Boys of The Fort Part 8

"I'm going!" came from Potts, and he leaped on the back of one of the horses--that which Joe had been riding.

"I'm with you," said Fetter, and mounted old Benson's steed. "Come, Matt, and be quick about it."

By this time Hank Leeson was running around the corner of the cabin, gun in hand. His call had aroused Joe and Darry, and they were pulling on their clothing with all speed.

"Something is wrong!" exclaimed Joe.

"It must be those desperadoes," responded his cousin.

The boys were not yet dressed, when they heard a clatter of hoofs and a shot, followed by another.

Then they came out, rifles in hand, to find Leeson reloading near the stable.

"Those desperadoes have been here!" exclaimed the old trapper. "They ran off with your hosses, consarn 'em!"

"Went off with the horses?" repeated Darry. "Did you shoot at them?"

"I did, but the light's against me, and I don't reckon as how I hit anything." Hank Leeson meditated for a moment. "I've half a mind ter do it--yes, I have!" he muttered.

"Do what?" asked Joe.

"Go after 'em on my mare. Would you be afraid to stay here alone if I went?"

"No; go ahead!" cried both boys.

"We'll keep watch while you are away," continued Joe.

"If you can get the horses back it will be a great favor," said Darry.

"The three are worth over five hundred dollars."

Without further words, Hank Leeson dashed into the stable, untied his mare and mounted her. Rifle over shoulder and pistol in hand, he dashed away on the back trail, whence the desperadoes had disappeared. Soon he was swallowed up in the darkness, although they heard the hoofbeats of Nancy for several minutes after.

"This is the worst yet," was Joe's comment, when they were alone.

"Those fellows are as daring as they are rascally. I never dreamed they would come up in that fashion. I wonder what they would have done if Leeson hadn't woke up?"

"Perhaps we would all have been murdered," answered his cousin with a shudder. "What shall we do, now we are dressed?"

"That depends upon how long Leeson remains away. I move we remain on guard--one at the front of the cabin and the other at the rear. If we keep our eyes peeled they can't come very close, even though it is dark."

"All right, Joe. Keep your rifle handy."

"Don't fear about that, Darry."

They were soon on guard, the one on the doorstep and the other near the lean-to, on a stump. Thus an hour dragged by. To both it was an unusually long while.

"I don't see a thing," said Darry, coming to where his cousin rested.

"Nor I, and I'm getting sleepy. I hardly think Leeson will be back until morning."

"Just what I was thinking. Let us take turns at watching. The one on duty can walk around the cabin now and then, and that will give each of us some sleep."

This was agreed upon, and they tossed up to see who should go on guard first. It fell to Darry's lot, and Joe, hardly able to keep his eyes open, quickly retired, without undressing.

Darry's vigil was certainly a lonely one, doubly so because it was new to him. As he tramped slowly around the cabin, he could not help but contrast this situation with the one he was used to at home.

"I don't know as I'd like to be a night policeman or a night-watchman,"

he reasoned. "They must be awfully tiresome jobs. And the city isn't near as lonely as this, either, even in the middle of the night." He drew a long breath and looked at his watch. "Gracious, only three-quarters of an hour gone, and I've got an hour and a quarter still to serve! How awfully slow it is! If Leeson----What's that?"

He broke off short and came to a halt, with his rifle in his hands and his gaze fixed on some brushwood a hundred feet to the rear of the stable. He had seen some dark object moving, but whether it was man or beast he could not tell.

"It was something, I'm sure of that," he told himself, after the object had disappeared from view. "If it was a man he must have been crawling on hands and knees."

He wondered if he had better awaken Joe, but hesitated, knowing how sleepy his cousin was. Perhaps the object would go away--if it was a wild beast.

Keeping his eyes on the spot, Darry waited what seemed to him a long time, but which was really but a few minutes. Then slowly the bushes parted and the object came forth, with eyes that gleamed fitfully even in that darkness.

"A mountain wolf!" muttered the boy. "Well, I'm glad it isn't one of those desperadoes."

Taking up a stone he hurled it at the wolf, at the same time shouting to the beast to go away. At once the wolf turned tail and disappeared whence it had come.

"Did you call?" came sleepily from Joe.

"There's a wolf in the bushes back of the cabin," returned Darry.

"Does he want to attack you?"

"I don't know. I just threw a stone at him, and he's slunk out of sight."

By this time Joe was also outside, and the two cousins waited for the reappearance of the wolf.

But the animal was cowardly, and did not show himself again, and presently Joe returned to bed. The remainder of the night pa.s.sed without anything unusual happening.

CHAPTER IX.

ARRIVAL AT THE FORT.

The morning found the two boys still alone. The sun was well up over the eastern prairie before both were dressed, for they had taken turns at guarding, as agreed, and each had consequently lost half his regular sleeping time.

"Well, what's to do now?" questioned Darry, while they were stirring around getting breakfast.

"I don't know of anything to do but to wait here until we hear from Benson and Hank Leeson," answered his cousin.

Breakfast was soon disposed of, and then they sat down to wait, still keeping their firearms close to hand, in case of unexpected attack. The meeting with the desperadoes had opened the boys' eyes, and they did not intend to be caught "napping" no matter what else happened.

Shortly before ten o'clock Joe espied three hors.e.m.e.n coming down the trail which led to the fort. Both watched the approaching riders with interest, and presently saw that they were soldiers. One wore the uniform of a lieutenant, and the others were privates.