his hands did tremble so much at this spectacle that he could hardly +press the button of his camera. + +And now it was all over but the one grand final scene that the afternoon +was to witness, and which was the culminating event of the whole +occasion. + +The boys wandered back to their camp, bent on cooking something for a +meal, and then lounging around until from the bustle and confusion they +knew that it was high time they sought their places on the elevated +rocks above the little plaza, where these interesting things were taking +place. + +Everything seemed to be just as they had left it, as Adrian, a little +suspicious perhaps, made up his mind, after he had cast a quick look +around. + +Billie started in at once to gather some wood, so as to make a fire. +When there was anything in the line of cooking going on, he could show +an astonishing amount of spryness for a fellow so stout. + +"You never saw anything like this before, I reckon, Donald?" Adrian +asked, as the two of them busied themselves getting things ready, so +that when Billie had his blaze started they could put the coffee and +frying-pan on, and thus begin dinner. + +"No, and I've always wanted to have a chance to watch how they did these +queer stunts," replied the other; "but between us, Ad, I've pretty +nearly got my fill of Zuni practices." + +"Same here, Donald," replied his chum, with a shrug of his shoulders +that spoke even more plainly than his words, "I felt a cold chill run +all over me when I saw those boys hung up there, with their whole weight +supported by those skewers run through their shoulder muscles. Ugh! made +me think of a beef that was put in the ice-house to hang, till it got +tender. But they never whimpered once. Talk to me about your grit, did +you ever see any equal to that?" + +"I think any one of those brave chaps would sooner have died outright +than let his folks and friends hear a groan from his lips. And how long +do you suppose they'll let those boys hang there, Adrian; why, perhaps +until sheer tomorrow morning, unless by good luck one of them chances to +twist and squirm around, until he actually breaks loose, when he can +crawl to his father's hole in the rock, and lie down on a blanket. But +under no circumstances must one of them be taken down until a certain +number of hours have passed." + +"Well, I'm glad I ain't a Zuni!" Billie was heard to say about that +time; "but what's that fastened to the flap of the tent just behind you, +Donald? I declare if it don't look like a dirty piece of paper." + +Donald turned quickly, and in another instant had the object which +Billie's sharp eyes had detected, in his hand. + +"It is a piece of paper, and here's some writing on the same!" he +exclaimed. + +"Wow! another letter of warning, mebbe, just like that was at the +poisoned spring!" cried Billie, crowding close to the shoulder of +Donald, as the other read out what he found written there, in a rough +way, but evidently meant in sincerity: + +"Yu want to watch out fur that showman Hes aplannin to git yu all into a +bad hole sos yull be kicked outen thee plac Hes ben an fixed the sam +with a pair of his crones to steal the ole fraud medcin mans belt that +he valles moren his lif an hid same in yur tent Keep yur eyes peeld an +ketch the pizen snake at his game No mor at presnt but look out yu dont +git nabbed A Frend" + +No sooner had Donald finished reading this scrawl than Billie broke out +with: + +"Looky, will you, boys, just the same kind of crooked writing and bad +spelling there was in that other warning letter. Yes, sir, it's from +that same unknown friend that keeps watch over us, and never shows +himself. Don't it beat all who he can be?" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +THE STEALING OF THE SACRED BELT. + + +"You hit the right nail on the head, Billie, when you said that," was +the way Donald told how he agreed with the remark of the other. + +In fact, all of them had been struck with the similarity of the crooked +handwriting that they saw upon the soiled piece of paper before them, +and that which had been upon the warning at the spring. + +To make doubly sure Billie pulled out the latter, he having secured it +at the time; and a hasty examination proved to be all that was necessary +to convince the three boys that their suspicions held good. + +"The same hand wrote both!" declared Adrian. + +"All right," spoke up Billie, instantly; "don't that prove the other +warning was meant right for us, and not stuck there in a general way, as +Donald here seemed to think?" + +"I own up that the proof is overwhelming, Billie," admitted the party in +question; "but just to think of them laying such a measly plot to get us +in bad favor with our new friend, the Zuni chief. I remember seeing that +belt right well, and remarked at the time that it was the finest one I +had ever set eyes on, and I've seen quite a bunch of the same among the +Indians on the reservations; for they try to excel each other making +them valuable with precious stones and little nuggets of gold." + +"Yes," added Adrian, "and I could hardly take my eyes off it this very +morning, when the medicine man took a share in the first part of the +programme. Then he left the rest to some sub-chiefs, and went away with +the head of the tribe. It's a beauty of a belt, and must be worth +considerable, just in money alone." + +"Huh!" grunted Billie, "didn't this unknown friend of ours say right +there that the Witch Doctor values it more'n his own life. And the +meanness of them to think to steal it, and fasten the job on us for +keeps! It makes my blood boil, I tell you! Yes, I'm opposed to violence +of all kinds, except when it's necessary to teach a rascal like Braddon +that the Broncho Rider Boys can take care of themselves, thank you. Why, +I'd almost feel like puncturing one of his arms or legs with a bit of +hot lead from my trusty rifle, so as to teach him the lesson he needs." + +"Hold your fire, Billie; we may need all the ammunition we've got before +we're through with this thing," advised Donald. + +"Oh! I'm only saying what I'd _like_ to do, not what I expect to," +remarked Billie, as he carefully placed the two "warnings" away in one +of the pockets of his khaki hunting coat. "Wonder how many more times +this bully friend is agoing to do us a good turn, without showing his +face?" + +Adrian and Donald exchanged looks, and then the former went on to say: + +"Seems like we'll have to pass that by, Billie, because nobody knows. +Just who he is, and why he keeps so shy, is more'n I can guess. Perhaps +some day he'll come out into the open, and let us see who we've got to +thank. If you asked me to give my best guess now, I'd say he's one of +those same punchers Donald was making friends with yesterday. He's +keeping it up just for a lark, to sort of bother us. There's no +accounting for some people's sense of what they call humor. He may think +it's the best joke he ever had to do with, just keeping us guessing." + +"Well, I only hope that some day I'll be able to tell him how much we +think of him for watching out for us like he has," ventured the fat +chum, looking all around as he spoke, as though half hoping he might see +a laughing, sun-burned face projecting from behind nearby rocks, waiting +to be invited to join their circle; but nothing of the kind was visible. + +Adrian happened to think of something just then, and spoke to Donald, +who, not being engaged at that particular moment, arose, and slipped +inside the tent. + +"Whee! I wonder none of us thought of doing that before now!" burst from +Billie, showing that he had noticed the movement, and instantly jumped +to some conclusion concerning the same. + +There was heard a sound from within, as though Donald might be turning +things over in a hurried search. Then they heard him give vent to a low +ejaculation that somehow sent a thrill of expectancy through both the +chums without. + +Immediately Donald came rushing into the outer air. He was gripping +something in one of his hands, and half holding the same aloft, while +his face was indeed a study, being both triumphant and grim at the same +time, a curious combination indeed. + +There was no need for him to shout aloud, and tell the others what he +had discovered secreted under some of their traps in the tent; for both +Adrian and Billie had eyes, and could see for themselves. + +It was the sacred belt of the old Zuni medicine man, which they had seen +fastened about his waist only an hour or two previous, and which he +undoubtedly valued above all price, as a part of his ensignia of +office--the magical belt which was believed by his people to have come +down to him from the home of the Great Manitou in the Happy Hunting +Grounds of the red men in the other world. + +Billie tried to say something, but although his jaws were seen to work, +only a queer gasping sound proceeded from between them. His very breath +seemed to have been taken completely away by the astounding nature of +the discovery made by the other chum, inside their tent. + +It was not so bad with Adrian. He could command his speech, though +almost as much staggered as poor Billie at sight of the Indian belt. + +"They didn't lose any time in getting busy, did they, Donald?" was what +first came into his mind to say. + +"I should say not," replied the boy who held the belt. "While we were +away some sneak crept into our tent here, and hid this under our traps. +You can see what the game is; later on the medicine man will learn of +his loss, and set up the biggest howl ever. Then somebody'll kind of +give him a sly hint that perhaps the paleface boys may know something +about that same belt; for one of them was seen hanging around the rock +lodge of the Witch Doctor--which was you, Billie, while trying to get a +picture of the medicine man just coming out of his place, which the +Indians believe is bewitched, so that nothing could hire one of them to +even peep inside." + +"That's about the way they mean to work it, as sure as you're born," +agreed Adrian, nodding his head in confirmation. + +"When d'ye reckon they'd get here, to look for the lost belt?" asked +Billie, eying the dinner that was by now cooking merrily; and his +plaintive manner declared even more than his words expressed; for Billie +was worrying as to whether or not they would be allowed to enjoy their +meal in peace. + +"I was just thinking that it might be a dangerous thing for us to keep +that belt here any longer than we can help," remarked Adrian, +thoughtfully. + +"Yes," added Donald, "because we don't know the minute the medicine man +will discover his loss; and then things will get pretty hot around the +old town, as sure as you live. Perhaps I'd better hide it under my coat, +and hunt up the old chief right away. I'll tell him how it is, and that +some enemy has done this just to make him drive us out of the village, +so we can't influence him any more against accepting the offer of this +pretended showman." + +"Do it while you may, then, Donald; we'll keep some dinner piping hot +for you, make sure of that!" declared Billie, in a great perspiration +lest he turn and see a crowd of the Zuni braves on the run toward the +spot where they had located their tent, and headed by that terrible +figure of the aroused medicine man. + +Donald immediately crushed the glittering belt into an inside pocket of +his hunting coat. + +He next stooped down and took hold of his rifle; for things were getting +a bit too exciting around that Zuni village to allow of his going +without some means for self-defense. + +"Watch out for signs of trouble, boys!" were his last words, as he +started to walk hastily away, heading for the rock settlement. + +The pair thus left in the camp proceeded to continue cooking their +dinner as though they had nothing to worry about. All the same, Billie +was forever casting suspicious glances all around, as though he expected +at any moment to discover a band of excited braves coming on