CHAPTER XXVI.
THE ENEMIES WITHIN THE FORT.
"Oh, I'm so glad to see you again, Will!" was the greeting which Joegave his brother. "We were almost certain either the Indians ordesperadoes had fallen upon you and killed you."
"Well, we did have some hot work," answered the young captain modestly."Are you all right?"
"I am."
"And you, Darry?"
"I'm first-class," answered the cousin. "But I can tell you, Will, thereis trouble ahead."
"I know that, Darry. I must see Colonel Fairfield at once."
"He is very ill. The surgeon can do hardly anything for him. He says hehas not the right drugs to reach such a dose as the colonel hasswallowed."
"That's too bad."
By this time Captain Lee was at hand, and the two officers exchangedreports. Nothing had been heard concerning Lieutenant Carrol. Thecommand of the fort now fell upon Captain Moore.
As soon as possible the young commander went in to see his superior. Hefound Colonel Fairfield very weak and in no condition to talk uponmilitary matters. He took the young captain's hand, and said feebly:
"You must do your best, captain, do your best. Defend the place to thelast."
"I will, Colonel Fairfield," answered the young officer. "And I trustyou recover soon."
That day and the next passed without incident of a special nature. Sickand wounded were cared for by the surgeon, and a detachment went out,accompanied by Sam Benson and Hank Leeson, to look for any of thesoldiers who had been attacked by the Indians or desperadoes and whomight still be alive.
When this party returned they brought in the bodies of two soldiers thathad fallen.
"The Indians are gathering in force," said old Benson, who had beenright among them in the darkness. "There are now over a hundred andtwenty of them."
"And what of the desperadoes?" asked Captain Moore.
"The desperadoes number twenty-six," answered Hank Leeson. "I countednoses myself. Matt Gilroy is a reg'lar captain over 'em an' has 'emdrilled like a company o' sharpshooters--an' I reckon thet's wot theyare, consarn 'em!"
"Then the enemy, all told, numbers about a hundred and fifty," mused theyoung captain.
"How many men here fit for duty to-day, captain?" came from the oldscout.
"Not over forty, including the cooks and stable help, Benson. All theothers are on the sick list--and some of them are pretty bad."
"Perhaps the crowd outside are a-waitin' till ye all git sick,"suggested Leeson with a scowl. "'Taint fair fightin', is it? They oughtall to be hung!"
"I must do my best," said Captain Moore gravely. "I can do no more."
As the day wore along and two additional soldiers were taken sick, hedecided to send a messenger to Fort Prescott, a hundred and sixty milesaway, for assistance.
Hank Leeson knew every foot of the territory, and was chosen for themission. Benson was more than willing to go, but Captain Moore told himto remain where he was.
"If the enemy attack us you'll have to be our right-hand man, Benson,"he said. Then he added: "I want to talk to you after Leeson is gone."
Since coming to the fort Captain Moore had been watching two oldsoldiers very closely.
These soldiers were named Moses Bicker and Jack Drossdell. Theirreputations were not of the best, and the black marks against them werenumerous.
Some time before, the young captain had heard that Bicker came of afamily of Colorado desperadoes and that he had joined the army during aspasm of reformation.
The actions of the pair did not suit Captain Moore in the least, andthat night he took it upon himself to watch them more closely than ever.
In the darkness he saw Bicker make his way to the stable, and to thatspot, a little later, Drossdell followed.
"Something is in the wind, and I'm going to find out what it is," hemused, and watching his opportunity he passed into the stableunobserved.
At first he could hear nothing but the movements of the horses, butpresently came a low murmur from one corner of the loft.
Cautiously the young officer climbed the ladder and stepped into thehay.
Here he could hear the conversation between Bicker and Drossdell quiteplainly.
"They never suspected the butter," he heard Bicker say. "It tastes alittle strong, but they would rather have it that way than have none,and the same way with the condensed milk."
"When shall we give the signal to the boys?" came from Drossdell.
"Not yet. There will be more of them sick by to-morrow night," repliedBicker.
More of the same sort of talk followed, until the young captain becamefully convinced that Bicker and Drossdell were in league with thedesperadoes, and that they had been using some drugs in the butter,milk, and other articles consumed at the fort, in order to make thesoldiers sick.
As soon as he realized the importance of his discovery Captain Moorewent below.
A corporal's guard was called out and sent over to the stable, and whenBicker and Drossdell came below they were placed under arrest.
"What's this for?" demanded Bicker, putting on a bold front. Drossdellhad nothing to say, and trembled so he could scarcely stand.
"You know well enough, Bicker," answered Captain Moore sternly.
"No, I don't. I haven't done anything wrong, captain."
"March them to the guardhouse," was all the young commander said, andthe two were promptly marched away.
As may be surmised, the moment the evildoers were alone each accused theother of having done something to bring on exposure.
Captain Moore knew his men well, and presently he sent for Drossdell andinterviewed the soldier in private.
"I am sorry to see you in such trouble as this, Drossdell," he said. "Ithought you were a better soldier."
"I haven't done anything, captain."
"It is useless for you to deny it. Do you know what my men would do toyou and Bicker if they learned the truth? They would rebel and hang youon the spot--and you would deserve it, too."
"Oh, captain, for the love of Heaven, don't put us in the hands of theboys!" pleaded Drossdell, turning a ghostly white.
"You and Bicker plotted to get us all sick and then let the Indians andGilroy's gang in on us."
"I--I----"
"It is useless for you to deny it, for I heard your talk myself, and sawa letter written by Bicker to Gilroy."
"Bicker formed the plans!" cried Drossdell, breaking down completely."He--he forced me to help him."
"Forced you?"
"Yes, captain, forced me. I stood out a long while, but he--he----Well,I might as well make a clean breast of it, sir. He had me in his power,on account of something I did in Denver years ago. He said he wouldexpose me if I didn't help him."
"This is the strict truth?"
"Yes, captain, and I will swear to it if you want me to," answered theprisoner.
"You were going to signal the gang when all was in readiness for anattack," went on Captain Moore.
"Bicker was going to do that."
"What was the signal to be?"
"Three white handkerchiefs stuck on the ends of a cross made of stickssix feet long. He was going to show these at ten in the morning or fourin the afternoon, from the southwest corner of the stockade, behind themess hall."
"And what was the signal to be if you wanted the enemy to hold off for awhile?"
"A red shirt if he wanted them to hold off for one day and a red and ablue shirt if they were to hold off for two days."
"You are certain about these signals? Remember, if you are telling a lieit will all come back on your own head."
"I am telling the strict truth," answered Drossdell.
Boys of The Fort; Or, A Young Captain's Pluck Page 27