The two walked leisurely, enjoying the glorious hues of the sunset. In the west the sky was a maze of colors as the last rays of the sun flashed on the banked clouds. The gurgling of the little stream by which they walked was the only sound other than that of their footsteps that they heard. Yet Gale had the uncanny feeling that eyes were watching them. Once she turned to look back at the others in camp. They were all busy with something or other. No one was watching her and Val. Yet that peculiar feeling persisted.
Directly beneath the overhanging boulder they paused to look up at it. It hung menacingly over them. They took a few steps forward when something made Gale look up again. Certainly her eyes had not played a trick on her! The rock had actually wavered. It was falling!
“Run, Val, run,” she shouted, at the same time grasping her friend’s arm and pulling her along.
“What in the world—” Valerie began.
“The rock—it’s falling!” Gale panted.
Thereafter she did not need to urge Val to exert speed to get away from the spot toward which the rock was rushing. The two of them flung themselves forward while certain destruction hurtled down almost on them. The boulder crashed into the earth with such force that it half buried itself. On top of it poured earth that had been loosened in its descent.
“What if we had been under it?” gasped Val when the girls, at a safe distance, viewed the wreckage behind them.
“We would look like pancakes now,” Gale said humorously. “With that landslide, can you tell me how we are going to get out of here for our supper?”
Valerie looked around. What they had thought was a trail leading through the mountains was just a trail that led to the basin here, a valley on all sides of which rose steep hills. Their only means of entrance and exit had been through the pass, and now that was effectively stopped.
“I wish we would have waited for supper,” Gale said, attempting to keep lighthearted.
“You can join us,” said a suave voice behind the girls.
They whirled and were grasped in rough hands.
“Well, two are better ’n none, eh, boss?” a rumbling voice laughed. “Maybe we couldn’t get ’em all, but these two will do us.”
Both Gale and Valerie struggled, but what was the use? They were soon subdued, not too gently, and led away, their hands tied behind their backs, to a cabin, hidden entirely from the trail in a clump of trees.
CHAPTER VIII
Prisoners
“What are you going to do with us?” Gale demanded, summoning as much courage to her voice as she could.
In the untidy, sparsely furnished room on the first floor of the cabin the girls faced their abductors, three of the most dangerous, most crafty looking individuals they had ever seen. It was with a pang of fear that both Gale and Valerie recognized the leader as one of the bandits who had robbed the bank in Coxton.
The leader leered at them with a wide grin. “You, my fine young ladies, are to be our safe ticket across the border.”
“You mean—to hold us as hostages?” Gale asked.
“Call it anything you like,” he retorted. “We’re goin’ to put the proposition up to your friends. If they don’t agree, you don’t go back to ’em—that’s all.”
“You wouldn’t dare to harm us!” Gale said staunchly.
He laughed and exchanged glances with the other two men.
“Take ’em upstairs, Mike,” he ordered, and stamped from the cabin.
None too gently one of the other outlaws pushed the girls before him to where a makeshift ladder led to a loft above the first floor. They entered through a trap door and it was slammed shut after them. A rusty bar slithered into place and they were prisoners.
Gale endeavored to stand upright and sat down again abruptly as her head bumped against a beam in the ceiling.
“Well, we’ve landed ourselves in a fine mess, haven’t we?” she grumbled.
“What are we going to do, Gale?” Valerie asked.
Gale heard the tremble in Val’s voice and frowned gloomily. It was all her fault that they were in this predicament. If she hadn’t suggested the walk they wouldn’t be here now, they would be back with their friends eating a good supper.
“The first thing seems to be to get loose,” Gale said, keeping her voice perfectly normal. “Can you get your hands out?”
“No,” Val said after a few moments of futile struggling. “They made a good job of it.”
“Back up against me,” Gale directed, “and let me see if I can get the rope off your hands first.”
Valerie did as directed, but it was impossible. Not able to see the knot and working under such a handicap was too hard. Gale had to give it up. Below them everything was silent. Had the men really gone to the camp of the girls’ friends as they said they intended to do? If so, there must be a way out of the valley other than climbing over all that newly fallen rock and dirt. The landslide hadn’t blocked them in then at any rate! If once they got out of this cabin, Gale knew they would be all right. She had the means in her possession to guarantee safe conduct of their abductors—or so she thought.
In the wall just above their heads was a window, large enough for them to squeeze through Gale reflected when she saw it. Large enough to squeeze through if once they got their hands free and could open it.
“Gale—even if we get free what will we do?” Valerie asked. “The window will be too high from the ground to jump. Then, too, those men will be back soon—”
“If we get free,” Gale gritted through clenched teeth, tugging at the rope, “things will be simple. I’ve got my revolver in my boot.”
“You haven’t!” Val gasped.
Gale laughed. “Sure I have. I haven’t been without it since my uncle gave it to me. I intended to save it for rattlesnakes—but now we’ve got something else to use it on.”
“You wouldn’t actually shoot one of them, would you?” Val asked.
“What would you do?” Gale retorted. “With enough provocation, I s’pect I would. After all, they’re bandits—and we’re not exactly safe in their hands.”
