Books: The Rover Boys out West
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Arthur M. Winfield >> The Rover Boys out West
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The youth could not hear all that was said, but learned enough to
convince him that Al Roebuck, as he was called, was the party who
had forged the pardon which had obtained for Arnold Baxter his
liberty. For this work Roebuck had been promised a half share in
the Eclipse Mine, and of some money which Baxter the elder was
hoping to obtain.
At last Arnold Baxter and Dan came in once more and faced Tom.
"Rover, we are now ready to come to terms," began the man.
"Are you ready to release me?"
"Yes -- under certain conditions."
"You've got to sign off all rights to that mine," broke in Dan.
"Dan, keep quiet," interposed his father. "I can do this better
alone."
"I know him better than you do, dad," returned his graceless son.
"Perhaps, but I am fully capable of making terms with him."
"All right, fire away, I don't care. Only don't let him off too
easy."
"I am anxious to settle this matter quietly," went on Arnold Baxter
to Tom. "I don't want any more trouble."
"Well, go ahead, I'm listening," came from Tom.
"You are out here to locate a certain mine."
"I don't deny it. The mine belongs to my father."
"It belongs to me -- and I am bound to have it."
"You are a jailbird, Mr. Baxter. How can you hold such a property
now?"
The criminal winced and clenched his fists.
"Don't be quite so plain-spoken, Rover, it doesn't set well. I say
the claim is mine."
"Well?"
"You are in my power."
"Granted."
"Isn't your life worth something to you? To be sure it is. Then
why not try to make terms to save it?"
"You are fooling with me. You cannot be it earnest, Arnold
Baxter."
"You'll soon see if dad aint in earnest," burst out Dan.
"I am not fooling, Rover, I mean every word of what I say. If you
want to save your life you must make terms with me."
"What sort of terms?"
"You must write a letter to your brothers and the man who was with
you and get them to return without delay to the East."
"And after that?"
"After they have returned to the East we will set you free,
providing you swear to follow them and all of you swear to keep out
of Colorado in the future."
"And if I refuse?"
"If you refuse your life shall pay the forfeit," answered Arnold
Baxter. "Come now, which do you choose?"
CHAPTER XXVII
DASH FOR LIBERTY
For the minute after Arnold Baxter spoke Tom had nothing to say.
The man had offered terms, and if he did not accept them his very
life would be in danger.
Now, had Tom been the hero of some dime novel he would have shouted
at once, "I refuse your offer -- do your worse, base villain that you
are!" But being an everyday American boy, with a proper regard for
his own life, he revolved the situation in his mind with great
care.
"Well, what do you say?" demanded Arnold Baxter impatiently.
"You had better accept dad's offer," broke in Dan.
"I don't know what to say," was the slow answer. "This, you must
remember, is brand new to me."
"My offer is a very fair one, Rover. You have gotten yourself in a
bad fix, and you can consider yourself lucky if you get out of it
with a whole skin."
"If I write the letter, how are you going to deliver it to my two
brothers and Jack Wumble?"
"We will find a way."
"And supposing they refuse to go back, what then? I won't be to
blame for that."
"They won't refuse -- not when they realize that such a refusal means
death to you."
"They may. Dick is quite headstrong at times. I don't want to do
what I can for you and then suffer anyway."
"Well, if you do your best I will remember it when it comes to a
final settlement," responded Arnold Baxter, with more grace than
Tom had anticipated.
"Let me think it over for a few hours, and I will give you an
answer," said the boy, and though they coaxed and threatened,
neither of the Baxters could get any more outof him. At last they
left him in disgust, first, however, seeing to it that his bonds
were as tight as ever.
As soon as Tom was left alone he looked around for some means by
which he might escape from his tormentors. The room was square,
with a small window at one side and a broad fireplace at the other.
At one end was the door and at the other the cupboard to which he
had been fastened.
In his schooldays Tom had been a great hand at doing rope tricks,
and when his hands had been tied he had taken care to make his
enemies adjust the lariat as loosely as possible. Now, with a
dexterous twist or two he cleared his hands, although the effort
drew blood on one of his wrists. But, under the circumstances,
Tom counted this as nothing.
As soon as he was free the boy tiptoed his way to the window and
looked out. He saw Noxton and Roebuck sitting on a fallen tree
talking earnestly. Close to the door of the house stood the
Baxters, and Arnold Baxter was laying down the law to his son,
although what it was all about Tom could not determine.
"I can't go by the window," he mused. "And if I try the door --"
He stopped short, for just then Dan Baxter started to come into the
building. But his father stopped him.
