The Adventures of Rover Boys: 26 Illustrated Adventure Novels. Stratemeyer Edward
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 bang-up, 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