by Clair Blank
Chapter XV
CAPTURE
Walking to the door Gale threw it open and stepped into the arms of thetwo men who rushed forward. She recognized them with a greatoverwhelming joy.
"Tom! Jim! How on earth did you get here? Who----"
"We've brought the Sheriff and his men," Tom said breathlessly. "Looksas though you had the situation well in hand," he added after he hadgreeted Valerie and taken in the sight of Pedro and the other two.
The Sheriff with two of his deputies crowded into the room and tookcharge of the three bandits.
"Reckon you'll do no more rustlin' cattle or robbin' banks," the Sheriffsaid, as he snapped handcuffs on the bigger of the two, while one of hismen did the same with Pedro.
"Ya can't keep me in jail," the man returned. "An' when I get out--I'mgoin' after these two kids!"
"Threats won't get you anywhere," Tom said practically. "Well, girls,want to go back to camp? Your chums are pretty worried about you."
Valerie and Gale mounted the latter's horse and Tom took them back tocamp. Jim remained with the Sheriff to see the prisoners started ontheir way to the K Bar O and from there to Coxton. Later he would jointhe Adventure Girls again.
"Who shot at us from the window?" Tom demanded as they jogged along.
Gale grinned. "I did. How did I know it was help? I thought it was somemore bandits."
"And you were taking no chances, eh?" Tom laughed.
"But how did you know we were in the cabin?" Valerie asked him next.
"Recognized Gale's horse standing in back," Tom replied. "How did youget there in the first place?"
"When the rain came on yesterday I was looking for shelter," Galeexplained. "I got in there and just had time to crawl out the backwindow when I saw the men ride up. I decided to hang around and see if Icould learn anything about the cattle that are being stolen from yourDad. I did. I heard them plotting to steal some more last night anddrive them over the border into Mexico. Then all but the Mexican wentaway. Along about midnight two men came back and had Val with them. Fromthen on things moved fast."
"I saw the rustlers last night, Tom," Valerie chimed in. "At least Ithink it was them. They were rounding up a herd of cattle and I turnedto come back to camp and tell you when two men grabbed me and took me tothat cabin. There the Mexican managed to scare me out of a year'sgrowth--until Gale came along."
"I left the camp last night for the ranch and to get Dad and some men,"Tom added his bit. "I met the Sheriff and three of his deputies ridingout to meet us and this morning we picked up the trail of the two menwho had kidnapped you, Valerie. You know what happened after that. Oh,yes, Dad and some of the boys got the three who were after the cows lastnight." He smiled. "I want to hear what happened all night and how youmanaged to trick those fellows, but I'll be patient until we get back tocamp and you've had some breakfast. I suppose you are hungry?"
"Are we!" Gale and Valerie echoed together.
"And I'm so sleepy I could sleep standing up," Gale declared.
"You and me both," Valerie murmured.
The three of them soon after rode up to the camp. The girls pounced onthe two adventurers and welcomed them with open arms. While they werewaited on and served with breakfast they told their story and the othergirls declared it thrilling. After the last bite of breakfast Gale andVal went to their tent so sleepy they could scarcely keep their eyesopen. They slept the sleep of utter exhaustion for ten hours. When theyawoke the sky was aglow with sunset colors and the other girls werewaiting with their supper.
"We are going to ride tonight," Virginia informed them as the twoappeared. "While you were snoozing we had a nap, too, so we could rideby moonlight."
"Grand," Gale declared.
"We thought you would never wake up," Janet complained. "How could yousleep so long?"
"A clear conscience is the secret, my dear," Valerie declared with alaugh. "I'll bet you never slept as soundly as we did."
"And why shouldn't I?" Janet demanded in a loud voice. "I've nothing onmy conscience----"
"How about the time you spilt ink on the professor's desk? And the timeyou rang the fire gong when there was no cause, and the time----" Carolwas enumerating when Janet interrupted.
"They should keep you awake," Madge added mischievously.
"You've committed just as many crimes," Janet defended quickly.
"I'll wager they have," Virginia said with a sympathetic arm aboutJanet's shoulders. "Well, Tom?" she said to her brother who wasapproaching from the horses. "All set to go?"
"As soon as we take down the other tent," he agreed. "How're you,girls?" the last was to Gale and Valerie.
"Fine as a fiddle!" Valerie declared.
Indeed she appeared to be. Gale had at first watched her friend withsome trepidation, remembering the strenuous events of last night.Before, Valerie had always been worn out, utterly exhausted after anyexcitement or nerve strain. Now she was as calm and steady as any ofthem. It was borne home to them all that Valerie had surely won her longfight for health.
Val herself was the happiest as it was natural that she should be. She,too, had been anxious as to the results of last night's adventure. Thismorning when she and Gale had gone to bed, tired as she had been, shehad feared an undoing of all the good work these weeks in the sun andair had done. But now, to her own amazement as well as to the surpriseof her friends, she felt more fit, more cheerful than she had done formany months. It was a continual joy to her to be able to ride andcompete equally with her friends, to know that she was as capable ofmeeting an emergency as any of them.
"Oh, Val!" Phyllis said, hugging her exultantly. "You look marvelousthis morning."
"Indeed she does," Gale agreed, as the three of them walked to theirhorses.
"I feel it too," Val declared.
"All the credit goes to beautiful Arizona," Phyllis said cheerily.
"No it doesn't," Val said sturdily. "You girls deserve a vote of thankson my behalf. I hereby express it," she said gayly.
"Who is getting thanked and for what?" Janet interrupted, overtaking thethree while Madge, Carol, and Virginia lagged behind.
"I'm offering all the Adventure Girls a vote of thanks for helping meback to health," Valerie said.
"And we claim we didn't have anything to do with it," Gale saidimmediately. "It was sheer grit on Val's part that she won out."
"I'm inclined to agree with you," Janet said to Gale. "She has beenwonderful, hasn't she?"
"My word!" Valerie laughed. "I'm getting a lot of bouquets. You willbring on a rainstorm with such compliments."
"It's the truth," Phyllis asserted. "And our trip has served itspurpose."
"What do you mean?" Valerie demanded suspiciously. "Was this Arizonatrip planned for my especial benefit?"
"Well, you see--we--ah----" Phyllis floundered.
"Phyllis Elton!" Janet sighed. "You never open your mouth but you putyour foot in it!"
"Well, I couldn't help it," Phyllis grumbled. "Val shouldn't be sosuspicious."
"Gale," Valerie commanded, "tell me what this is all about. What doesshe mean by the trip has served its purpose? Tell me!" she insisted asGale hesitated.
"Why--um--you see, Val, we--got together and sort of talked it over andwe decided----"
"You all decided to spend your summer out here so I could get well," Valsaid, a suspicion of tears in her voice. "Was there ever a girl had suchfriends?"
"Bosh!" Janet said crisply, immediately dispersing all sentiment. "Wedid it for ourselves. Aren't we the Adventure Girls and didn't we come,out for some more adventures? But so far," she added humorously, "youand Gale have been doing all the adventuring. Getting kidnapped and----"
"And almost run through by a Mexican and his knife," finished Valerie."Well, from now on, Janet, I cheerfully resign all my adventures in yourfavor."
"Can I count on that?" Janet asked when the other girls joined them.
"We are on o
ur way home, girls," sighed Carol, "and all our adventuringis over for another summer. Dear me, winter and school are dull times,don't you think?"
"Yes!"
"No!" came simultaneously from Janet and Phyllis.
Carol had not spoken the whole truth. They were on their last long rideof the summer, but their adventures were not over, and this they wereshortly to discover for themselves.