"Let the boy alone," cried the elder Baxter. "He'll come around
all right, never fear."
"Oh, you're too soft with him," returned the son. "I'd give him a
cowhiding." Nevertheless, he walked away, and then all became as
silent as before.
Tom realized that whatever was to be done must be done quickly, and
walking back he surveyed the broad chimney. It was wide open to
the sky, and at one corner of the opening he saw the waving green
branch of a tree.
"If I could only get up into the tree," he thought, and no sooner
thought than tried. The chimney was dirty, and he was soon covered
with soot from head to foot. But being rough the chimney afforded
easy footings, and he reached the top without great effort. The
tree branch was scarcely two feet from the top.
With great caution the boy peered from the chimney. Noxton and
Roebuck were still talking earnestly and both had their backs
partly turned in his direction. The Baxters were out of sight.
As quickly as it could be accomplished, Tom stood upon the top of
the chimney, caught the tree limb and pulled himself up. The
branch swayed violently with his weight, but did not break, and
soon he was close to the trunk and out of sight.
"So far so good!" he murmured. "But what shall I do next?"
This question was soon decided. There was another tree close at
band, but further from the house than the first, and into this he
leaped, and made his way across it to where a drooping branch fell
directly over a heavy clump of bushes. Down this branch went Tom
and dropped into the bushes as silently as a cat.
It must be confessed that the boy's heart was now thumping like a
steam engine. What if he was discovered? He was afraid that his
enemies would kill him on the spot.
He looked around and saw the horses tethered among the bushes a
hundred feet further on. If only he could gain the animals he felt
that escape would be almost secured.
He crawled along the ground like a snake. Once he had to go around
a big rock and actually tear his way among the thorns, which
scratched him in a dozen places. But behind the rock the shelter
was greater, and unable to stand the suspense any longer he set off
on a run for his horse.
The animal saw him coming and set up a low whinny of recognition.
Then all of the horses swayed around in a bunch, for they were
tethered close together.
This gave Tom another idea, and he not only untied his own horse
but likewise all of the others. He kept hold of the other lariats
as he mounted his steed.
"Get up!" he said sharply but in a low tone, and touched on the
flank the horse set off on a gallop, followed by the other animals.
"Hullo, something is wrong with the hosses!" he beard Bill Noxton
cry. Then came a rush through the bushes. At the sound Tom bent
as low in the saddle as possible and urged his horse to do his
best.
"They are stampeding!" came from Arnold Baxter. "Whoa there! whoa!
How did they manage to get loose?"
"The prisoner!" shouted Roebuck. "He is on the leading horse! He
has escaped us!"
"Impossible!" gasped the elder Baxter. "Why, I have been watching
the house --"
"No matter, it's Tom Rover!" interrupt Dan Baxter. "See, there he
goes--and he taking all of our horses with him!"
At this Arnold Baxter drew his pistol and the others also brought
forth their firearms. But Tom's steed was not a large one, and
while he crouched low in the saddle the horses behind kept his
enemies from getting more than an occasional glimpse of him.
On and on went the boy, the horses' hoofs clattering loudly over
the rocky trail. The men shouted loudly for him to halt, and
several pistol shots rang out, but no damage was done. Soon the
enemy was left in the distance.
As soon as he felt that he was safe for the time being, Tom brought
his horse down to a walk, in order that he might consider the
situation.
Where were the others? That was the all important question. He
had escaped from the men who wished him harm, but he was now no
better off than when he had fallen in with them.
"But they are a good deal worse off," he thought grimly. "I don't
believe they'll want to travel around very far on foot."
It was now sunset, and the youth felt that night would soon be upon
him. He did not know which way to turn, although of one thing he
was certain -- that he wished to keep as far away as possible from
those who had held him a prisoner.
Presently he gained the entrance to a small wood, and as it was now
too dark to go on he determined to rest for the night. He tied up
all of the horses and tried to make himself comfortable at the foot
of a large tree. For a long time he could not sleep, but at last
he dozed off. His sleep was full of horrible dreams, and his
awakening was a rude one.
CHAPTER XXVIII
BILL NOXTON COMES TO GRIEF
"We've found him, boys! Here's the hoss thief, with five o' the
hosses with him!"
"Git up thar, young feller, an' give an account o'yerself!"
Tom did not hear these words, but he felt a sharp kick in the ribs
and gave a gasp of pain and surprise.
"Let up, Sam," he murmured. "Can't you keep your feet out of my --"
He broke off short and stared around him. "Wha -- what does this
mean?" he stammered.
