"Megget can fire the prairie if he wants to, I won"t. I"m none too stuck on cattle raiding, anyhow, but when it comes to starting a fire that will probably wipe out the Half-Moon outfit and perhaps even the herd, Bobby Lawrence balks!"
"Showing the white feather, eh?" snarled his companion. "I warned Gus you wasn"t any good, but he wouldn"t believe me. You"ll do what he says, though, as long as you"re with Red Ike!"
Red Ike was a giant in strength, the bully of the gang, and Lawrence had seen too much of him to care to risk an encounter with him, so with a growl he said:
"All right. Lead the way."
"Not much. I"ll ride beside you, so you won"t come any tricks."
But though Lawrence had appeared to yield, it was only as a matter of policy, and his determination not to fire the prairie was as firm as before. Yet how he could prevent it, he was at a loss to determine until suddenly he remembered that Red Ike had asked him for a match that afternoon.
As the thought flashed through his mind that his companion had no means for carrying out Megget"s instructions Lawrence put his hand to his belt, where he carried his tobacco outfit, and quickly unloosening it, let it fall into the gra.s.s.
None too soon was his action, for even as he opened his hand to let go of the pouch that held his pipe, tobacco and cigarette papers Red Ike snapped:
"I reckon we"ve gone a mile." And as he turned to look back the signal sounded, and in a trice he saw the flames, set by his leader, leap in the air.
"Quick, Gus has touched off!" he cried, then added as he felt in vain for any matches, "Gimme some of your fire-sticks, mine are all gone."
Suppressing the smile that came to his face at the words, for Lawrence bad feared his companion might have obtained a supply from one of the others, he replied:
"Can"t. I haven"t any."
"What?" roared Red Ike. "You can"t come any such game on me. You had plenty this afternoon. Hand "em over--and be lively!"
As he spoke the bully edged his pony closer to the other.
Lawrence, however, only repeated his statement calmly.
"You won"t gimme them, eh? Then I"ll take "em myself." And like a flash his powerful fist shot out, striking his companion under the right side of his jaw with such terrific force that it lifted him from the saddle.
Springing to the ground, Red Ike roughly searched the motionless body, and when he found that the tobacco pouch was indeed gone he realized the trick that Lawrence had played.
For a moment the baffled raider glowered upon the man who had outwitted him. Then his attention was distracted by the sound of hoof beats and, turning, he beheld the two horses racing toward the hills, having taken fright at the flames leaping over the plains.
And never thinking of the man he had unhorsed, Red Ike dashed after them.
Advancing cautiously, the ranch owners and their men were beginning to wonder if they could have mistaken the direction of the signals when they heard the call again.
"That"s back of us," declared Pete.
Instantly the others turned in their saddles, and as they did so the flames bounded into the air.
"They fooled us good and plenty!" growled Nails, while all the boys glared at the foreman of the Three Stars Ranch.
"They did," a.s.serted Mr. Wilder grimly, "but it"s no use talking about it now. We"ve got all we can do to get away from the fire."
In terror the boy chums watched the flames spread as if by magic till in a few minutes a towering wall of fire was racing toward them.
"Shall we start a back fire?" asked Bill.
"No use," returned several of the cowboys, "the wind"s in the wrong direction."
"Then we"ve got to ride for it," a.s.serted Snider.
Well did the cowboys realize the danger, and with might and main they urged their ponies, each one bent only on saving himself.
For a time the two brothers and Horace kept pace with them, but they were not skilled in the fine art of getting the most out of their ponies when the animals began to tire, and it was not long before they found themselves dropping behind.
"Wait for us!" shouted Horace as he noticed the distance that separated them constantly increasing.
For a moment it seemed to the terrified lads that their cry had not been heard, yet just when they began to despair three horses dropped behind, and as the boys came up with them they recognized the two ranch owners and Pete.
"Take Horace, Pete; Snider, Tom; I"ll take Larry," commanded Mr.
Wilder, and each of the men leaped their horses to seize the bridle of the boy indicated.
Not more than two miles behind them was the terrible wall of fire.
In front of it coyotes and all other animals of the plains were In full flight, their cries of fear or pain as they fell victims to the all-devouring flames now and then rising above the sullen roar.
"Oh, it"s gaining! it"s gaining!" wailed Horace.
"Don"t look behind. Keep your eyes in front and _ride_!" commanded his father.
Sparks borne by the wind began to fall all about, now and then starting blazes which the cowboys put out by beating with their blankets where they could, yet none checked his speed. To the hot air was added smoke, and men and horses were breathing with difficulty, gasping and coughing.
"If you"ve got handkerchiefs, jam them in your mouths!" cried Snider.
Nearer, ever nearer drew the wall of flame. It seemed to the chums that they must be breathing fire, so did the air burn their mouths.
Time and again they swayed in their saddles and would have fallen had it not been for the men beside them, who had let go the bridles to steady the boys, at the same time rowelling their own mounts.
Just when it seemed to the boys that the shirts on their backs would burst into flames a shout went up from in front:
"The river! The river!"
"One more spurt, everybody!"
Gamely men, boys and horses responded.
"Right over the bank! Don"t stop!" bellowed Pete.
Ignorant of the height, caring little, eager only to gain the water, the boys felt their horses leap through the air and the next minute were sputtering and gasping as they sank below the surface of the river.
CHAPTER XXI
A RIDE FOR LIFE