Evincing a lively Interest in the two Eastern boys, the Three Stars" owner plied them with questions about Ohio and was so impressed with their answers that he extended a cordial invitation to them and the Wilder boys to pay him a visit at his ranch, promising to have his men give an exhibition of "broncho busting"
for their special benefit, an invitation which all four eagerly accepted.
Just as they were ready to rise from the table Hop Joy glided in.
"Nail, he backee," he announced. "Say he got heap talkee."
"Tell him to come round to the veranda," ordered Mr. Wilder. "By the way, how are you coming along with the cooking, Hop Joy?"
"Allee lightee. Bymeby, two hours maybe."
"Well, don"t be any longer. The sooner Ned can start, the sooner he"ll reach the Pool."
In answer the celestial bowed low, then turned and left the room.
CHAPTER XII
WHAT NAILS LEARNED
While the ranchmen and Mrs. Wilder made themselves comfortable in chairs, the boys squatted or stretched out on the piazza, their restlessness proclaiming the expectancy with which they awaited the "heap talkee" Nails desired to impart.
The cowboy soon appeared, and, after seating himself at Mr.
Wilder"s bidding, launched into an account of what he had learned in Tolopah.
"There are twenty of them in the gang," he said, "and Megget has joined them by this time, though he wasn"t with them when they made the raids. As near as I could make out, their headquarters are in the Lost Lode Mine. There are three trails to it, one leading in somewhere near the trail you all took on your hunting trip and the others to the south, along which they drive the cattle they steal.
I----"
"Mr. Wilder, you don"t suppose that could be the trail where I saw those men crossing the face of the cliff, do you?" interrupted Tom.
"I shouldn"t doubt it a bit. I"d forgotten about them entirely."
And he briefly told Snider of the figures they all had seen, adding: "Much obliged for reminding me, Tom. That may have been Megget and the fellows you met with him. Go on, Nails; anything more?"
"Nothing but that it"s my opinion they have a spy in Tolopah who keeps "em mighty well informed on the happenings at the Half-Moon and Three Stars ranches."
At the words Mr. Wilder and his neighbor exchanged significant glances.
"What makes you think so?" the latter asked. "Where did you learn all this, anyhow?"
"Oh, just nosing round," drawled Nails, but his tone suggested that he was sure of his information and at the same time unwilling to disclose its source.
"You certainly did well, Nails," complimented his master. "Knowing how many there are in the gang will enable us to lay definite plans for action. Now go and get your supper. I suppose you have seen the boys from the Three Stars in the bunkhouse?"
"I could hear "em half way to Tolopah." "Then tell them we"ll start. At what time do you think Pete will reach the pool?"
"About midnight."
"Good. Be ready to move by ten o"clock."
"And tell my outfit to make less noise," added Mr. Snider.
Until they could hear the other cowboys greeting Nails the two men were silent, and then Mr. Wilder declared:
"I had no idea Megget had twenty men with him. It"s a good thing we found out.
"Let"s see, there are nine of you from the Three Stars; nine of my boys and myself. That makes nineteen."
"And the four of us, that makes twenty-three," added Horace, deeming the moment auspicious for settling the question that was uppermost in the minds of all the lads.
"Your arithmetic is better than your facts," laughed his father.
"Oh, can"t we go, please? If Megget should see Larry and Tom, he might run and----"
"On the contrary, I"m afraid he might try to wipe out the disgrace they put upon him. No, my son, it"s going to be a hard trip. If you were along I should be worrying about you all the time.
Besides," he added, noting the keen disappointment his refusal brought, "I shall need you here so you can ride down to the pool every day and see that the cattle and horses are all right."
"That"s well enough for the others. They would be in the way, but I wouldn"t," protested Bill. "I"m old enough and strong enough to go, and the experience would do me good. If you take it, it will make just twenty on both sides."
"What do you think, Jim, shall we take Bill or not?"
As the boys awaited the answer of their friend, it was so still the fall of a pin could have been heard.
But their suspense did not last long.
With a drawl that was tantalizingly deliberate the owner of the Three Stars Ranch replied:
"I reckon we might as well. Bill"s got a level head on his shoulders, and some day he"ll be boss of the Half-Moon. If anything like this happens then he"ll know how to act. Yes, I think we"d better take him."
Aware that it would be useless to try to persuade Mr. Wilder to change his mind in respect to taking them, Tom, Larry and Horace made the most of the fact that they were to inspect the herd daily.
But it was poor recompense, and in a few minutes they went on to see how near Ned was ready to start, stopping to sample Hop Joy"s cooking on the way.
"You goee?" asked the Chinaman as the trio entered his kitchen.
"Going to eat," grinned Horace, helping himself to a doughnut and just managing to dodge a potato that Hop Joy tossed at him.
"Shoo! shoo! Lun out! Me bigee hully. No plague! no plague!"
"Poor fellow! It must be some job to get enough food ready for twelve men. Come on, let"s leave him alone," said Larry. "I"d like to go down to the bunk-house."
"That"s so. Maybe Sandy or some of his boys know the trail to the Lost Lode," agreed Horace. And to the Chinaman"s surprise they left him in peace.
The men from the Three Stars were lying in the bunks and sprawling on the benches, getting what rest they could in antic.i.p.ation of many long hours in the saddle, laughing and talking the while.
At the entrance of the trio the chatter ceased and the cowboys stared at the two Eastern boys with undisguised interest.
"Boys, these are the famous cowboy tamers, Larry and Tom Alden,"
said Horace, bowing in feigned deference and indicating his friends with a wave of his hand.