Three men stood around him-rough-bearded men, each heavily armed.
"It means thet we have collared ye!" answered one of the men
sharply. "Git up!" And he kicked Tom again.
"See here, keep your toe to yourself!" cried Tom hotly. "If you
are Arnold Baxter's tools you can treat me half decently, anyway,"
and he leaped up and faced the crowd.
"Who is Arnold Baxter?" questioned the leader of the men quickly.
"I guess you know well enough."
"Oh, all right if you don't want to talk. But let me say, young
feller, thet you have got yerself in a fine mess. Don't yer know
ez how they hang hoss thieves in these parts?"
"A horse thief! What do you mean? I am no horse thief, if that's
what you are driving at."
Tom's straightforward manner appeared to impress all three men.
But the leader shrugged his shoulders.
"Ef ye aint no hoss thief, how is it ye hev got all these critters
with ye?" he questioned triumphantly.
"I can explain that easily enough. That horse is my own, purchased
in Gunnison from Ralph Verbeck the dealer there. Those horses
belong to a set of rascals who captured me and made me their
prisoner. I got away from them, and to prevent them from following
me I took their horses with me."
"Hurmph! Thet's a slick story!"
"It's the plain truth. Do I look like a horse thief?"
"Not persackly, youngster. But two o' them hosses I know well, an'
they war stolen. My pards hyer kin prove it."
"Well, I know nothing about that. I have told you the plain truth.
You don't claim the horse I said was mine, do you?"
"No. But wot's this tale ye tell of bein' captured?"
Anxious to set himself straight with these men, who appeared to be
of upright character, Tom told the larger part of his story, to
which the crowd listened patiently. Then they asked him a number
of questions.
"I reckon you are O.K.," said the leader at last. "I know Jack
Wumble, and I know he wouldn't be attached to a gang that wasn't on
the level."
"I don't care what becomes of those horses," went on Tom. "Only I
want my own."
"You shall have it, lad. But you must put us on the trail o' them
thieves. It runs in my mind thet I know this Bill Noxton, 'though
perhaps not by thet handle. Thar used ter be a hoss thief down
hyer called Slinky Bill, with a scar on his cheek an' one tooth
missin' in front --"
"That's your man. The tooth is still missing and the scar is there
as plain as day."
"Then he's the gent as we wants to be introduced to," put in one of
the other men.
"I calkerlated he had left these diggin's fer good," added the
third newcomer.
"I can try to lead you back to their camp," said Tom, "although I
am not altogether sure of the trail. They were stopping at a long,
low deserted house, having a wide chimney, and with several big
trees growing close by."
"Dillwell's old overland hotel, I'll bet a hoss," cried the leader
of the men.
"It must be about ten miles from here," went on Tom.
"Jest about, youngster. Come, we want ye to go with us."
"I will do that willingly, if you'll promise to protect me from the
rascals. I suppose they are mad enough to shoot me down on sight."
"We'll see ye through -- ef everything is straight," answered Hank
Yates, for such was the name of the leading spirit of the party.
The men had their own horses close at hand, and soon all were in
the saddle, with the extra horses bringing up the rear, as before.
The men had rations with them, and offered Tom some crackers and a
bit of meat as they progressed.
They were not a bad crowd, although very rough and stern, and it
developed presently that Hank Yates had known the Kennedy who had
been Anderson Rover's partner in mining operations.
"He war a good man," said Yates. "A banrup, whole-souled critter.
It's a pity he had to turn up his toes, with wuss men hangin' on an
never dyin', at all."
Half of the distance to the old hotel had been covered, when on
coming out on a little hill one of the men called attention to a
man and a boy riding along the top of a ridge, a short distance
away.
"It's my brother Sam and Jack Wumble!" ejaculated Tom. "Oh, but am
I not glad to see them again!"
He set up a shout and waved his cap, and soon Wumble saw him and
waved his hand in return. Then the old miner and Sam came forward
at top speed.
"Tom!" came from Sam, and he rode up close and almost embraced his
brother. "Where in the world have you been?"
"Been with the enemy," answered Tom. "I can tell you I paid up for
going to sleep on the trait!" he added half comically. The meeting
made his heart ten times lighter than it had been.
"Where is Dick?"
"Thet's the wust on it," answered Wumble. "Dick had a dirty
tumble, and we can't find him nowhar."
Of course the stories on both sides had to be told. Jack Wumble
could not keep from laughing when told that Tom had been mistaken
for a horse thief.