“You’re right!” Val said with sudden spirit. “Shoot the whole three—they need it. I wonder when they will be back?” she added tremulously.
Gale had gained her feet, keeping her head low this time so as not to bump it, and standing with her back to the window, her exploring fingers had encountered the window catch.
“Ouch!” she said suddenly.
“What’s the matter?” Valerie demanded.
“This window catch—it’s as sharp as a knife.” Endeavoring to turn the catch, her finger had been cut by the edge of the lock. “Sharp as a knife,” she murmured again under her breath. “Hold everything, Val!” she cried excitedly.
It was an awkward, uncomfortable position Gale had to assume in order to be able to work the edge of the rope that bound her hands together over the catch. It was tiring and so slow, but it was accomplishing the task. The threads of the rope were being cut through and in a few moments she would be free. When finally the rope fell away, her arms were stiff and her wrists sore from where the rope had cut into the flesh. Then it was only a matter of minutes until she had Val free, too.
“Listen!” Val said, rubbing her wrists to restore circulation.
The sound of heavy footsteps and the murmur of voices drifted up to them. The three men reentered the room below and the girls held their breath. Almost subconsciously Gale secured her tiny revolver from the top of her boot and grasped it ready in her hand. But the trap door did not lift. No one came up to see if they were safe.
“What are we going to do now?” Valerie whispered frantically.
Gale went to the window and looked out. A porch had been added to the cabin and the roof sloped away from the window where she stood. With a protesting squeak the window swung inward when she opened it. The girls waited lest the faint noise attract the attention of their abductors. But the voices continued in their indistinguishable hum and in a minute Gale w
as through the window on the roof. She helped Valerie and the two of them clung to the window sill. Inch by inch they eased themselves over the short roof to the edge. There, Gale lay face downward and hung over.
“You’ll fall!” Valerie hissed, holding firmly to her friend’s belt.
“Shshsh,” Gale cautioned. “Are you good at sliding down a pole? Well, whether you are or not, you’re going to. I’ll go first and catch you,” she added humorously. “But don’t you fall on top of me!”
Gale restored her revolver to her boot and swung her legs over the edge. For once in her life, Gale was thoroughly glad for her athletic training and gymnastic ability. Cautiously she transferred her hold from the edge of the porch roof to the pole around which her legs were locked. She lowered herself inch by inch, with some little damage by splinters, to the ground.
“All right!” she called up to Valerie.
Her friend’s legs appeared over the edge and in another minute Val had begun her descent of the pole. In a short time she was beside Gale and the two joined hands to run from the scene. But at the same moment, the cabin door was thrown open and slammed shut again behind the leader of the three men. He did not see the girls, but as they attempted to step back into the shadow of the trees, Gale stepped on a twig. It cracked as loudly as a pistol report in the silence.
“Run, Val, toward the pass,” Gale said, her hand on her friend’s arm, urging her along.
“But you—” Val protested.
“I’m coming,” Gale said. “Go on,” she urged. “I’ll stop him from following us.”
The leader was coming toward them now, to investigate that mysterious noise among the trees.
“Who’s there?” he called. “Stop or I’ll shoot!”
But the girls sped off through the trees. A bullet whistled through the leaves above their heads and abruptly they zigzagged from their course. They could hear the bandit crashing after them. They stumbled on, covering the ground as rapidly as they could. Somewhere ahead was the pass that had been blocked that afternoon, but surely they could find some way past or over it. Beyond the pass lay their friends and safety. The thought lent new vigor to them. Another bullet sped past them.
Gale whirled and fired point blank at the shadow of their pursuer. A groan was her reward and the chase was effectively stopped. The shots had summoned the other two men who were thrashing about in a vain attempt to find the cause of the shooting. By the time they discovered their companion, the girls were farther away.
Val had reached the blocked pass and was already endeavoring to climb up and over the landslide when Gale caught up with her. Gale assisted her chum as much as she could, for she could see that Val was nearing the end of her endurance. They were forced to rest to catch their breath several times, and each time they feared that the three bandits would be on their heels. But silence seemed to have settled over the valley and the cabin they had left behind. They heard nothing as they reached the rise of ground and began their slippery slide down the other side.
Halfway down they met Tom and Jim, who were making an attempt to climb over the boulder and find the girls, and also to fathom the mystery of the shots they had heard.
By the time the four arrived at the camp, Tom and Jim were supporting Valerie. The excitement had buoyed her up, but now that the suspense was past, Val was utterly worn out.
CHAPTER IX
On the Trail
“Did you kill him, I hope?” Janet asked with keen excitement.
Valerie was in her tent asleep while Gale, after a substantial supper, told the others of what had happened to them. She had come to the part in their escape when she stopped and fired at the bandit when Janet voiced her opinion.
Gale shivered. “I hope I didn’t,” she declared. “I wouldn’t care to be a murderess.”
“I think there is not much danger of that,” Tom reassured her. “Those fellows are pretty hard to kill.”
“We were all nearly frantic,” Virginia said, a fond arm about Gale’s shoulders. “First we saw the rock fall and then when you didn’t come back—we didn’t know what to think or do!”