the full +run for their camp, and with the wizard of the tribe leading the march, +bent on conducting a search, and with a hope of finding the lost sacred +article. + +Donald had been gone possibly ten minutes at the most when an +exclamation from Billie announced that he had at last caught sight of +the object his excited fancy had been conjuring up every second of the +time since Donald vanished among the outcropping masses of stones, which +would offer the spectators good seats later on from which they could +observe all that went on, and at the same time feel perfectly safe from +any of the crawling things that had a big share in the ceremony of the +rattlesnake dance. + +"Coming, are they, Billie?" asked Adrian, as calmly as he could, +although there was a trace of unsteadiness in his tones as he quietly +laid down the frying-pan he had been attending, and stood up, the better +to see. + +Yes, it was true, there could not be a solitary doubt of that. From out +of the Zuni village a group of figures had burst, and these now came +hurrying along toward the spot where the boys had raised their tent, and +put out their ponies to graze. + +"Whew! Look at the medicine man striding along at the head of the bunch, +would you, Adrian?" burst out Billie. "There's that Braddon along, also +one of his cowardly helpers, the young chap we believe must be his son, +Hey! Adrian, shall we let 'em come into camp, and nose around, or do you +mean to hold the lot up with a show of guns?" + +Billie had made sure to have his repeating rifle close at hand all the +while. Just as soon as he learned there was a strong likelihood that the +camp was going to be invaded sooner or later, and themselves accused of +a crime they had never dreamed of carrying out, the fat boy trailed his +gun all around with him, no matter if he only stepped out to pick up +another armful of fuel, so that the fire could be kept going, and their +lunch continue to cook. + +"If I've learned one thing since I came out to this country," Billie +often said these days, "it's this: that whenever you do want a gun you +want it in a mighty big hurry; and I don't calculate to get left more'n +I can help." + +"We've got to let them make a search; but neither of those white men +shall take a step inside our tent," declared Adrian, resolutely, as he +too picked up his gun. "Because I wouldn't put it past them to drop +something else there, and then make out to find it. Let me do the +talking, please, Billie, that's a good fellow!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +A DESPERATE SITUATION. + + +For once Billie was perfectly willing that his chum should undertake to +do all the talking. He felt himself that he might not be equal to such a +tremendous undertaking as handling this job. And he had perfect +confidence in Adrian, who always managed to keep his wits about him +under the most exciting conditions. + +Indeed, it looked as though they were close upon the edge of serious +trouble. That aroused old wizard of the Zunis was bearing down upon the +little camp among the rocks like a pirate craft under a full spread of +canvas. While his "get-up" was of such a character that he always +impressed Billie as a "holy terror," according to the boy's way of +expressing it, still right then and there he had such a black and +forbidding look on his face that he seemed doubly ferocious. + +No wonder the old wizard was furious, when his most highly prized +possession, the Sacred Belt, said to have come down direct to him from +the Great Manitou of the Zunis, and looked upon with the highest +veneration and awe by every member of the tribe, had mysteriously +disappeared. + +He knew full well that no Zuni, young or old, could be induced to take +one step inside the magic confines of the stone house which he used as +his quarters; for they believed that instant death would follow such a +daring move. + +Hence, it was quite patent that only a reckless paleface, who had no +such dread of the necromancer's power, must have entered, to carry away +the precious possession. + +And if, as seemed probable, he had learned that one of the white boys +had been seen prowling around in the vicinity of his den, and acting in +a suspicious manner, what more likely than that he would turn out to be +the guilty party? + +The group, native and white combined, bore down rapidly on the little +camp. Adrian braced himself to handle the situation properly. He did not +wish to do the slightest thing to incur the enmity of the Zuni people, +for the boys were really their guests. At the same time he did not mean +to be driven to the wall, and not put out a hand to defend himself and +chum. + +It was naturally toward the make-believe showman and his ally that the +anger of the Broncho Rider Boy was turned. Only for this desire on the +part of Braddon to have them chased out of the Zuni country, so that he +could work his evil scheme, and profit thereby, at the expense of the +poor natives, there would have been no trouble whatever. + +And so Adrian set his teeth together, inwardly resolving that if +circumstances did compel him to make use of the weapon he was gripping +in his steady hands, it would be turned upon the showman the first +thing. + +Perhaps Mark Braddon realized something to this effect. That would +account for his gradually falling back as he ran, allowing the others to +outstrip him in the race. Adrian believed him to be as cunning as he was +bold, and that was saying a good deal. + +But now the medicine man and the three Zuni braves who accompanied him +were close to the tent, and still coming under "full steam," as Billie +muttered to himself, while crouching there, nervously handling his +Marlin, as he waited the rush of events. + +Adrian threw up his gun. At the same time he made an imperious gesture +with his hand that could not be misunderstood. + +He knew that the old medicine man could speak English almost as well as +the chief of the tribe. Intercourse with the whites for all these years, +with visitors frequently stopping over for days at a time to study the +interesting ways of the Zuni people, had brought this about. + +Besides, unless Adrian had been misinformed, the Witch Doctor had been +away from his home in the desert on several occasions; and while his +people believed he was at these times holding an extended audience with +the Manitou, deep in the heart of the Sacred Mountain, Donald and +Adrian, on talking it over, had come to the conclusion that the +keen-witted old fraud may have been visiting civilization, to see for +himself some of the wonderful things of which these white pilgrims had +told the Zunis. + +"Stop!" said Adrian; and singularly enough they all came to a +standstill, just forty feet or so on the other side of the lone tent; +because there was something commanding in both the voice and gesture of +the white boy. + +Besides, those two rifles looked more or less ready for business; and it +is well known that firearms may be as dangerous in the hands of boys, as +when grown men possess them. + +"Now, tell me what all this means, Pick-ne-quan-to?" called out Adrian, +purposely making use of the Indian name by which the medicine man was +known, and which doubtless had more or less to do with his strange +calling as a magician. + +Thereupon the medicine man drew himself up, and restraining his anger as +much as possible, he answered with great deliberation: + +"From the lodge of Pick-ne-quan-to has the wonderful Sacred Belt been +taken. No Zuni would brave the wrath of Manitou by touching the gift of +the Great Spirit. It has been said that one of the paleface boys was +seen near by. I have come to demand that the Sacred Belt be restored +again to my keeping. And if this is done the white boys shall be allowed +to depart in peace; but before another night; for if they stay after +darkness comes again even the power of Pick-ne-quan-to could not save +them from the vengeance of the warriors, who would seek the blood of the +foolish ones. I have spoken." + +"But we did not take your Sacred Belt; and not one of us has ever been +inside the lodge of Pick-ne-quan-to!" urged Adrian; who was trying to +gain precious minutes of time, for as yet he could see no sign of Donald +coming with the old chief to save the day. + +The medicine man shrugged his shoulders at this. Doubtless he fully +expected to hear a flat denial; Braddon may even have hinted that the +boys would vehemently declare they had never set eyes on the stolen +article; but that a search of their belongings might bring it to light. + +"The white boy may say that, and yet how do we know he does not speak +with a forked tongue, like the Little Father of the rattles? Will he let +us enter his tent and see for ourselves?" the medicine man went on to +say, doubtless following out a suggestion from Braddon, who hovered +close to his elbow. + +"We are willing that Pick-ne-quan-to and one of his braves enter, and +search our tent, but not the white men," answered Adrian, boldly. "We do +not trust them, and if they try to pass in, it will be bad for them, for +we will shoot, and straight." + +A hoarse laugh that jarred on the ears answered him. + +"Don't worry about us, youngster," called Braddon; "we're ready enough +to let the Indians do the searching. Then they'll believe what their +eyes show them." + +He then said something in a low tone to the medicine man. Perhaps he was +telling him to be sure and turn over the skins that lay upon the floor +of the tent, since it was evident that if they had stolen the Sacred +Belt the white boys would have been cunning enough to hide the same. And +it was under these that Donald had discovered the strange object, one +end of it being partly uncovered by a lucky chance. + +So the two Zunis, the medicine man and a brave whom he selected, +advanced eagerly, and vanished inside the tent. + +They could be heard moving hastily around there, and evidently tossing +the contents this way and that in their endeavor to locate the missing +object. + +Those without listened with vastly different emotions. The two boys were +quite satisfied that nothing would result from this raid on their +property; because, did they not know for a surety that the Sacred Belt +had been carried away, concealed on the person of their chum, Donald; +and that ere now it must be in the possession of the old chief himself, +to whom was being told the whole story of the amazing duplicity of the +pretended showman, who was only a thief in disguise, and planning to rob +the Zuni people? + +As for Braddon himself, it was hard for him to repress the triumphant +grin that would force itself upon his dark face. He believed positively +that the belt must be quickly discovered, and that his end would have +been accomplished when the three Broncho Rider Boys were chased out of +Zuni-land in disgrace, with such an angry crowd threatening them that +they must needs hurry all they could to place many miles between +themselves and the excited populace of the village. + +As the seconds crept into minutes, and there was no loud shout of +discovery made from within the tent Braddon began to manifest signs of +uneasiness. + +What if after all his ally had hidden the belt so securely that it could +not be found? Adrian, watching closely, even saw the showman turn toward +his companion and hastily say something; it must have been in the nature +of a question concerning the place where the stolen belt had been +secreted in the tent, for the younger scoundrel nodded back, and made a +reply that gave Braddon comfort for another minute. + +But this could not last much longer. Evidently those inside the tent had +exhausted their resources, without finding anything worth while; for +just then they came dejectedly out, the medicine man looking blacker +than ever. + +"What's all this?" roared Braddon, so surprised that for the moment he +forgot his caution; "do you mean to say you haven't found the belt? Did +you look everywhere--under the skins on