"Not but wot ye run away with them hosses slick enough," he added
slyly.
Dick's disappearance sobered Tom greatly.
Can it be possible that he has been drowned?" he asked.
"I crawled down to the river, but couldn't find hide nor hair of
him," answered Wumble.
Soon all were on the way to the old hotel. As they drew closer
Yates warned them to be cautious.
"Perhaps we can do a bit o' surprisin'," he explained.
"Here comes Noxton!" exclaimed Tom.
"Slinky Bill, sure enough," returned Yates, and one of his
companions nodded.
Noxton was still fifty feet away when he saw them, and gave a shout
of consternation. Then he turned and tried to run away.
"Stop!" called Hank Yates. "Stop, or I'll fire on ye!"
But instead of stopping Noxton ran the faster. Seeing this, the
man of the plains raised his pistol, took steady aim, and fired.
Noxton was hit in the leg and went down in a heap, shrieking with
pain.
CHAPTER XXIX
LOCATING THE LOST MINE
While Yates and another of the men ran toward Noxton to make him a
prisoner, the others turned their attention to the Baxters and Al
Roebuck.
The Baxters were hiding behind a clump of bushes, but now, as soon as
discovered, they took to their heels, making sure that the bushes and
trees should keep them screened, so that there would be no danger from
a fire such as had brought down their unlucky companion.
"They're on us, dad!" groaned Dan Baxter, "Oh, why did we ever come
out here!"
"Silence, Dan," whispered Arnold Baxter. "If we don't keep still
they may shoot us down in cold blood." And then Dan became as mum
as an oyster, although his teeth chattered with terror.
On went father and son, down a hill and into a deep valley where
the rocks were numerous and the growth thick. Several shots flew
over their heads, causing Dan to almost drop from heart failure.
"I -- I can't ru -- run much further!" he panted.
"Come, here is an opening between the rocks," whispered Arnold
Baxter. "In you go, before it is too late. If they follow us, we
can sell our lives as dearly as possible."
Dan gave a groan at this, and slipped into the hollow. He did not
wish to sell his life at any price.
"Let us put out a -- a flag of truce," he whined. "Give them
everything, father, but don't let them shoot us!" Every ounce of
courage had oozed away from him, for he had seen Noxton brought
down, and thought the rascal was dead.
"Shut up, you softy!" answered his parent in a rage. "Shut up, and
we will be safe. I'll never give in to a Rover," he added
vehemently.
Tom and Sam had gone after the Baxters, with Jack Wumble behind
them while the last man of the party turned to collar Roebuck. But
Roebuck was game, and fired at his assailant, who fired in return,
and each man was slightly wounded in the shoulder. Then Roebuck
disappeared in the woods back of the old hotel, and that was the
last seen of him for the time being.
The hunt for the Baxters was kept up until nearly nightfall. But
they remained in hiding, and although Tom and Sam passed within
fifty feet of the hollow, they were not discovered.
"They have given us the slip," said Tom, "It's too bad! I thought
we had them, sure!"
As soon as the search was over it was discovered that two of the
horses were missing. The several pistol shots had frightened them
away, and in the gathering darkness they could not be located.
The entire party camped that night in the old hotel, and Tom showed
where he had been a prisoner, and how he had escaped up the
chimney. Noxton was not dangerously wounded, and the men did what
they could to allay the pain he was suffering. Yet they had little
sympathy for him, for, as stated before, horse stealing in that
locality was considered one of the worst of crimes.
"But we'll take ye back to the county seat," said Yates. "And ye
shall have a fair trial."
"Take all I have, but let me go!" pleaded Noxton, but to this the
men with Yates would not listen. Early in the morning the party
under Yates set off, taking Noxton along, although the criminal
protested that he was too weak to ride. It may be as well to add
here that, later on, Noxton, alias Slinky Bill, was tried in court
and given a sentence of five years for his misdeeds.
Jack Wumble and Sam had brought along Dick's horse, and they now
took good care that the animal should not get away from them.
Where to look for Dick, however, was a poser.
"Well, I'll tell you one thing," Tom declared, "I'm not going on to
Larkspur Creek until he is found."
"Or until we have found out what has become of him," added Sam.
"He may be dead, you know."
"I reckon we had best go back to where he took his tumble," said
Wumble. "If he escaped he'll come back thar himself, more'n
likely."
This appeared to be good advice, and an hour after the departure of
Yates and the others they mounted and set off.
Less than half a mile had been covered when, of a sudden, there
came a shot, and a bullet cut through the brush beside them.
