Jack Ranger's Western Trip Part 51

THE ROUND-UP--CONCLUSION

Mr. Ranger ran back to join his son. At the same time Nat and Jack sprang forward, and together the three raced down the valley. With loud shouts the hors.e.m.e.n pursued them.

"Here they are!" some of the riders exclaimed. "We'll get the boys and the old man, too! Come on!"

For a little while the three fugitives, from the start they had, and from the rough nature of the ground, which precluded speed on the part of the horses, kept in the lead. They had just made a turn in the trail, which, for a moment hid the hors.e.m.e.n from sight, when Mr.

Ranger exclaimed:

"I can go no farther, Jack. My heart! Oh, my heart!"

He sank down, staggering under the weight of his rifle.

"Quick!" cried Nat. "Get behind this big rock! Maybe we can hold 'em off!"

The two boys half carried Mr. Ranger around to the rear of an immense boulder that bordered the trail. Then Jack ran hack and caught up the rifle. He had just time enough to spring hack of the rock when the riders swept fully into view. Jack leveled the rifle over the top of the big stone and cried:

"Don't come any nearer or I'll shoot!"

The riders pulled up in confusion.

"Go ahead!" cried those in the rear,

"He's got the drop on us!" exclaimed those in front.

Jack held the rifle steady. For several seconds there was an intense strain. Mr. Ranger was resting his head on Nat's knee, panting for breath.

"You'll--find--some medicine--in--my pocket," he gasped, and Nat, searching where the sick man indicated, found a small bottle of white pills. He gave Mr. Ranger one, and, in a few seconds the color came back to the sufferer's pale face.

Now there was a movement among the hors.e.m.e.n. Some of them rode back on the trail, while others dismounted and went to the left and right.

"They're going to surround us," Jack thought. "I guess it's all up with us!"

He kept close watch of the men he could see. Those directly in front of him remained on their horses.

Suddenly there sounded a confused shouting from back on the trail.

Dimly Jack tried to recall where he had heard those voices before. He glanced along the rifle barrel which was trembling like a leaf in the wind.

Then there came a fulisade of shots, mingling with the shouts. The approaching hors.e.m.e.n seemed thrown into confusion. One or two of the steeds went down in heaps, throwing their riders. The shooting and yelling continued.

All at once there galloped into view a band of cowboys. At their head rode John Smith and Nat's uncle. Both were firing their revolvers as fast as they could.

"Hurrah!" cried Nat. "We're saved!"

"Just in time!" muttered Jack, as, weak and shaking, he dropped the rifle and sprang to his father's side.

There was a short, sharp struggle between the armed force from the ranch and the bad men. Some of the scoundrels got away, but the majority were rounded up. In the melee some were hurt.

"Are you all right?" asked John, as dust-covered and powder-begrimed he sprang to clasp his chums by the hands.

"Thanks to you, yes," said Nat heartily, and he was ashamed of the brief suspicion with which he had regarding the Indian. "How did you do it?"

"As soon as I saw you captured, I knew I could do more good free than a prisoner with you," John said. "I made the best time I could to the ranch, and I guess all the cowboys who could be spared came back as fast as their horses could carry them. We easily traced the gang to here, and,--well you saw the rest."

The cowboys, even Cactus Ike, who had played the horse trick on Jack, were busy binding their prisoners on their horses. Mr. Kent was so excited he did not know what to do. He insisted on shaking hands with Jack, Nat, John and Mr. Ranger every other minute. As for Jack's father, he soon felt better because of the medicine, and when the securing of the prisoners was completed, he found he was able to mount a spare horse and proceed.

It was decided to take an easy trail, some of the cowboys knew of, back to a place near where the boys had been held captive, and about noon the cavalcade reached the cave near the mine, from which the lads had escaped.

But a great change had taken place. The breaking of the flume, and the shutting off of the water had backed up the stream, which had been allowed to run all night, and in consequence, the whole surface of the hill, against which the hydraulic operations had been directed, was washed away.

It was difficult to get the horses past it, for there was a big hole.

As Mr. Ranger was pa.s.sing the spot where the band had so lately been at work, he looked at the ground, and uttered a sudden exclamation.

Then he jumped from his horse and began digging in the dirt.

"What is it?" asked Jack in some alarm.

"Gold! Gold! Gold!" cried Mr. Ranger. "See it sparkle! Here is a mine of wonderful wealth! The water uncovered it, or they might have worked for years without discovering it. See the gold!"

In another instant the cowboys were off their horses examining the find. Mr. Kent looked at it critically.

"Well, this is luck!" he said. "It's an ill wind that blows n.o.body good!"

There was a hurried consultation, which resulted in some of the men being left on guard, while the others proceeded to the ranch with the prisoners, the boys and Mr. Ranger.

There were three days making the trip, owing to the fact that Mr.

Ranger had to ride slowly. As he descended from the higher alt.i.tudes, however, he got stronger. When the ranch was reached, the physicians who had been attending old Mr. Lantry, prescribed for the former exile, and took charge of him.

The members of the band from one of whom Jack's ring was taken, were sent to jail, under a strong escort, and, eventually were given long terms. As soon as Mr. Kent and his men, including the boys and Mr.

Ranger, had proved their claim to the mine, arrangements for working it were made. It turned out even better than it had appeared at the first glance, so that every one interested received a large sum.

As for Jack he could not bear to let his father out of his sight. Mr.

Ranger, too, wanted to be with his son all the while. The return of the exile had such a good effect on Mr. Lantry that he recovered much sooner than the doctor had expected, having regained his senses from the delirium, the day after Mr. Ranger reached the ranch. The old man was given some shares in the mine, enough to keep him comfortably.

Then it was that the boys really began to enjoy life. The long sunny days on the plains, riding here and there, soon restored Mr. Ranger to ruddy health, and the physician p.r.o.nounced him almost cured of his heart ailment.

The boys spent happy hours on the ranch, entering into friendly contests in everything from roping a steer to saddling a frisky horse. The cowboys could not show them enough attention, and Cactus Ike even apologized to Jack for the trick he played on him. Jack forgave him, and said it had probably learned him more about a horse in ten minutes than he could otherwise have picked up in a week.

It was some time after this, when, as they were all seated on the porch, one warm evening, that Jack remarked:

"Well, we'll have to be getting back east, soon."

"How good that sounds," said Mr. Ranger. "I was afraid I might never see the east again. Yes, we must go back soon. I am anxious to see my sisters."

"Sorry to have you go," said Mr. Kent. "There's no place like the west."

"Perhaps not, for a young man," Mr. Ranger admitted, "but I'm getting old."

"I wonder if we'll ever again have adventures like those we experienced out here," said Nat "Lannigan's la.s.soes! But we certainly had some sport!"