the ground, and in their bags? +Ten to one my friend here would find it, if only you made them let him +go back with you. Nothing escapes his eagle eye. Tell them that, +Pick-ne-quan-to; make them let him accompany you! The belt must be +found, and there is no more likely hiding-place than in the tent of +these paleface boys, who have been prowling around your lodge so much!" + +This sounded like good logic to the medicine man. When his powers failed +why should he not take advantage of those belonging to another? If one +of the white men were allowed to accompany him back into the tent, three +pair of eyes might be better than two. He would demand that this be +done. If the white boys still refused would it not look as though they +were guilty, and that they feared lest the keen eyes of a paleface see +through their trick? + +And so, filled with this new determination, he turned toward the spot +where Adrian and Billie stood, with their guns still pointed towards the +party. + +"You have heard what my white brother has said, and why should not his +companion go with Pick-ne-quan-to into the tent, to look once more? The +paleface boys do not dare refuse. If they say it must not be, then will +the Zunis make them prisoners; and after that even the hand of the +medicine man might not be able to save the despoilers of the Sacred Belt +from the vengeance of the furious tribe." + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +THE COMING OF DONALD. + + +"Oh! the brazen face of that old rascal, Braddon!" muttered Billie. +"_Please_ let me give him my compliments in his shoulder, Adrian! I'm +looking along the barrel of my trusty gun right now, and have got the +nicest bead on him you ever saw. Not that I'm savage by nature, or like +to inflict pain; but he deserves it, sure he does, Adrian. Can I pull +the trigger, did you say?" + +His voice was really pleading, showing that Billie had been considerably +worked up by the duplicity of the pretended showman; for, as he said, +usually the stout chum was averse to scenes of violence, and avoided +them whenever he could, without feeling that he was bringing disgrace on +his head in so doing. + +"No, no, don't think of it--yet!" said the other, hastily, but +positively. "We haven't got to the end of our rope. If they do attack +us, remember that under no conditions are you to injure a hair on the +head of a Zuni brave. Give the white men all the wounds, because it is +their doing." + +"But what can we do to stave it off any longer, Adrian?" begged the fat +chum. + +"I hardly know," replied Adrian, himself at a loss to grasp any idea +that promised hope; "if only Donald would hurry along everything might +be well. You don't see anything of him, do you, Billie?" + +"Not a thing, Adrian; and the way you say that makes me think of the old +fairy story of Bluebeard, where the wife who is to go down to the old +fellow, because she has seen the room where the heads of all his other +wives are hanging, asks her sister to look, and see if the brothers are +not coming on their horses to save her. Don't you remember she cries +again and again: 'Sister Ann, sister Ann, look and see if there isn't a +cloud of dust along the road; don't you see anybody coming this way?' +But Adrian, I don't glimpse even a cloud of dust. Donald sure is +aholding back the worst ever; looks like he might get here too late, +after all." + +Once Billie got started talking it was difficult to stop him. Besides, +Adrian did not make any attempt to do so, because every second they +could delay matters counted for just so much in their favor. + +Of course the medicine man was waiting impatiently to hear what the +result of his last demand would be. When he saw the two lads talking he +supposed they must be conferring, in order to reach a definite +conclusion. And after all, what did a minute, or several of them for +that matter, count; there was plenty of time still, before the exercises +of the afternoon would be starting. + +So he waited, calm and reserved, yet undoubtedly anxious; for the +recovery of the precious belt meant much to him; even some shreds of his +sacred office might be associated with the return of the belt, for +unless this were done how could he convince his people that nothing was +impossible with him? + +No matter what happened, Adrian was grimly determined that neither of +the white men must be allowed to enter that tent. He would, if pushed to +the wall, advise that it be taken down, and everything connected with it +appropriated by the Indians. Surely that ought to assure the medicine +man that they had nothing concealed under the old canvas that had been +donated to the trip by their friend at the mine. + +The question was, how could he continue the delay any longer? Already he +believed that Braddon was beginning to grow suspicious, for several +times the showman cast quick glances toward the village beyond the +rocks, as though half anticipating seeing some one coming on the run, +perhaps the third paleface boy. + +So Adrian once more started to speak, being as slow and deliberate as +possible. + +"Pick-ne-quan-to would be fair with his white brothers," he said. "He +has looked in their tent, and did not find the Sacred Belt. If it were +there it could not escape the eye of Manitou's messenger. Then why +should a white man be able to find it? These white men do not like us. +They have tried to drive us away from the village of our friends, the +Zunis. The chief knows why this should be so. Send then a warrior to the +village to fetch your chief here, Pick-ne-quan-to, that he may be the +one to judge what shall be done. If he says that a paleface can do what +a Zuni medicine man is unable to accomplish, then we will agree to +letting that man enter our tent. But not unless the chief says it. I +have spoken." + +Apparently the medicine man hardly knew what to say to this. Adrian had +managed to get several clever little hints in his speech that appeared +to satisfy the other he meant to be honest with the Zunis. And his +proposal that they send for the head man of the tribe, was not that +right? + +Braddon immediately saw that there was a chance of a cog slipping in his +cleverly arranged scheme unless he could manage in some way to inflame +the other; so as to cause him to order his men to seize upon the two +boys. He had found a convenient rock behind which he could drop, in case +he had cause to believe the others meant to open fire on him; and this +gave him new assurance. + +"Don't listen to him, Pick-ne-quan-to!" he called out, lustily; "he's +got a glib tongue for a boy, and means to deceive you. While we are +waiting for the chief to come they will be doing something to make away +with that belt. I tell you the chances are it must be there inside that +tent; and if they let my friend assist you in the hunt, he is sure to +find it. Don't you see that they are afraid to say yes to that, +Pick-ne-quan-to? And if they were innocent would it matter at all to +them who made the search? There is only one thing to be done, then; you +should order your braves to make them prisoners. Then whatever you say, +it shall be done." + +Adrian himself was afraid that the old medicine man might be tempted to +give the word that would send those three sinewy warriors flying across +the ground that separated them from the two white boys. He hardly knew +what they should do under such distressing circumstances, except that he +hoped Billie might succeed in at least giving that treacherous pretended +showman a severe wound when he fired, as he had promised to do. + +It is always darkest before dawn, they say, and in his own limited +experience Adrian had found the truth of this more than once. It +happened now; and Billie, with his cheek pressing on the butt of his +leveled gun, was suddenly electrified to hear his comrade call out: + +"Wait! it will be all right now, because there comes the chief!" + +"Hurrah!" cried Billie, even raising his head to see for himself, no +matter if he did lose that splendid aim on the left shoulder of Braddon, +which he had been holding so steadily for at least one full minute now. + +Yes, there were two figures approaching on the run, one of them the Zuni +chief, and the other their own good chum, Donald. + +No wonder Billie immediately felt so happy that he tore off his cowboy +hat, and waved it wildly in the air as he let out a couple of whoops +that would have done credit to Bunch, Corney, Alkali, or any of the +other punchers who were his friends at Keystone Ranch. + +Braddon seemed to be furious at sight of the two who were advancing so +hurriedly. It may be that he feared the worst--something in the situation +began to warn him that his missile had recoiled on his own head, and +that the signs were not altogether so promising as they may have seemed +a short time before. + +He could be seen arguing with the medicine man, and the boys felt sure +he must be trying to induce him to make prisoners of the young palefaces +before the chief arrived, and took the power out of his hands. + +But Pick-ne-quan-to was shrewd enough to see that Braddon was unduly +excited over a matter that should not have concerned him to any great +extent at all. He may have begun to entertain a dim suspicion of the +truth about that time, and wondered just how it was one of the white men +could be more successful than himself with regard to finding the lost +emblem, _unless they knew just where it had been placed_! + +At any rate he persistently shook his head in the negative, nor could +any of the other's arguments convince him that he should proceed to act +before the arrival of the head man of the Zuni tribe, who was coming at +a faster gait than he had been known to undertake for many moons, he +being an old man. + +"Is it all right, Adrian?" asked Billie, his voice trembling with +excitement. + +"Looks that way," replied the other, scarcely able himself to restrain +his feelings, so as to appear reasonable and calm. + +"Then I don't get my chance to peg that Braddon, do I?" continued the +fat chum, with a vein of dejection in his voice. + +"Well, just keep an eye on him, Billie; and if either of them tries to +rush the tent, let him have it; because they might mean to drop some +other article they've gone and stolen, so as to put it on us," was what +Adrian advised. + +But neither Braddon nor his younger ally, whom the boys had dubbed +Junior, seemed willing to take the risk of being shot; at any rate they +gave up trying to induce the medicine man to lead a sudden swoop down on +the boys, and standing moodily there, waited to see what was going to +happen. + +Of course the two defenders of the camp knew full well; since Donald had +left them with the full intention of telling the old chief everything; +and the presence of the latter at this critical juncture was pretty +plain evidence that he had finally come to understand what a narrow +escape he had had from falling into a trap, and being deceived by the +man who claimed to own the greatest Wild West Combination in the +country, and which allowed him to offer them wonderful terms to travel +with his show, in order to exhibit the customs of the Zuni people in the +Far East. + +Donald had doubtless been very anxious when he first saw that the camp +was in peril; but on discovering how his two dauntless chums seemed to +be holding the allied foes in check, his face relaxed in a broad grin; +and he waved his hand toward Adrian and Billie, as in company with the +chief he arrived on the spot. + +In his native tongue the head man addressed the Witch Doctor, and there +could be no doubt but what he was asking what all this excitement meant. +Then Pick-ne-quan-to started to reply, in his slow and vigorous way. +From his gestures--for of course they could not understand his words--the +boys knew he was telling how he had made the startling discovery that +his lodge had been entered during his temporary absence, and the +wonderful gift of the Manitou, being nothing less