Three Young Ranchmen Part 36

"Well, I am willing to push on at any time you say."

"I'll push on as fast as Slavin can travel. I can't do more than that.

If he caves in on our hands we'll have no means of finding out anything more about my uncle's whereabouts."

"He can't be shamming, can he?"

"Not a bit of it. He was caught under the tree and I wouldn't have been in his position for a thousand dollars."

"Then don't push him any harder than you dare. To me he looks like a fellow who might be getting a fever."

"I noticed that. But I hope he doesn't," concluded Allen.

But the fever was coming and by nightfall all of the others saw that Slavin was in a bad way. He sat up and began to talk wildly.

"Let me go! Take the tree from me!" he cried. "I haven't got the money!

Oh, how do ye do Mr. Winthrop. Glad to see me, eh? And how is that new mine, an' what kind of a trade are ye goin' to make with Captain Grady, eh? Ha! ha! The cave by the seven pines! A good hiding place, the seven pines! Let me go, the tree is crushing me!" And then he fell back almost exhausted.

"He won't travel any more, not jes' yet," said Watson, soberly. "He's up ag'in a long spell o' sickness."

"Did you hear what he said about Captain Grady?" asked Allen.

"I did. He must be in this game, too. An' the seven pines."

"The cave must be at a place called the seven pines," said Noel.

"If it is I think I know the spot," answered Ike Watson. "I ran across 'em seven pines two years ago. They air about two miles from here, on the other side o' the mountain. We'll have ter go around ter git ter 'em."

An hour later Allen and Watson left Slavin in Noel Urner's care and struck out for the place on the other side of the mountain which the old hunter had mentioned.

CHAPTER XXIX.

The Long Lost Found

Before leaving camp both Allen and Ike Watson saw to it that their weapons were in good condition and ready for immediate use.

"No tellin' what we may run up ag'inst," said the old hunter.

"Well, I am ready to fight, if it comes to that," returned Allen, grimly. "But I would rather take the enemy by surprise."

"Thet would be the best way, Allen. But fust we must locate thet cave."

The ride around the mountain was a rather trying one and from a gallop they had to slow down to a walk. In some spots the trail was much cut up and the mud was deep, while in others they had to pick their way over rocks which were as smooth as they were dangerous.

"Look thar," said Watson, as he paused on a spur of the rocks. "Thar's a tumble fer ye!"

He pointed to a canyon all of five hundred feet deep and Allen had to draw back after looking into the awful depth.

"If a fellow should tumble here he would never live to tell it," said the young ranchman. "This would be a bad trail to follow in the dark."

Moving away from the spur of rocks overlooking the canyon, they turned to the northwest and plunged through a forest of cedar and hemlock. Here the wild birds were numerous and Allen was tempted to bring some of them down with his gun, but Watson demurred.

"No use o' makin' too much noise," he explained. "Remember, somebody may be on guard up at thet cave."

"Slavin said he thought only an old woman had been left in charge--a woman who claimed to be Darry Nodley's wife."

"Didn't know as how thet rascal hed a wife."

"That is what Slavin said."

"It might be the truth, and then ag'in, it might not. We don't want ter believe too much, Allen."

"I agree with you, Ike. But I think Slavin was really anxious to help us after we did him that good turn."

The old hunter shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps; but I've seen too much foul play in my time ter trust everybody. Thar may be a woman up thar, an' thar may be some men-folks too."

So the talk ran on and they gradually drew closer to where the old hunter had once seen the seven pine trees. To one not used to a life in the open, to remember such a locality after two years' absence would have been difficult, but it was not so with Ike Watson.

"Can't fool me on a thing like this," he said, flatly. "Onct I see a place it hangs in my mind forever. Same way with a trail. Why onct I struck a trail in the south o' the State, kind o' a mixed trail too. I didn't see thet trail fer nigh onto six years, but when I did see it ag'in I knew it jes' as quick as I clapped eyes on it."

"I believe you," replied the young ranchman. "You have an eye like a hawk," and in that Allen was right.

The sun was sinking low in the west when they came out of a defile in the rocks and the old hunter pointed to a valley on the opposite side of the foothills below them.

"Do ye see them, over thar?" he questioned.

Allen gave a long look.

"I do--seven pines, sure enough!"

"Told ye I'd remember the spot!" cried Watson, triumphantly.

"But where is the cave?" went on the young ranchman.

"Like as not it's close by. Come, before the sun goes down an' it gits too dark."

Soon they were making their way along the foothills at the lower side of the mountain. They had to pa.s.s through considerable brush and while they were doing this Watson suddenly halted and pointed to his side.

"What is it?" asked Allen, as he also halted.

"If thet ain't a putty fresh trail then I miss my guess."

"It does look fresh, Ike."

"Ain't over twenty-four hours old, nohow," went on the old hunter.

"Allen, I reckon we have struck it about right."