"Get out!"
Merriwell uttered the words, and Higgins took the hint.
"All right," he snarled; "but this doesn"t end it! I"ll make all of yer suffer fer this!"
He arose, mounted his waiting horse, and galloped away after Hodge.
CHAPTER XXII.
ISA ISBAN.
Late that same afternoon the five boys were riding westward, when Frank said:
"Something mysterious has happened, fellows."
"What is it?" asked Jack, who was instantly interested in any mystery.
"A short time ago I saw a horseman away down the road here."
"Yes."
"He was coming toward us."
"Well?"
"We have not met him."
"No."
"Look--the road lies before us for a mile. Where is he?"
"Not in sight, that is sure."
"He must have turned off somewhere," said Rattleton.
"That is true, but we have seen no road that turned off from this."
"Perhaps he saw us and turned aside to avoid us."
"Or it may have been Bill Higgins, the sheriff, and he is lying in wait to arrest us all," suggested Browning.
"It was not Higgins," a.s.sured Merriwell. "It was a young man, I am sure, although I obtained but a glimpse of him through the trees. We have pa.s.sed no house since then."
"Never mind him," said Harry. "We must find a place to stop for the night."
"I wish we might learn what has happened to Hodge before we stop. I don"t believe Higgins recaptured him."
"It"s ten chances to one we"ll never hear anything more about him while we are in California."
"I know that, and I am sorry. I wanted to keep him with us, for he is in great need of friends to straighten him up. He has fallen in with bad companions, and they are ruining him."
"I should say so!" exclaimed Diamond. "He is a fool to let himself be worked by a girl."
"Don"t take Hodge for a fool, Jack. He is anything but a fool, but he is easily influenced, and he is proud and pa.s.sionate. Fairly started on the wrong road, he may go to ruin in a hurry. If we could get him out of this State--save him from arrest! Should he be arrested, tried and condemned, it would mean his utter and complete ruin. After serving a term in prison, he would feel the disgrace so deeply that nothing could save him."
"Well, you have taken a big contract if you are going to try to save him now," Diamond declared.
"It might be done, but----h.e.l.lo! this looks like a path."
Frank was off his wheel in a moment, and he quickly decided that a path led from the regular trail into the dark shadows to the forest to the northward.
"Wonder where it would take us," he muttered. And then, seized by a sudden inspiration, he cried:
"Come on, fellows; let"s go on an exploring expedition."
Diamond protested, and Browning growled after his usual lazy manner, but Frank was supported by Rattleton and Toots, and the majority ruled.
The path, where it turned off from the road, seemed to be somewhat hidden, but it soon became plain enough, and they were able to ride along in single file, Merriwell leading.
They had proceeded in this manner about a mile when they came in sight of a small cabin that was set down in a little hollow amid the trees.
The place looked lonely and deserted, but Frank rode straight toward it, and the others followed.
The boys dismounted before the cabin, and Merriwell rapped loudly on the door. He was forced to knock three times before he obtained a response.
The door opened slowly, and a bent and feeble-looking man with dirty white hair looked at them.
"Who are you?" he asked, in a cracked voice, suspicion showing plainly in his eyes, which were bright and clear for all of his age.
"Travelers," replied Frank, cheerfully. "We were pa.s.sing, and, as night is at hand, we decided to ask shelter here."
"It is useless to ask," the man declared, with a shake of his head. "I can"t keep you. It is very strange that you should be pa.s.sing this place. The road does not come within a mile of here."
"That is true, but we found a path, and became convinced that it must lead to a house, so here we are."
"You have had your trouble for nothing; I shall not keep you."
"Hospitable old man!" murmured Browning, sarcastically.
Despite his age, the man was not hard of hearing, for he caught the big fellow"s words and shot him a look.
"Surely you will not turn us away now," urged Frank. "It will be dark by the time we reach the road again."
"That is nothing to me."