than the Sacred Belt, +carried away. Then must have followed an account of how his suspicions +were directed toward the white boys, and how he had come, backed by the +strangers in the village who had expressed much interest in the recovery +of the emblem, to demand the return of the belt; but that a search of +the tent had failed to disclose the same. + +And then came the grand surprise, just as Adrian and Billie anticipated, +when the chief suddenly drew something out from under his blanket, and +held it aloft, so that every one might see--the glittering Sacred Belt +that had come from Manitou! + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +THE RATTLESNAKE DANCE. + + +"Yes sir-ee, that was about the closest shave I ever knew; and you +couldn't have dropped in on us at a more fortunate minute, Donald, +that's what!" + +Billie was saying this, as he had done half a dozen times before, while +he himself and two chums were seated on the pile of rocks that +overlooked the little plaza where the Zunis were preparing to go through +the last ceremony of their yearly feast and tribal observances, the +rattlesnake dance, weirdest of all scenes ever witnessed by the eyes of +white men and women. + +"Well," remarked Donald, with one of his rare and engaging smiles, "I +give you my solemn word, boys, I didn't time our coming so as to make it +seem dramatic, like a Frenchman might have done. Fact is, I urged the +chief to hurry all I could, after I'd told him everything I knew, and +given him the old belt that I had hidden, and which he was afraid to +even touch at first." + +"But you were gone nearly a whole hour, Donald," said Billie, +reproachfully. + +"That's right, I was," replied the other, "but I couldn't help it, +because you see, I was unable to find the chief, who had disappeared, +and no one could tell me where he was. After all, it turned out that he +had gone into some secret chamber back in the mountain to carry out some +of the observances of the day. In the end I ran across him, and, well, +it all came out right after all, you know." + +"So far as we're concerned, it sure did," agreed Billie; "but just think +how Braddon and his two chums had to get out of here in a big hurry. +Why, the Zunis just acted like they'd be glad to tear them to pieces, +when they learned that one of them had snuck into the sacred lodge of +their medicine man, and actually hooked that silly old belt." + +"A good riddance of bad rubbish, we all say," declared Adrian. + +"And," added Donald, "if they know what's good for them they'll be +mighty slow to stay anywhere within striking distance of this place; +because the chief told them plainly that as soon as the ceremonies were +all over, he would shut his eyes if several of his young and hot-blooded +braves chose to go forth looking for game." + +"Ha! ha! guess Braddon knew only too well what that sort of game would +be if he and his pards could be found!" exclaimed Billie, laughing at +the thought. "Say, just to think of it, while we're squatted here on +this rock pile, waiting to see the blessed old rattlesnake dance they +talk so much about, them fellows must be aheading away just as fast as +their ponies'll carry 'em; and chances are they'll keep hitting up the +hot pace half the night, for fear of being overtaken, and shot all to +flinders. Things turned out all right for us; and it was sure the +darkest just before dawn, as Adrian said." + +"Well, pay attention, now, to what's doing in front," interrupted +Donald, "for unless the signs go wrong the bucks are getting in their +togs to start this dance." + +There were little knots of observers scattered all around, and it might +be noticed that where the lookers-on were whites they had been very +careful to select their seats on some pile of rocks; though the Zuni +women and children were massed here and there on the lower tiers, or the +level ground itself. + +There was a good reason for this. Rattlesnakes may be all very well in +cages, with a strong sheet of glass separating them from you; but no +ordinary person cares to run across them in the open, where they can +suddenly throw themselves into a coil, and be ready to thrust out their +venomous jaws at a nearby leg. + +And it was generally understood that in the wonderful and thrilling +ceremony about to take place as the wind-up to the yearly festival, the +Zuni braves would introduce scores of the crawlers, so that there was +always danger that one might break away, and wriggle in among the +bystanders. + +So the white visitors were not taking any chances that they could avoid, +though eager enough to see all that would take place in the arena below. + +The music of the native tom-toms and reed instruments was exceedingly +doleful. Yet it must have possessed a peculiar significance for the +people who gathered around, their dusky faces filled with the keenest +appreciation. To them this dance meant the greatest religious frenzy, +and was of deepest significance; while to the whites it stood only for a +queer proceeding in which danger lurked in every dusky hand that gripped +a serpent back of the neck. + +Presently the ring began to form. + +Those who have observed the dances of savage people in many far distant +parts of the earth have noticed a strange similarity in the methods and +customs of different nations. Men and women seem to dance pretty much +the same, whether it be among the Zulus of South Africa, the Bontoc +Igorottes of the Philippine Islands, the Hottentots of Darkest Africa, +or the Indians of our own West. There is the same crouching attitude, +the bending of the knees, a springy step like unto that of the tiger or +panther, and very much the same monotonous chant that rises and falls in +a thrilling cadence. + +Donald was not so deeply interested as his two companions, for he had +seen something very similar to this dance before. Billie squatted there, +and his eyes grew as round as circles, while he stared, and noted many +remarkable things in connection with the dusky dancers, carrying on +their grotesque ceremony. + +"Oh! look at that lanky fellow holding his rattler between his teeth!" +he called out, as he pointed at the object of his discovery. "All the +money on this same old earth couldn't coax me to try that dodge, no +sir-ee bob!" + +"But he knows just what he is doing," said Donald; "and hasn't the +slightest idea that he'll be struck. If he is, they have some sort of +remedy, and in most cases they get over it. But you see how careful they +are never to try and touch a rattler when he's _in coil_; because they +know how he can strike out like lightning, so that the quickest hand +couldn't draw back in time. They keep the reptile extended at as near +full length as they can, for then he's practically helpless to jab you, +and the snake knows it too, so he seldom tries." + +"Yes, I know that all right," affirmed Billie, "but no matter, I haven't +got any use for the species, let me tell you again. They make me have a +funny shiver run up and down my spine, because, don't you know, I get to +thinking of how near I came to dropping down into that nest when we were +on the road here. Ugh! for one I won't be sorry when this same dance is +over with." + +But Adrian did not echo these sentiments. He was finding a world of deep +interest in everything that went on. The antics of the dancers, the +wrapt attention paid them by the squatty women clustered here and there, +and who never once took their eyes off the circle of braves passing +round and round in endless procession; even the way the children were +fascinated by the sight--all these things Adrian was taking note of, for +he wished to tell of his experiences later on. + +"Don't forget that you've got a kodak along, Billie!" warned Donald, +after the affair had been in progress so long that some of the dancers +had fallen out of the circle utterly exhausted by the continuous +movements, though others immediately took their places, just as the +substitutes on a football team are injected into the game when injuries +cause some of the players to drop out of the hot scrimmage. + +At that Billie awoke from his trance with a jump. + +"Oh! thank you for telling me about it, Donald!" he exclaimed; "whatever +could I have been thinking about to forget that? And as I never expect +to see another snake-dance in all my life, why, how could I have +remedied the blunder? But thank goodness it ain't too late yet." + +Accordingly he set diligently to work to repair his error, and for some +time the clicking of the rapid shutter told that Billie was getting +snapshots of the whole scene, and individual parts of the same, as fast +as he could work it. + +As the afternoon was now waning, the last act in the list of ceremonies +bade fair to soon close in a blaze of glory. + +The wild dancers, spurred on by the continued incantations of the +weird-looking old medicine man, and their own desire to show off before +their people, seemed to be vying with one another in the endeavor to +excel in grotesque acts. They wrapped the writhing snakes around their +necks, and held them between their teeth in seemingly reckless fashion, +much to the horror of some of the white spectators, but adding greatly +to the delight of the dusky horde that gathered there, and gaped, and +admired, and applauded in their own fashion. + +After all human nature is pretty much alike, when you come to take off +the outward veneer that is given by different associations and methods +of living. Adrian had seen just such sights as these, minus the +rattlesnakes, and the weird dress of the participants, in many a +gathering in the East, where thousands went fairly wild over a fiercely +contested football game. + +As the twilight began to fall the furious dance came to an end at the +command of the medicine man, whose word was law with the Zunis. He knew +it had now reached its proper conclusion, and that the warriors were +almost at the point of utter exhaustion. + +"All over but the shoutin', and perhaps it's safe for us to get down off +this rock pile now," remarked Billie, as the last of the dancers went +staggering away, leaving the arena that had been the theater of their +weird ceremony to the thronging squaws and boys and girls. + +So they sought their tent, to prepare the evening meal. Of course their +talk was mostly about the remarkable scene they had just witnessed, and +which would never entirely fade from their minds. + +"And if my pictures only come out good, as I reckon they ought," Billie +went on to remark, "I'll be able to stagger some of the fellows at home, +when I get there. But there's one thing I'm ahoping, and that is that +none of them wrigglers got away. I'd sure hate to wake up tonight from a +jolly good snooze, to find a big old rattler perched on my chest, and +ready to jab me with his business end if I so much as moved my little +finger. Wow! it makes me creep just to think of it." + +And indeed, the subject was on Billie's mind so much that he later on +made sure to thoroughly examine every inch of space inside the canvas, +shaking their blankets carefully, and finally getting Donald to again +encircle the tent with that horse-hair lariat of his, over which he had +said no snake would ever dare crawl. + +And so ended the great day at the Zuni village, which the Indians looked +forward to each year with the liveliest anticipations; and the three +chums had reason to feel thankful that the bold plot of Braddon the +showman had not resulted in their being expelled from the place without +a chance to see the "circus," as Billie called it. