"And what are we to do after our display of force?" asked Long Shorty.
"Send a letter to the Barracks, calling on the officer commanding to surrender," answered John Berwick.
"If he does not surrender? Suppose he tells you to go to the devil?"
"We"ll give him till Sat.u.r.day to consider it."
"And then, if he says no?"
"He won"t say no: he is a humane man, and must know we are in the right.
He must also be aware that we can annihilate him."
Berwick did not quite possess the a.s.surance he showed in this reply.
There might be such a thing as Smoothbore being willing to die at his post. Of late this idea had been more and more gaining hold on his mind; his sleep had become more restless as the time for action approached. In all probability some irresponsible person would make a slip, which would precipitate matters.
Dark thoughts and doubts came upon him, as they must at times to every leader who holds under his control many lives; but resolutely he put them from him, and comforted his heart, strengthened his determination, by remembering the wrongs they had suffered and the righteousness of their cause. He hoped earnestly that Smoothbore would recognize that his force was outnumbered by at least ten to one.
But Long Shorty was tenacious; possibly he thought he detected some wavering in his leader. And so he persisted,
"But if he does call the bluff?"
"In that case we must hold a council of war, and determine what to do.
Our display of force on Wednesday should make him apprehensive. By Friday our intentions and strength must have impressed him. Then we shall forward him a summons to surrender! If by Sat.u.r.day noon he has not complied...."
"We"ll drop a few bullets round the flag-pole," cried Long Shorty; "and it would not do much harm if we peppered a yellow-leg or two."
"I"d rather they got one of the grafters!" said a recruit, to which remark others chorused, "Hear! hear!"
"We"ll see--we"ll see! What we need first is to get our forces camped in the woods. So pa.s.s the word among our adherents that they are expected to gain their encampment during Monday and Tuesday. Let Sunday be a day of rest; it is possible the Sunday after may be far from peaceful!"
"All right, boss," spoke up Frank. Frank was far more loyal to "Parson Jack," much less inclined to question him, than Long Shorty.
"That ends this present business," said John. "Those of you who don"t wish to go into town may as well stay and go over the ground in survey of a line of entrenchment."
Thereupon, with his friends about him, John went to his den and secured a pick and shovel hidden there, and with them traced a furrow, to be enlarged later. The riflemen would lie there and fire upon the Barracks.
To this day that furrow is to be found across the top of the Dome.
Dawson was now at the zenith of its prosperity. Not only had the creeks produced many millions, but vast sums of outside capital were being paid for speculative claims, as well as for properties of proven worth. For those who were prosperous it was a heyday of delight; to those whose fortunes had stuck it was no heyday. It was for these that Berwick and his comrades were working: to give honest workers something of a fair chance; though there was a long span between the idealism of John and the motives of Long Shorty, which were not a little selfish and sordid.
There have been many popular outbursts in the world"s history; but never had a leader entered his fortunes against an established Government with the chances of success held by Berwick! In numbers, in arms and equipment, he had the advantage. His hesitation was, therefore, not due to any shirking of the issue. He was the reverse of a moral coward; and yet he felt keenly the responsibility and unpleasantness of the part he had to play in leading a force against the authority of Britain"s Queen.
It was duty which drove him against his patriotic instincts. He loathed the necessity; but there was no alternative if wrongs were to be righted.
The five colleagues had been thoughtfully watching Dawson, that hive of human bees.
The first to break the silence was Long Shorty, when he told of his acquaintanceship with Five Ace Dan on the Wood-pile, and added the suggestion that he might prove useful. This roused Hugh, who said sharply, "We don"t want any jail-birds!"
"He"s a bit of a tin-horn," protested Shorty, "but he ain"t a jail-bird."
"There ain"t much difference," was Hugh"s retort. Long Shorty held his peace.
CHAPTER XXIX
STONY GROUND
Constable Hope had no doubts. Professional instinct told him there was an important conspiracy hatching. He was ambitious, and he loved his work, so that every impulse prompted him to find and follow the threads of the plot. Smoothbore"s action in keeping "tab"[10] on the number of men carrying rifles suggested to him that his Commandant regarded the situation as serious.
[10] Watch.
Therefore, beyond his orders--which were sufficient in themselves to work off an ordinary policeman"s superfluous energy--Hope worked overtime. He discovered that George, Hugh, and Frank occupied the home-ranch once more, and were extremely busy. He reasoned that if a man"s business be legitimate, it is easy to learn its nature. As the business of these men was not quite evident, he determined to find out what it was. So that on the morning of the meeting at the Dome Hope had made his way there also, by a detour to the east. His route was the longer, and the sun was hot. Also the trail he took led through some patches of swamp, which meant mosquitoes.
When he reached the nearest point to the Dome, where he could remain under cover of the bush, he was still out of earshot. He watched those who came in view, but because the council had been seated in a circle about the summit, after the manner of the Indian pow-wow, and he was below the level of that summit, he could see only some of those who had attended.
After the meeting had dissolved, and those remaining had plotted out their entrenchments and started to return to Dawson, Hope made bold to follow them. He drew back in time to avoid discovery from the five who still were gazing thoughtfully upon the town; but he happened to hear the reference to Five Ace Dan and the Wood-pile.
"They"re camped on our trail. Five Ace would hardly be in demand for a prayer meeting," thought the guardian of the peace, as eventually he returned to the Police Barracks. He at once reported to Sergeant Galbraith.
"The big Tyee[11] held a council of war on the summit at noon to-day.
These fellows are sure up to something."
[11] Chinook for Chief.
"Hear anything?"
"No; could not get near enough, except at the last, when the big Yankee said something about Five Ace Dan."
"Who"s he?" asked Galbraith.
"The tin-horn on the Wood-pile for pulling a gun. Well, the Yankee said something about his helping their cause or something; and the one they call Hugh said he had no use for tin-horns. It looks as if the Yankee might be in communication inside the Barracks."
"Well, he wouldn"t learn much."
"He might tell them how poor are our arms."
"They know that already," Galbraith snorted.
"And how weak our guard is."
"They know that, too. That"s the reason of this insurrection, or one of the reasons. But what has a reference to Five Ace Dan got to do with this plot that is supposed to be going on?"
"Nothing, I guess. Probably nothing!"
"Well, the only thing you have to report is, that there was a pow-wow on the Dome this morning."
"I guess so."