To The West Part 94

There was a low muttering growl at this, and the men walked slowly away in the direction by which they had come, while we sat listening till there was not a sound.

"Gone," I said, with the painful beating of my heart calming down.

"Yes, my lad, gone," said Gunson; "and we shall have to follow their example. It is a horrible shame, but till we have people sent up by the governor, those scoundrels take the law in their own hands."

"But they will not dare to come back."

"I don't know. But I shall not dare to try and hold the place against such a gang."

"But you weren't afraid of 'em?" said Esau.

"Indeed, but I was," said Gunson, with a bitter laugh, "horribly afraid.

I should have fought to the end though, all the same, and so would you."

"Dunno," said Esau; "but I was going to try and hit one, for I thought it a pity to waste a shot, and I can hit without killing; can't I, Mayne Gordon?"

"Don't talk about it," I said, with a shudder.

"Why not? Wish we could wound all that lot like I wounded you, and that they would be as bad for six months."

"Don't talk," said Mr Gunson. "We will not stir to-night, and the best way will be not to show ourselves--only one at a time to make up the fire. No sleep to-night, lads; or if there is, it must be in turns.

Here, Quong! What tree has he gone up?"

There was no reply, and we sat listening with the darkness closing in all around, and the silence growing painful. It was a weary watch in the gloom, though outside the fire lit up the valley, and from time to time I went out and threw on a few sticks, just enough to keep it up.

I don't know what time it was, probably about midnight, when Mr Gunson said softly.

"Two will be enough to watch. You, Dean, lie down and take your spell till you are called."

There was no reply.

"Do you hear?"

Still no answer.

"What!" cried Mr Gunson, "has he forsaken us?"

"No, no," I whispered; "here he is, and fast asleep."

Mr Gunson uttered a low, half-contemptuous laugh.

"Nice fellow to trust with our lives," he said. "Shall I wake him to watch while we sleep?"

"Don't be hard upon him," I said. "He was very tired, and it always was his weak point--he would go to sleep anywhere."

"And your weak point to defend your friends, eh, Mayne? There, I will not be hard upon him. Talk in whispers, and keep on the _qui vive_; we must not be surprised. Are you very tired?"

"Not at all now," I said. "I don't want to go to sleep."

"Then we'll discuss the position, Mayne. Hist!"

We listened, but the faint crack we heard was evidently the snapping of a stick in the fire, and Mr Gunson went on.

"Now, Mayne," he said, "after years of such toil as few men have lived through, I have found wealth. No, no, don't you speak. Let me have the rostrum for awhile."

He had noted that I was about to ask him a question, for it was on my lips to say, "How did you get to know of this place?"

"I am not selfish or mad for wealth," he continued. "I am working for others, and I have found what I want. In a few months, or less, I shall be a rich man again, and you and your friends can take your share in my prosperity. That is, if I can hold my own here till law and order are established. If I cannot hold my own, I may never have another chance.

In other words, if those scoundrels oust me, long before I can get help from the settlement they will have cleared out what is evidently a rich h.o.a.rd or pocket belonging to old Dame Nature, where the gold has been swept. Now then, for myself I am ready to dare everything, but I have you two boys with me, and I have no right to risk your injury, perhaps your lives. What do you think I ought to do?"

"Stand your ground," I said, firmly. "I would."

I said this, for I had a lively recollection of the cowardice these men had displayed, both at the Fort and here, as soon as they had been brought face to face with the rifles.

Gunson grasped my hand and pressed it hard.

"Thank you, my lad," he said, in a low deep whisper. "I half expected to hear you say this, but my conscience is hard at work with me as to whether I am justified in tying your fate up with that of such an unlucky adventurer as I am."

"I am only an adventurer too," I said; "and it is not such very bad luck to have found all this gold."

He was silent for a few minutes, as if he were thinking deeply, but at last he spoke.

"I've been weighing it all in the balance, Mayne," he said, "and G.o.d forgive me if I am going wrong, for I cannot help myself. The gold is very heavy in the scale, and bears down the beam. I cannot, gambler though I may be, give up now. Look here, Mayne, my lad, here is my decision. I am going to try and get a couple of good fellows from down below to come in as partners. So as soon as it is light you had better get back to the Fort, explain your position, and I know Mr Raydon to be so straightforward and just a man, that he will forgive you."

"There is nothing to forgive," I said, firmly; "and I'd sooner die than go back now."

"Nonsense! heroics, boy."

"It is not," I said. "Mr Gunson, would two strange men, about whom you know nothing, be more true to you than Esau Dean and I would?"

"No; I am sure they would not," he cried eagerly. "Then I shall stay with you, and whatever I do Esau will do. He will never leave me.

Besides, he is mad to get gold too. We are only boys, but those men are afraid of the rifles, and even if they mastered us, they would not dare to kill us."

"No, my lad, they would not," cried Mr Gunson. "Then you shall stay."

He turned toward me, and grasped my hand. "And look here, Mayne, I have for years now been the rough-looking fellow you met in the steerage of the ship; but I thank heaven there is still a little of the gentleman left, and you shall not find me unworthy of the trust you place in--Ah!"

I started back, for there was the sound of a heavy blow, and Mr Gunson fell forward upon his face, while two strong hands seized me from behind, and I was thrown heavily, while some one lay across my chest.

CHAPTER FORTY SIX.

THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LAW.

"Right behind him, mate. Don't be afraid. Tie his thumbs together too." I heard these words as I lay there in the darkness, and knew that our a.s.sailants must be securing Gunson, while directly after Esau's angry expostulations told what was going on with him.

"Let go, will you! Oh, I say, it hurts. What yer doing of? Here, hi!