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +HOMEWARD BOUND. + + +Billie was also a little bit worried for fear that Braddon and his two +companions might not have gone far away; but, feeling so badly toward +the three chums for having nipped their scheme in the bud, he dreaded +lest they return under cover of darkness, bent on evening up the debt +they thought they owed the Broncho Rider Boys. + +"Don't you believe anything of the sort, Billie," urged Donald, when the +stout chum ventured to mention his fears on this score. + +"No," added Adrian, positively; "they knew that the medicine man meant +every word of it when he warned them that the old chief would set some +of his braves on their track, after nightfall. Make your mind easy, for +Braddon isn't the kind of man to take chances, when he can get away. +They're whipping their ponies for all they're worth, so as to cover as +many miles as they can before another dawn." + +As the others were so confident, Billie began to lose his nervousness. +Perhaps after all this was more the result of the terrible scenes he had +looked upon that afternoon, than any real fear of the three rascals +whose departure from the Zuni village had been so hurried. + +"On the whole," said Adrian, "I don't think any of us will get too much +sleep this same night." + +"Why so?" asked Billie, as though wondering what new tribulations might +threaten them now. + +"Listen!" said the other, holding up his hand. + +They had finished their supper, and were lying around taking their ease +at the time this conversation sprang up. + +"Well, they _are_ pretty noisy over there in the village, for a fact," +admitted Billie, as he caught the sound of wild shouts, and a sort of +native song that many voices chanted in unison; "but once let me snuggle +down, with my head under my good old blanket, and nothing like that will +keep me awake." + +"From what I've seen of some of your performances," admitted Adrian, "I +reckon you're right, Billie. But Donald has agreed that we pull up +stakes here tomorrow some time, and make a start for home." + +"Is that so, Donald?" demanded the fat chum. + +"Yes, by afternoon we might pull out, though we'll not get very far by +night-time, it may be," came the answer. + +Perhaps Billie caught a certain significance about it, for he instantly +went on to remark: + +"Huh! guess you mean to have a look-in at that Sacred Mountain racket, +and find out what the old medicine man keeps hidden there?" + +The others exchanged glances. + +"Talk a little lower when you're saying things like that, Billie," +cautioned Donald. + +"I hope you don't think there's a spy ahanging around camp right now, +one of those Zuni braves, awanting to hear what we might be saying after +our supper?" Billie asked, anxiously, as he sat up, to stare around at +the rocks seen beyond the circle of firelight. + +"No, but sometimes they tell us the walls have ears, and nobody can tell +who might catch what we happened to be saying," Adrian observed. "But +answering your question, I'll just remark that we do mean to make a try +to find out about the strange noises they say come out of that mountain +at times, when the Witch Doctor is talking with the Great Spirit." + +"Yes," added Donald, "it's none of our business, that's right, and +perhaps we hadn't ought to poke in there; but we've heard so much that +we just feel we can't go away from here without one good try to solve +the mystery." + +"But remember, Billie, we haven't got the same motive that Braddon had," +Adrian hastened to remark, seeing the other smile faintly. + +"Not much," added Donald; "if there's a treasure cave in there it +belongs to the Zunis, and we'll never tell anybody what we've +discovered." + +"Because," Adrian continued, "that would start a rush of crazy +prospectors and miners over this way, and you never could tell what the +end would be; all sorts of fights, and in some way or other the Zunis +would be turned out of the homes their people have occupied for hundreds +and hundreds of years." + +"And we couldn't stand for that, you know, Billie," said Donald. + +"Huh! I should say not," agreed the other. + +Adrian changed the subject abruptly, showing that whatever he and Donald +had settled upon as a part of their future programme, he did not think +it wise to continue the discussion of it under the existing conditions. + +The night wore on. + +Up to the time they were ready to lie down and get some sleep, the +racket still kept up over at the village. It seemed as though the +Indians were bound to wind up their gala time with a grand hurrah. No +doubt on the next day they would have relapsed once more into their +ordinary prosy state of existence. + +Just as he had said, Billie seemed to have no trouble whatever in going +to sleep, and Donald, who also lay down while Adrian took the first +watch, really envied him the ease with which he passed away into +dreamland. + +There was nothing occurred to disturb them all the night through, and +both sentries managed to secure a fair amount of rest before dawn came. + +During the day that followed they saw the other visitors and their +guides take their departure. The three chums purposely delayed leaving +until the afternoon had well advanced, for they did not mean to get a +great distance away by nightfall, since they expected to retrace their +steps, returning to the side of the Sacred Mountain. + +Having marked the spot well where the cliff arose, which they knew +concealed the secret tunnel the medicine man seemed to use in entering +the mountain, they felt sure they could easily find it again, when the +time came for action. + +Billie succeeded in securing a few more snapshots to complete his +collection; and was very happy over his success. In fact, the only cloud +upon the horizon, so far as Billie was concerned, lay in his inability +to guess the identity of the mysterious party who had three times done +them such a favor. + +If he was one of the cowboys who had been present to witness the +snake-dance, why would he not have admitted as much before leaving the +village? Billie had taken particular pains to be in the society of these +fellows more or less during the morning before they went away, and not +by the faintest sign did any one of them give him a hint that he might +be the good friend. + +The mystery was as dark as ever, it seemed; and Billie wondered very +much as to whether he would ever know the truth. + +"If Adrian keeps his word," he said to himself, as he sat there, +pondering the aggravating matter all over, "we'll just as like as not be +starting for Wyoming soon after we hit the Keystone Ranch country; for +he's getting wild to set eyes on his own cattle ranch up there, that his +Uncle Fred Comstock has been running so long. And if that comes about, +why, I reckon, then, I'll never know just who to thank for all these +splendid favors." + +Whenever he tried to picture this unknown friend Billie always seemed to +have in mind some sort of splendid looking man, who was just amusing +himself going around doing good wherever he found a chance. And it +grieved him very much to realize that his chances of ever thanking him +were growing less and less all the time. + +About the middle of the afternoon they said good-bye to all their Zuni +friends and rode away. The old medicine man was among the crowd that saw +them off; he even condescended to shake hands with each of the lads. +Doubtless it had dawned upon the mind of the conjurer that he and the +Zuni tribe in general were under heavy obligations to these boys for +what they had done. Had it not been for them that fraud of a showman +might have succeeded in coaxing the chief to start away, with most of +the people, tagging after him, to leave them stranded and helpless in +some faraway station; while meanwhile he returned to try and find the +secret treasure which report said the Witch Doctor knew of in the heart +of the Sacred Mountain. + +"I want to tell you, boys," remarked Billie, after they had gone far +enough on the other trail that would avoid crossing the main desert to +no longer see any sign of the wonderful home of the cliff dwellers; "I'm +not sorry to get away from that place. Too many creeping things to suit +me. I don't much mind standing up and waiting to receive the charge of a +mad bull elk; or calmly puncturing the tough old hide of a whopper of a +grizzly bear; but excuse me from all sorts of scaly things. No +alligators, lizards or Gila Monsters need apply for a job to Broncho +Billie. Set that down with a red stone to mark it, will you?" + +After going as far as they thought fit the three boys turned aside from +the main trail, and finding a good place where camp could be made, as +well as water secured for themselves and ponies, they settled down. + +Supper came next in order, with Billie plying his old trade, and +apparently doing about all there was to accomplish, yet actually +performing very little through lack of system. + +Night had now closed in about them, but they did not mean to be in any +undue haste about attempting to carry out the little scheme they had on +foot. + +In fact, both Adrian and Donald were somewhat ashamed of this spirit of +curiosity that was coaxing them back, to pry into the secret of the +medicine man. They assured each other many times that they did not mean +him any harm in the least, and only entered into the game on account of +a natural feeling, such as all boys possess to a greater or less +extent--a desire to know "what makes the wheels go around." + +They had heard so much concerning this wonderful voice in the heart of +the mountain that they just felt that it would be a shame for them to go +away without at least making one good effort to learn what it all meant; +and how, when a man with a high-pitched, screechy voice like that of the +Witch Doctor went alone into the rocky uplift, there came pealing out +the deep tones of a strange voice, thrilling those who heard, under the +belief that it was Manitou who spoke. + +Three hours after sunset Donald arose, and said that it was time they +made their start. Adrian quickly joined him, and Billie also stretched +himself; for while he did not feel very much enthusiasm about the +affair, he was determined not to be left there alone. + +So the three boys went forth, carrying their guns along, of course; and +in addition Donald made sure of a couple of ropes, which he judged would +be plenty long enough to reach from the top of the cliff down to that +ledge the wizard had used. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +AT THE END OF THE ROPE. + + +"Careful, everybody; we must be near the edge of the drop right now!" + +When Donald said this in a low but thrilling tone, Billie drew himself +up into as small a space as possible, and strained his eyes in the +endeavor to discover for himself any danger that might threaten them. + +He chanced to know what it meant to feel himself plunging downward +through space, and was in no hurry to repeat the experience. + +"There's the crooked tree you marked down, Donald," whispered Adrian; +"right off there to the right." + +"So it is," came the pleased response; "and that means we are just a +little to the left of where I calculated to strike. Slowly now, all; and +in three shakes of a lamb's tail we ought to be there." + +Crawling carefully along the rough surface of the mountain in the +direction of the crooked cedar that grew close to the edge of the steep +precipice, which had appeared to their eyes when seen from below as a +cliff, they presently reached their destination. + +"That part's done, anyhow," the others heard Billie say to himself, with +a certain air of relief that told how strained his nerves must be, what +with all the excitement through which he had lately been compelled to +pass. + +Now, although they had as yet not told Billie about it, his chums had +talked the matter over, and determined that one of their number should +by rights stay there on the top of the precipice, while the others +descended the rope to the shelf they felt sure lay just one-third of the +way down the rocky wall. + +And of course this should be Billie, for everything combined to mark him +as the victim. He was so very heavy that it would be a task to get him +up, once he managed to slide down the rope. Then again, he was inclined +to be clumsy, and might in some way make a slip that would