CHAPTER XXXIV
THE PRISONERS
I had no great difficulty in persuading the immigrants to rest over.
"To tell you the truth," the narrator confided to me, "I don't knowwhere we're going. We have no money. We've got to get work somehow. Idon't know now why we came."
His name, he told me, was George Woodruff; he had been a lawyer in asmall Pennsylvania town; his total possessions were now represented bythe remains of his ox team, his wagon, and the blankets in which heslept. The other man was his brother Albert, and the woman hissister-in-law.
"We started with four wagons and a fine fit-out of supplies," he toldme--"food enough to last two years. This is what we have left. Thecattle aren't in bad shape now though; and they are extra fine stock.Perhaps I can sell them for a little."
Two days passed. We arose the morning of the third to find that the oxenhad strayed away during the night. Deciding they could not have wanderedfar, I went to my gold washing as usual, leaving Woodruff and hisbrother to hunt them up. About ten o'clock they came to my claim verymuch troubled.
"We can't find them anywhere," they told me, "and it doesn't seemnatural that they should stray far; they are too tired."
I knocked off work, and returned with them to the flat, where weproceeded to look for tracks. The earth was too hard and tramped to showus much, and after a half hour of fruitless examination we returned tocamp with the intention of eating something before starting out on aserious search. While thus engaged the express messengers rode up.
"Hullo!" said Johnny cheerfully. "Glad to hear you made such a goodthing out of your cattle!"
He caught our stare of surprise, swung from his horse and advanced on uswith three swift strides.
"You haven't sold them?" he exclaimed.
"We've been looking for them all the morning."
"Stolen, boys!" he cried to his companions. "Here's our job! Come on!"
He leaped on his horse in the headlong, graceful fashion the boys hadcultivated at the relay station, and, followed by Cal and Old, dashedaway.
We made nothing definite of this, though we had our surmises toexchange. As the boys had not returned an hour later, I resumed mydigging while the Woodruffs went over to visit with Yank, who was nowout of bed. Evening came, with no sign of our friends. We turned in atlast.
Some time after midnight we were awakened by the shuffling and lowing ofdriven cattle, and went out into the moonlight to see our six oxen, justreleased from herding, plunging their noses thirstily into the littlestream from the spring. Five figures on horseback sat motionless in thebackground behind them. When the cattle had finished drinking, thehorsemen, riding in two couples and one single, turned them into theflat, and then came over to our camp.
After they had approached within plain sight we saw that the singlehorseman was Cal Marsh; and that Johnny and Old each led an animal onwhich a man was tied, his arms behind him, his feet shackled beneath thehorse's barrel.
"Here, you fellows," said Johnny in a low voice, "just catch hold hereand help with these birds."
The three descended rather wearily from their horses, the lead lines ofwhich Cal held while the rest unshackled the prisoners and helped themto dismount. They were both known to me, one as the big desperado,Malone; and the other as the barkeeper at Morton's place, our old friendof Chagres days. The latter's head was roughly bound with a bloodycloth. Under Johnny's direction we tied them firmly. He issued hisorders in a low-voiced, curt fashion that precluded anything but themost instant and silent obedience.
"There," said he at last, "they'll do. Chuck them inside where they'llbe out of sight. Now about those two horses----"
"I'll just run 'em up to the Dutchman's Flat and stake 'em out thar,"interposed Old. "Thar ain't no one thar; and they won't be discovered."
"Well," conceded Johnny, "if your horse isn't too tired."
"She'll make it," replied Old confidently.
"Now for our horses," said Johnny. "Won't do to be getting in at thistime of night. It doesn't look natural. Don't believe we can get them tothe stable without being spotted. Maybe you'd better stake them up theretoo. Can you walk back?"
"I reckon," said Old.
He tied the four led horses together, mounted, took the lead rope fromCal, and rode off up the gulch.
Cal came to the fire and sat down. I was instantly struck by his ghastlyappearance.
"Cal's bored through the shoulder," Johnny explained. "Now, Jim, you'vegot to go up and get Dr. Rankin. He lives at Barnes's hotel, you know.Barnes is all right; bring him down, too, if you happen to wake him up.Go around to Danny Randall's quietly and tell him we want to see him. Hesleeps in that little back room. Throw some pebbles against thestovepipe; that'll wake him up. Look out he doesn't pot you. Don't letanybody see you if you can possibly help; and tell the others to slipout here quietly, too. Do you understand all that?"
"I see what I'm to do," I assented; "but let me in! What's it allabout?"
"We met these men and three others driving Woodruff's oxen thismorning," said Johnny rapidly. "Stopped and had quite a chat with them.They told what sounded like a straight story of having bought the oxen.I knew Woodruff wanted to sell. Didn't suppose they'd have the nerve tolift them right under our noses. Guess they hadn't an idea they'd meetus on the road. We were taking the lower trail just for a change. So assoon as we got the news from you, we went back, of course. Theysuspected trouble, and had turned off. Old and Cal are wonders attrailing. Came up with them just beyond Bitter Water, and monkeyedaround quite a while before we got a favourable chance to tackle them.Then we took the cattle away and brought back these birds. That's allthere was to it."
"You said five. Where are the other three?"
"Killed 'em," said Johnny briefly. "Now run along and do your job."
After some delay and difficulty I fulfilled my instructions, returningat last in company with Danny Randall, to find my friends sitting aroundthe little fire, and Dr. Rankin engaged in bathing Cal's wound. Johnnywas repeating his story, to which the others were listening attentively.
"I learned a little more of this sort of thing in Sacramento," he wasconcluding. "And I'd like to state this right here and now: practicaljokes on these immigrants are poor taste as far as I am concerned fromnow on. That's my own private declaration of war."
"Let's take a look at your birds, Johnny," suggested Randall.
I brought out the prisoners and stacked them up against the trees. Theygave us back look for look defiantly.
"You won't live a week after this," said the Morton man, whose name wasCarhart, addressing Johnny.
"I'll just have a look at your head, my friend," said Dr. Rankin.
The man bent his head, and the doctor began to remove the bloodybandages.
"Question is," said Johnny, "what do we do with them?"
Danny was thinking hard.
"One of two things," said he at length: "We can string them up quietly,and leave them as a warning; or we can force matters to a showdown bycalling a public meeting."
"Question is," said I, "whether we can get anybody with nerve enough toserve as officers of court, or, indeed, to testify as witnesses."
"You said a true word there," put in Carhart with an oath.
"I'll bear witness for one," offered Dr. Rankin, looking up from hiswork, "and on a good many things."
"Look out, damn you!" muttered Carhart.
"I've been called to a good many cases of gunshot wounds," continued thedoctor steadily, "and I've kept quiet because I was given to understandthat my life was worth nothing if I spoke."
"You'd better keep your mouth shut!" warned the bandit.
"Now," pursued the doctor, "I personally believe the time has come toassert ourselves. I'm in favour of serving notice on the whole lot, andcleaning up the mess once and for all. I believe there are more decentmen than criminals in this camp, if you get them together."
"That's my idea," agreed Johnny heartily. "Get the camp together; I'llsee eve
ry man in it and let Woodruff tell his tale, and then let Old orme tell ours."
"And I'll tell mine," said Dr. Rankin.
Danny Randall shook his head.
"They'll rise to it like men!" cried Johnny indignantly. "Nobody but amurderer and cattle thief listening to that story could remain unmoved."
"Well," said Danny, "if you won't just quietly hang these fellows rightnow, try the other. I should string 'em up and shut their mouths. You'retoo early; it won't do."
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