"Hullo! this won't do!" cried the old miner. "Come out of sight,
an' be putty quick about it, too!"
They rode into a patch of wood and halted. But no more shots came,
nor could they locate that which had been fired.
"One thing is certain, at least one of yer enemies is a-watching of
us," was the old miner's comment. "We'll keep behind shelter after
this." And they did.
It was hard traveling, and poor Sam was utterly worn out by the
time the trail along the watercourse was again reached.
"I've got to let up a bit," he murmured. "I can't sit up in the
saddle any more!"
"I shouldn't have pushed ye so hard," answered Wumble
sympathetically. "If ye --" he stopped short. "Who's that?"
He dodged behind a rock, and the others did the same. Somebody was
stirring below them, in the timber. All drew their pistols.
"If it's an enemy we'll give them as good as they send," said Tom,
and he meant it.
But it was not the enemy; it was Dick, and he soon appeared and
called to them. They were overjoyed, and ran out to meet him and
Slim Jim, his companion. There was hearty handshaking all around.
Then as they rested each told his tale. It was such a happy
gathering as is not easily forgotten.
"You couldn't have fallen in with a better man nor Slim Jim," said
Jack Wumble to Dick. "He's got the warmest heart in all Colorady,
he has!"
It was decided to wait until the morrow before setting out again
for Larkspur Creek. Slim Jim agreed to accompany them, for to the
hunter and trapper one spot in the mountains was about as good as
another.
"An' I'll help ye keep an eye open for them Baxters," said the old
hunter.
A good night's rest did wonders for all hands, and they were
stirring bright and early. Slim Jim knew every foot of the way,
and he told Wumble of a short cut to the creek which was even
better to travel than the short trail the old miner had selected.
For two days the party went on, over hills and mountains and across
marvelous cafions and valleys, thick with pines and firs. The boys
had never seen such scenery, and for the time being their enemies
were forgotten.
Late in the afternoon of the second day they came out on the side
of a low mountain which overlooked Larkspur Creek.
"Here we are at the Larkspur at last," cried Jack Wumble.
"And how far still to Kennedy's claim, do you think?" asked Dick
eagerly.
"Not more than two or three miles. We'll have to hunt up the
landmarks," answered the old miner, but hunting landmarks had to be
deferred to the next day. Then they set about it in earnest, and
by noon they were on the same ground which Anderson Rover's mining
partner had traveled so many years before.
They were trying to put down the first of their stakes when a
pistol shot rang out, and Dick received a slight wound in the hand.
Looking up the mountain side they saw Arnold Baxter's savage face
gazing down at them. Behind the father was his son Dan, and close
by stood Roebuck. Evidently their enemies meant to fight for the
possession of the mine to the bitter end.
CHAPTER XXX
THE LANDSLIDE-CONCLUSION
"Dick, are you badly hurt?" cried Tom.
"No -- it's only a scratch. But it was a close call."
"To cover!" came from Jack Wumble. "Quick, all of you!"
There was no need to call out, for all realized that they were in a
dangerous position. It was Arnold Baxter who fired on Dick. Now
Tom fired in return, and so true was his aim that the elder Baxter
was hit in the left shoulder.
As soon as our friends were under cover they held a council of war.
"We ought to round 'em up," muttered Jack Wumble. "Don't you think
so, Jim?"
"I am with ye on it," answered the old trapper. "We air five to
three, although one o' the crowd is wounded."
"It's not much -- only a scratch," said Dick, as he showed the wound.
"Yes, let us surround them if we can. Anyway, it will be better if
we get on the high ground above them. It's useless to think of
staking off the claim while they are in the vicinity. They'll pull
up our stakes, and shoot us in the bargain."
Their talk was interrupted by a crashing of the bushes, and looking
up they saw that their enemies were beginning to roll rocks down
toward them. One rock, weighing several tons, tumbled within two
yards of them.
"All right, we'll try some o' that when we're on top," said Slim
Jim.
It had threatened rain, and now the drops began to come down, at
first scatteringly, and then in a steady downpour. In this rain
they moved off through the brush, leading their horses and
following the old hunter, who knew more of the old Indian trails
than did even Jack Wumble.
It was necessary to make a long detour, for the rocks at one point
were so steep that mounting them was all out of the question. This
took them an eighth of a mile to the northward of the claim.
It was now raining so hard that the water seemed to come down in
sheets, and they felt compelled to seek temporary shelter. It had
also begun to lightning, and the thunder roared and rumbled among
the mountains in a manner that was deafening.
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