result in a +sad tragedy. Last but far from least in the list, Billie was not fitted +as well as they were to take part in a desperate enterprise like this. + +And so all that remained to be done now was to tell him. Neither of them +liked the job, but it must be done; and when Donald nudged Adrian, and +whispered in his ear that he ought to speak, the other lost no time in +doing so. + +"You know, Billie," he said, getting his lips as close to the ear of the +stout chum as possible, "all of us can't go along, because there's got +to be one stay up here to help pull, when we're ready to come back." + +"Oh! why to be sure," replied Billie, sweetly; "and of course you've +selected me to be that one? But then, what's the difference? I'm that +heavy I might break the rope; or drag somebody down with me. I'm just as +well satisfied; though it'll seem _aw_ful lonely while you're gone, +fellows; and I sure hope you won't stay all night." + +This was a pleasant surprise, for they had fully anticipated that Billie +would set up a great opposition to their plan. But apparently he had +himself been thinking it over, and settled on his plan of campaign, +should they give him the choice of going or staying. + +"Nothing is apt to bother you up here, Billie, make sure of that," said +Donald, reassuringly. + +"And you have your gun along in case you need it," added Adrian. + +"Don't you worry about me a single minute, boys," the stout chum went on +to say, in what was meant to be a firm and even buoyant tone as though +he could see no reason for any undue anxiety. + +That point having been settled in a satisfactory way, they began to +prepare to make the descent. First Donald fastened the two lariats +together in a fashion known particularly to cow-punchers. Then he made +sure that the loop at the lower end ran free; after which he attached +the other end to the crooked cedar that grew so close to the edge of the +descent that it seemed to be there especially to serve their particular +purpose on this occasion. + +Adrian wanted to be the first to go down; but somehow Donald seemed to +have assumed the position of master of ceremonies, and he also usurped +that privilege as coolly as you please. + +"When I get safe on that platform I'll shake the rope twice," he +announced as he prepared to swing himself over the edge. + +"That will mean for me to start down, I reckon?" asked Adrian. + +"Yes, and be careful, please, old fellow; don't forget that a slip might +throw you down all the way to the bottom," Donald went on to say, a bit +uneasily. + +"Speak for yourself, Donald," remarked the other, with a chuckle. "I +like your nerve, to caution me when it's you that goes about everything +in such a hurry, you're always apt to get in trouble. But it's all +right, Donald, I'll hold tight; and be sure you do the same." + +Adrian shook the hand of his chum, as did also Billie, before the other +swung over the edge, and began his downward journey. + +It was all dark below him, even though fairly light above; but then +Donald depended more on his sense of touch than his eyesight, in a case +like this. He kept dropping, a yard or so at a time, with one leg +twisted around the rope; and the other foot feeling for what he sought +below. + +Crouching there, Adrian kept feeling of the rope, and in this way knew +how the other was getting on. As long as he caught that periodical jerk +he realized that Donald was making satisfactory progress. + +Finally the strain seemed to be off the rope, so that he could even pull +it up a few inches as he chose. Either Donald had reached the shelf, and +thus relieved the rope from his weight, or else--but Adrian would not +allow himself to even consider the other possibility; and besides, they +had heard no cry, no heavy thud. + +Ah! immediately he felt the rope twitch violently; yes, and a second +time this came about. That must be meant as a signal by the one below; +and he remembered how Donald had said he would give two distinct jerks +after he had safely landed. + +"My turn now, Billie; look out for yourself; and when you find that one +of us is coming up the rope, stand by to pull, if you get the word. It +might be a bigger climb than we counted on, and some help needed before +we could get to the top." + +"Count on me, Adrian," Billie said simply; and if his heart seemed in +his throat as he shook his comrade's hand lingeringly, no one knew it, +because the night concealed all traces of his emotion. + +Adrian went down in just the same way the other had adopted, a little +distance at a time, then a brief interval, after which he would again +allow himself to slide some more. + +Presently, when he thought he might have come about far enough, +something touched his foot that sent a thrill through his whole body, +until he realized that it must be the hand of Donald, reaching up to +reassure him. + +"All right, Ad; just one more drop, and you're there," came a low +whisper; and he found himself guided into the haven, so that he could +plant both feet on the solid rock. + +Leaving the rope to swing free, they began to look around them, in order +to learn just how the old Witch Doctor came out upon that same shelf. In +this they were greatly helped by the little electric hand torch which +Donald had with him; and by means of which they quickly discovered a +fissure in the face of the cliff, wide enough to allow the passage of a +man. + +Leading the way, and using this useful means of illumination, Donald +felt confident of being able to serve as a guide to the expedition. + +The path was very rough, so that at times they had to almost crawl; but +then as they moved along it they could see from time to time that +another had walked this way many times, undoubtedly the old medicine man +of the Zunis, and those who had occupied his place years and years ago. + +"I wouldn't be surprised," remarked Adrian, in a low tone, as he caught +hold of his companion's arm, "if that dip yonder proves to be the +passage which he uses whenever he enters below at the base of the cliff, +and ascends, like he did that time we followed him here. The Zunis are +that afraid they would run like wildfire if they thought they stood any +chance to see him enter the mountain; so he must have fallen into a sort +of a free-and-easy way. After seeing us around, he tightened up, and +would only come here at night-time." + +"H'st!" + +When Donald made that hissing sound his chum closed his lips, for he +instinctively understood that it meant danger. + +"Look down the shaft, and you'll see signs of a light!" whispered +Donald, close to his ear now. + +"What do you reckon it can be?" asked the other, as he too saw the faint +glow. + +"It's getting brighter all the while, Ad, and that tells us whoever +holds the torch is coming up from below!" + +"You mean Pick-ne-quan-to?" whispered Adrian, in no little excitement. + +"Well, as we don't believe in spirits, it must be the old medicine man," +replied his chum; "and I only hope our comrade, Billie, kept back from +the edge above, for he might have been seen." + +"Or either of us while crawling over the edge," continued Adrian. "Looks +like we might be lucky boys tonight, Donald; but of course you won't +stay here, to be seen when he gets up even with us?" + +"I should say not," replied the other; "and it happens that I noticed a +splendid _cache_ right back here that will hold both of us. Come on, +let's make our get-away before it's too late." + +Three minutes later they had secreted themselves in the cavity noticed +by Donald, and were waiting, more or less anxiously, to see if the party +approaching did turn out to be the Witch Doctor. + +Donald, peeping out of a cranny, whispered in the ear of his comrade +that sure enough it was the medicine man. He walked serenely past where +they were hiding. Once, when he seemed to stop and look around, Adrian +could feel the arm of his chum fairly quiver; and he realized that the +old Witch Doctor must be furiously angry did he discover these +intruders, come to spy upon his secret, which he kept from even the +chief of the tribe. + +Adrian was more than half sorry he had consented to come; but this +feeling passed away when he saw the glow of the torch moving on again; +and from the indications realized that the queer medicine man had gone +about his business. + +"Let us follow him at a safe distance," whispered Donald; and they +started forth, when it seemed as though the coast were clear. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +THE MEDICINE MAN'S SECRET. + + +It was with considerable difficulty that the two chums made forward +progress under such a handicap as confronted them. The medicine man knew +every foot of the passage he was following. Besides that, he had a +blazing torch, by means of which the route was made clear; whereas they +were traveling over new territory, and in almost pitch darkness. + +Several times when the beacon ahead vanished completely they were +compelled to make use of the little electric light; but on such +occasions Donald made sure to keep its glow confined to the rocky floor +directly in front, so that no glancing ray might startle the mysterious +man they were pursuing. + +As these lapses of illumination in front were undoubtedly caused by the +Witch Doctor turning some bend in the passage, the boys felt that they +were taking only a small amount of risk in thus using their own torch. + +It saved them from numerous stumbles, and possibly a bad fall; because +the way was rough, with many outlying rocks to serve as traps for unwary +feet. + +"We must be getting right into the heart of the mountain," whispered +Adrian, after they had been advancing in this manner for quite some +time. + +"That's right," replied the other, with equal caution; "and still the +old fraud seems to be pushing ahead." + +"Do you think this passage can lead through the pile of rocks, so that +if we kept on far enough we'd come out on the other side?" Adrian asked. + +"Hardly that," his chum chuckled. "Pretty soon we'll find out just why +Pick-ne-quan-to comes in here every once in a while. It used to be only +so many times a year, they told me at the village, but now he has a talk +with the Great Spirit nearly every day." + +"Yes, I heard that brave tell you so; and every time, some of them say +they can hear that heavenly music, and the heavy voice of the dread +Manitou, coming out from the heart of this Sacred Mountain. It's mighty +queer, Donald, what it can all mean." + +"Well, let's hope that after all the trouble we've taken we are on the +brink of learning his secret," the ranchman's son observed. + +"That doesn't mean anything about his treasure, though," put in Adrian. + +"No, we made up our minds to have nothing to do with any deposit of +precious metal he might have found in here; because we don't want to +send ten thousand white prospectors rushing this way, to overturn +things, and really wipe the Zuni people out, in their craze for gold. +We'll listen, and look around, and then go away again as quietly as we +came." + +While he did not know it, this remark on the part of Donald, and which +really reflected the sentiments of both lads, did them great credit. It +was not every boy who could look at things in such a humane light. + +They had been greatly interested in the strange life of the Zunis, and +just the very thought of all this history, which extended far back +beyond the discovery of America by Columbus, being snuffed out in the +greedy rush of modern gold-crazy miners was repulsive to them. + +"There, he's turned another bend, I reckon, Donald; and it's so pitch +dark here don't you think we'd better make use of the hand torch again?" +said Adrian, presently. + +"Just as you say," replied the other; "but we must be careful about it, +because one flash of the ray would put him wise to the fact that there +was something going on back here that ought to be looked into. And I'd +hate to have that grim old chap trying some of his witchcraft on