“That’s something else,” Gale said, “that rock didn’t fall of its own accord. It was pushed.”
“Are you sure?” Carol demanded.
“I saw the man,” Gale said positively. “Something, I don’t know what, made me look up just as we were walking under it.”
“That something saved you from being smashed flatter than a pancake,” Janet said wisely.
“But who would push the rock?” Madge asked wonderingly. “Those men didn’t actually want to—murder you, did they?”
Gale laughed nervously. “Let’s hope they didn’t; they might try again.”
“Hereafter none of you go wandering away by yourselves from camp,” Jim said sternly. “To-morrow Tom and I will go see those fellows, since they didn’t come to see us,” he added grimly.
“But you—” Virginia was beginning when her voice died away into silence.
The thunder of hoofs echoed down into the valley to them. All eyes turned up to where the rim of the mountain was silhouetted against the moonlit sky. Three black mounted figures were picking their way slowly across the trail. In a moment they were swallowed up in the blackness of a forest as they made their way down to the valley some distance from the Adventure Girls’ camp.
“Three of them,” Tom murmured. “Evidently you didn’t kill that fellow after all, Gale.”
“And I’m afraid we won’t be able to get a look at them tomorrow,” Jim added. “We’ll follow their trail of course to see in what direction they are heading. I think, Virginia, you had better lead the girls back to the K Bar O. There is too much danger in these hills.”
“Nothing doing,” Janet interrupted, flatly. “We like danger and we don’t want to go home. If you follow the bandits, so do we!”
“I’m afraid we’re all agreed on that,” Gale nodded.
“So you see it is useless for you to argue,” Virginia added, as Jim opened his mouth to protest.
“But Dad wouldn’t like it, Virginia,” Tom said with a frown. “Jim and I are responsible for you girls. If anything happens—”
“Nothing will,” Carol assured him. “We all bear charmed lives. We shall return to the K Bar O when our trip is over just as we started out,” she declared.
“But what about Valerie?” Madge put in. “Do you think she can stand a lot of hard riding?”
Gale grew thoughtful. “She came through tonight with never a protest. I believe Val can stand a lot more than we give her credit for.”
Later, lying on her bed of pine boughs beside Phyllis, Gale thought of Valerie again. It had been strenuous, climbing down from the roof and later fleeing through the underbrush and over that huge boulder had been particularly wearying, without considering that they did it all on top of a day’s riding. Val had borne up marvelously well. True she had been near collapse at the end, but then she herself had not had much vitality left and she had always been stronger than Valerie. Yes sir, Val was in a much better physical condition than when they had started for the West.
The morning, however, found Valerie not as robust as Gale’s optimistic thoughts had pictured her. Breaking camp was delayed until lunch time in order to give Val the benefit of a few more hours rest. After luncheon, the party saddled and mounted their horses. After a while, Jim picked up the trail of the outlaws and they followed it a short distance. But the bandits had evidently suspected a chase and rode their horses into a stream. From there all trace of trail was wiped out.
Sunset found them miles from the scene of the girls’ adventure. Supper was prepared and after it had disappeared they sat about the campfire telling stories or singing songs. They retired early and were up with the first rays of the sun.
Day after day they followed the same procedure. Their skins were getting tanned and their appetites were enormous.
“I never thought I could eat so much,” wailed Janet, after a particu
larly hearty meal.
“You’ll look like a baby elephant when we get back home,” prophesied Carol encouragingly.
They rode like regular westerners now, and every day they appreciated more and more the beauty of the country through which they rode. If Jim had planned on showing them the loveliest scenery, he was running true to plan. The girls had never realized before that nature, untamed by man, could be so lovely. They never realized that just to sit and gaze at a sunset could bring such a thrill. In every way the country was affecting them. Physically they were healthier than they had ever been. Their mental outlook was brighter, more cheerful. Here in limitless space, mid tall mountains, they felt more drawn to one another. Their friendships grew and flourished.
One day they camped close to the mighty Colorado River that flows through the Grand Canyon. The cliffs of sandstone and limestone, almost a mile high, were so rugged and majestic as to fill the girls with awe. All the colors of the rainbow were in the rocks and under the influence of the sun and the shadows cast by it, formed pictures of entrancing beauty, pictures too beautiful to ever be put down on canvas. Rain and wind had sculptured the cliffs into bewildering and fantastic forms which added to their brilliant coloring.
“Doesn’t it make you feel tiny?” murmured Janet, scarcely above a whisper, afraid to disturb the great hush that hung over the Canyon.
“The Canyon was first seen by white men in 1541,” Tom told them. “The Colorado River where it runs through the Canyon there is three hundred feet wide, and in times of freshets it’s a mighty torrent.”
“You sound like a traditional guide book,” Janet told him.
“It’s wonderful,” Valerie murmured, voicing the feelings of all of them.
Another day found the Adventure Girls and their friends examining the colossal stone tree trunks of the Petrified Forest. Here they found more to awe and surprise them. Still another day found them at the rim of the Painted Desert, the desert with its multi-colored plains alive with somber, purple shadows.
“I’m overwhelmed!” Carol declared. “From now on I shall be a strong advocate of See America First!”
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