us." + +"Huh! on my part I'd be more afraid of his letting loose a nest of +rattlesnakes to trap us, or some such awful game. When we get to that +bend ahead--" but Adrian did not finish his sentence, for just then a +strange sound broke forth upon their hearing that caused both boys to +stand there as though transfixed; while Donald shut off the little +illumination with a movement of his ready thumb. + +It was music that greeted them, the sweetest music either of them could +ever remember of hearing in all their lives. Of course there instantly +flashed through their minds the recollection of all they had heard about +heavenly choirs singing, and celestial instruments playing, according to +the crude notions of the Zuni people. + +Well, it seemed as though the reality far exceeded the many descriptions +which they had picked up from various sources; and both boys stood there +for several minutes, hardly breathing, so stunned had they been by this +outburst of wonderful melody. + +Then all at once it burst upon the mind of Adrian that there was +something familiar about the music; just as though he may have heard it +before while asleep and dreaming. + +He gripped his hands in an endeavor to remember where it could have +been; and trying to unravel the thread of memory. + +"Ad!" came in a whisper, close to his ear; and he suddenly remembered +that he had a chum alongside, who must be thrilled just as much as he +was by these fairly ravishing strains. + +"Yes, what is it, Donald?" he asked, reaching out so as to come in +contact with the arm of the other, which he immediately pressed +reassuringly. + +"Sounds for all the world to me like a violin!" continued the other. + +Then a great light suddenly burst upon Adrian, just as a clap of thunder +during a summer shower will startle one. + +"It _is_ a violin, or as the boys call it out here, a fiddle!" he said, +quickly; "and I remember hearing that same tune played some years ago +when I was East. Yes, it's the same melody, and I'd know it among a +thousand. Listen to that, would you, Donald? Could anybody beat such +skill, and wonderful handling of the bow?" + +"But Adrian, however in the wide world would such an old heathen as the +medicine man manage to master the fiddle, so as to play like that? I +never heard its equal in all my life!" + +"No more you didn't," chuckled Adrian, "for you're listening now to the +drawing of a bow that has charmed millions of music lovers in all the +great cities of the wide world, I reckon." + +"Oh! you mean--" started Donald, when the other took the words out of his +mouth. + +"He's gone and got a talking machine in here, that's the truth of it +all, Donald, don't you see? When he was away on one of his secret trips, +trying to find out how the white people lived, he must have heard one of +these same music boxes sing and make speeches. It set him fairly wild, +for he may have a love for music in his soul, you know. So what does he +do but buy one, with a lot of records; and somehow get the whole +business carried into the heart of the Sacred Mountain." + +"Yes, yes," added Donald, "and the music appeals so much to old +Pick-ne-quan-to that his visits are getting of daily occurrence now. No +wonder the Zunis say he is becoming so very familiar with the Great +Manitou, that he can't let a day pass without having an interview with +the Master. Oh! Ad, this is a rich joke on us now, ain't it?" + +"Well, I don't see how you make that out," replied the other. "We came +in here to discover the source of that heavenly music, and the loud +thunder voice that nearly frightens the Indians to death; and looks like +we've done it. I think we've reason to feel satisfied. There, now the +violin has sobbed itself out, and perhaps we'll have a Caruso sending +his robust voice through all these underground passages next; or it may +be a Melba warbling like a bird in the forest. Ain't this the most +wonderful explanation of the mystery you ever could have dreamed of? And +to think that it never struck either of us once!" + +"How could we guess it," said Donald; "when we didn't have the least +clue? But listen, he's started the machine to going again." + +This time it was a song bird who filled the underground retreat with +music; and as the two spellbound lads, crouching there in the darkness, +continued to listen, soon they heard the loud, heavy voice of a +well-known statesman filling the chamber with the echoing eloquence of a +stump speech, which doubtless had done full duty in the last political +campaign, but was now thrilling any listening Zuni with the belief that +it was the sonorous voice of Manitou. + +"Hadn't we better be getting out of this now?" asked Adrian, after they +had stayed to listen to several more wonderful reproductions of the +human voice and various musical instruments, among which was a military +band. + +"Yes, we've had enough for our money," returned Donald. "Let the shrewd +old wizard have his concert out by himself; Billie will be getting +anxious about us, especially if the poor fellow hears a faint sound of +all that's been going on here." + +"Perhaps he'll begin to fear that we've been taken up into the other +world by a host of angels, or something like that," chuckled Adrian, as +they started to once more cover the ground they had traversed before, +Donald using his hand torch now, as the danger of discovery seemed next +to nothing. + +"Do you really think the medicine man meant them to believe that was the +voice of Manitou, when he brought this talking machine here?" questioned +Donald, after they had been walking for some time along the tortuous +passage, and must be drawing close to the exit at the ledge. + +"No one knows, and perhaps no one ever will," came the reply, showing +that Adrian had been figuring on this matter himself, and arrived at a +conclusion. "He may have in the beginning just wanted to enjoy a feast +of civilized music by himself, without letting his people know that he +had departed that far from their customs; and then learning how they +believed him to be talking with the Great Spirit, why, he encouraged the +idea, you see. And all the while he's been getting more and more in love +with _real_ music as compared with the horrible racket the Zunis make +with their old tom-toms and wailing reed instruments. Perhaps the time +will come when that talking machine will be installed in a lodge in the +center of the village, to be listened to each fine night by every brave, +squaw and papoose in the settlement. Times are changing fast all over +the world, even with savage people; and I've heard men say that this +same talking machine is doing more to educate savages than all the +missionaries in the world." + +"Perhaps that's so," remarked Donald; "but here we are at the ledge, and +let's hope we'll have little trouble in getting up where Billie is." + +"Let's hope," urged his chum, "that the same Billie is awake, and +attending to his business; because we may need the help of his strong +arms before both of us climb the rope to the top." + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +BILLIE MAKES A DISCOVERY--CONCLUSION. + + +"Hold up, boys, I thought I heard some one shouting just then; and +seemed like they might be calling for help!" + +When Donald said this, the little party drew in their horses, as well as +the pack mule, Bray, and sat there listening. + +They were well on their journey, with the Zuni village many miles +distant. Donald and Adrian had found little difficulty in climbing to +the top of the cliff after reaching the ledge. There they were eagerly +greeted by Billie, who confessed that he had for half an hour been lying +there, with his ear to the ground, catching the faint sounds of the most +heavenly music he ever heard. And as he was wild to hear what they had +learned, they had to tell him. + +Billie considered it the best joke he had ever run across. Often since +then the others had heard him chuckling, at times, and knew that he was +drawing a mental picture of that grim old necromancer, clad in all his +savage attire, squatted before that talking machine, and drinking in +airs from the opera, rollicking songs by Harry Lauder, and then the +ponderous speeches of ex-presidents and other statesmen. + +"You're right, Donald," said Adrian quickly, "I heard it as plain as +anything right then; and seemed to come from down this queer little +stream that we're just going to cross, after the horses have drank their +fill--you don't often run across such a jolly flow of water in this +region of rocks and deserts. There it comes again, a cry for help; and +there goes a gun of some sort!" + +"It couldn't be a trap, now, could it?" asked Billie, a bit nervously; +for he could not get the remembrance of those Apaches off their +reservation out of his mind. + +"That's a white man calling, so let's head that way, and see what ails +him," Donald decided, after they had heard the call several more times. + +After following the little wandering stream for half a mile they +suddenly made a strange discovery. In the midst of the water there was a +human head, with a pair of shoulders--only that to be seen, and nothing +more. + +"Whatever is he adoing wading in there, and where it's nearly over his +head?" asked Billie, wonderingly. + +But the others knew. + +"He's being sucked down in a quicksand!" cried Donald. + +"And we've got to get busy, if we want to save the poor wretch!" echoed +Adrian, as they urged their horses forward. + +While the two ranch boys got their ropes out, and made arrangements to +have one of the horses pull, after a noose had been placed under the +man's arms, Billie made a sudden discovery. + +"Say," he called out, from the shore, close by where his chums were +working like a pair of beavers, "I think I know that man, even if his +face is covered with mud. It's Tod Harkness, that's who it is, the worst +rascal along the border, so lots of people say." + +"But the man you saved once before, Billie," remarked Donald, as he too +now recognized the ugly face of the fellow. + +"Don't let thet same keep you from yankin' me out, gents," whined the +man, who had rather lost his nerve when he believed that his doom was +certain; he might have faced pistol fire without flinching, or almost +any other form of death; but this thing of being sucked down, inches at +a time, until the end came, was worse than Indian torture. + +"Rest easy, Tod, we're not the kind to let any man, no matter how much +of a bad egg he may be, go to such a death," said Adrian. + +"Out you will come, as soon as I get this loop fixed," added Donald. +"It'll hurt some when the horse pulls; but you've got to stand for that, +Tod." + +"I kin stand anything, if on'y I git out," said the border desperado. + +When they had all arrangements made, he did come out, though the strain +was so great that the man fairly shrieked, and then swooned before they +had him safe on land. + +Donald proceeded to examine him, and Adrian as well said that no damage +had been done except to bruise his body a little. He would soon be +himself again. His horse was calmly grazing near by, and had apparently +paid no attention to the calls of its master, while it could find green +grass to nibble. + +In running his hands over the man's person Adrian happened to draw out +what seemed to be an old and much used notebook. He opened the same in +idle curiosity, and hardly had he done so than Billie gave a whoop. + +"Oh! look, would you, fellows?" he cried; "don't you see several pages +have been torn out right here? Wait a minute, Adrian, and watch me fit +them two warnings we got to the torn edges of the balance of the pages. +There, they match like magic! Don't you see, it was _him_ that kept +watching over us all the time--only for Tod Harkness we might have drunk +some of that poisoned water at the spring; if _he_ hadn't seen that +Injun sneaking up and wounded him, who knows what would have happened to +us; and last but not least, _he_ let us know about that measly game the +showman Braddon was putting up on us. Now the mystery is all clear. It +was only poor old Tod Harkness atrying to pay back the debt he thought +he owed me, because I helped him that time!" + +The three Broncho Rider Boys stood there by the side of the slowly +recovering border desperado, and stared at each other. It was almost too +strange to believe, but they had all the evidence necessary in that +soiled notebook, with the two warning notes fitting snugly in the torn +places. + +"Well, after this," said Donald, slowly and earnestly, "I'm never going +to believe any man is _all_ bad. Even Tod Harkness has human feelings; +and if he had had a home like mine perhaps he'd have been a good man +today. I only hope he's found it so fine to be doing decent things, that +he'll keep it up after this. If I thought so, I'd even try and get dad +to give him a job at the Keystone." + +And strange to say, that was what really came about; for Tod, after he +had come back to his senses, told them he was determined to turn over a +new leaf, and gladly accepted the chance to get employment under a man +so highly respected as Mr. Mackay. + +As he will probably never be heard of again in these stories it may only +be right and proper to say here and now that Tod _did_ make good. The +little seed sown by honest Billie on that occasion when he assisted the +desperado, had been working over-time in the brain of the man, with the +result that his regeneration was brought about. While he had meant to +hover around, and be of some assistance to Billie, Tod had not wanted +his identity to be known, and on that account he kept in the background +while at the Zuni village, which accounted for their not having seen +anything of him. + +"Everything has now been cleared up," remarked Donald, as they sat +around their camp-fire that same evening, Tod being one of the number, a +quiet man who had begun to _think_, for possibly the first time in his +whole life, and was very grateful to these lads, not only for saving his +life, but for promising to give him a chance to redeem his bad past. + +"Yes, and there's nothing now to keep me from heading north, after we +get back to Keystone Ranch," added Adrian. "I'm thinking of my place up +there most all the time now; and it seems like I couldn't keep back any +longer. I must know the truth about what my uncle is doing there. If +he's acting square by me I want to forget I ever felt uneasy; and on the +other hand, if there is any crooked work going on, which would account +for the poor returns I've had of late years, why the sooner I make a +change in my manager the better." + +"Yes," added Billie, with a tender look over to where Adrian sat on the +opposite side of the glowing camp-fire, "and don't forget, please, that +we're going to ride with you when you take that long trip." + +"Sure we are," declared Donald, heartily. "We've been pards so long now +that what's the injury to one is the same with all. When you start for +your faraway ranch, Billie and Donald will be in the bunch, believe me!" + +And that this prophecy was later on fulfilled the reader may readily +guess when he examines the next volume in this series, which is now on +sale under the title of "The Broncho Rider Boys On the Wyoming Trail; +Or, The Mystery of the Prairie Stampede;" and those who have come to +admire the sterling nature of Adrian; the rugged honesty and get-there +qualities of the ranchman's son, Donald; and the humorous make-up of +Billie, will find adventure and fun to their heart's content between the +covers of the succeeding volume. + +THE END. + + + + +THE NAVY BOYS SERIES + +A series of excellent stories of adventure on sea and land, selected +from the works of popular writers; each volume designed for boys' +reading. + +Handsome Cloth Bindings + +THE NAVY BOYS IN DEFENCE OF LIBERTY. + + A story of the burning of the British schooner Gaspee in 1772. By + William P. Chipman. + +THE NAVY BOYS ON LONG ISLAND SOUND. + + A story of the Whale Boat Navy of 1776. By James Otis. + +THE NAVY BOYS AT THE SIEGE OF HAVANA. + + Being the experience of three boys serving under Israel Putnam in + 1772. By James Otis. + +THE NAVY BOYS WITH GRANT AT VICKSBURG. + + A boy's story of the siege of Vicksburg. By James Otis. + +THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE WITH PAUL JONES. + + A boy's story of a cruise with the Great Commodore in 1776. By James + Otis. + +THE NAVY BOYS ON LAKE ONTARIO. + + The story of two boys and their adventures in the War of 1812. + +THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE ON THE PICKERING. + + A boy's story of privateering in 1780. By James Otis. + +THE NAVY BOYS IN NEW YORK BAY. + + A story of three boys who took command of the schooner "The Laughing + Mary," the first vessel of the American Navy. By James Otis. + +THE NAVY BOYS IN THE TRACK OF THE ENEMY. + + The story of a remarkable cruise with the Sloop of War "Providence" + and the Frigate "Alfred." By William P. Chipman. + +THE NAVY BOYS' DARING CAPTURE. + + The story of how the navy boys helped to capture the British Cutter + "Margaretta," in 1775. By William P. Chipman. + +THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE TO THE BAHAMAS. + + The adventures of two Yankee Middies with the first cruise of an + American Squadron in 1775. By William P. Chipman. + +THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE WITH COLUMBUS. + + The adventures of two boys who sailed with the great Admiral in his + discovery of America. By Frederick A. Ober. + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the +publishers. + +A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 East 23d Street, New York + + + + +THE BOY SPIES SERIES + +These stories are based on important historical events, scenes wherein +boys are prominent characters being selected. They are the romance of +history, vigorously told, with careful fidelity to picturing the home +life, and accurate in every particular. + +Handsome Cloth Bindings + +THE BOY SPIES AT THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS + + A story of the part they took in its defence. By William P. Chipman. + +THE BOY SPIES AT THE DEFENCE OF FORT HENRY. + + A boy's story of Wheeling Creek in 1777. By James Otis. + +THE BOY SPIES AT THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. + + A story of two boys at the siege of Boston. By James Otis. + +THE BOY SPIES AT THE SIEGE OF DETROIT. + + A story of two Ohio boys in the War of 1812. By James Otis. + +THE BOY SPIES WITH LAFAYETTE. + + The story of how two boys joined the Continental Army. By James Otis. + +THE BOY SPIES ON CHESAPEAKE BAY. + + The story of two young spies under Commodore Barney. By James Otis. + +THE BOY SPIES WITH THE REGULATORS. + + The story of how the boys assisted the Carolina Patriots to drive the + British from that State. By James Otis. + +THE BOY SPIES WITH THE SWAMP FOX. + + The story of General Marion and his young spies. By James Otis. + +THE BOY SPIES AT YORKTOWN. + + The story of how the spies helped General Lafayette in the Siege of + Yorktown. By James Otis. + +THE BOY SPIES OF PHILADELPHIA. + + The story of how the young spies helped the Continental Army at Valley + Forge. By James Otis. + +THE BOY SPIES OF FORT GRISWOLD. + + The story of the part they took in its brave defence. By William P. + Chipman. + +THE BOY SPIES OF OLD NEW YORK. + + The story of how the young spies prevented the capture of General + Washington. By James Otis. + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the +publishers + +A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 East 23d Street, New York + + + + +THE BOY SCOUTS SERIES + +By Herbert Carter + + THE BOY SCOUTS' FIRST CAMP FIRE; + or, Scouting with the Silver Fox Patrol. + + THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE BLUE RIDGE; + or, Marooned Among the Moonshiners. + + THE BOY SCOUTS ON THE TRAIL; + or, Scouting through the Big Game Country. + + THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE MAIN WOODS; + or, The New Test for the Silver Fox Patrol. + + THE BOY SCOUTS THROUGH THE BIG TIMBER; + or, The Search for the Lost Tenderfoot. + + THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES; + or, The Secret of the Hidden Silver Mine. + + THE BOY SCOUTS ON STURGEON ISLAND; + or, Marooned Among the Game Fish Poachers. + + THE BOY SCOUTS DOWN IN DIXIE; + or, The Strange Secret of Alligator Swamp. + + THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA; + or, A story of Burgoyne's defeat in 1777. + + THE BOY SCOUTS ALONG THE SUSQUEHANNA; + or, The Silver Fox Patrol Caught in a Flood. + + THE BOY SCOUTS ON WAR TRAILS IN BELGIUM; + or, Caught Between the Hostile Armies. + + THE BOY SCOUTS AFOOT IN FRANCE; + or, With the Red Cross Corps at the Marne. + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the +publishers + +A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 East 23d Street, New York + + + + +OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUT SERIES + +(Registered in the United States Patent Office) + +By Horace Porter + +Handsome Cloth Binding. + +A series of stories of two American boy aviators in the great European +war zone. The fascinating life in mid-air is thrillingly described. The +boys have many exciting adventures, and the narratives of their numerous +escapes make up a series of wonderfully interesting stories. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM; + or, Saving the Fortunes of the Trouvilles. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN GERMANY. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN RUSSIA; + or, Lost on the Frozen Steppes. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN TURKEY; + or, Bringing the Light to Yusef. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN ENGLAND; + or, Twin Stars in the London Sky Patrol. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN ITALY; + or, Flying with the War Eagles of the Alps. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS AT VERDUN; + or, Driving Armored Meteors Over Flaming Battle Fronts. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN THE BALKANS; + or, Wearing the Red Badge of Courage. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN THE WAR ZONE; + or, Serving Uncle Sam In the Cause of the Allies. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS FIGHTING TO THE FINISH; + or, Striking Hard Over the Sea for the Stars and Stripes. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS AT THE MARNE; + or, Harrying the Huns From Allied Battleplanes. + + OUR YOUNG AEROPLANE SCOUTS IN AT THE VICTORY; + or, Speedy High Flyers Smashing the Hindenburg Line. + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the +publishers + +A. 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There is a good deal of fun in this book and plenty of + action. + +JACK LORIMER, FRESHMAN; or, From Millvale High to Exmouth. + + Jack and some friends he makes crowd innumerable happenings into an + exciting freshman year at one of the leading Eastern colleges. The + book is typical of the American college boy's life, and there is a + lively story interwoven with feats on the gridiron, hockey, basketball + and other clean, honest sports for which Jack Lorimer stands. + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by the +publishers + +A. L. 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L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 East 23d Street, New York + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Broncho Rider Boys Along the Border, by +Frank Fowler + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ALONG BORDER *** + +***** This file should be named 39564.txt or 39564.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/5/6/39564/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from images made available by the HathiTrust +Digital Library.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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