"They gave us the slip," complained Baldy in discouraged tones. "Their horses were fresher than ours were. Probably they got out of the way of the fire sooner than we did."
"Did you get close enough to recognize them?" Mr. Pertell wanted to know.
"I didn"t know any of "em," a.s.serted Baldy. "Not that I got any too close," he added, grimly. "They sure can ride, even if they don"t have our style."
"I"m not sure," remarked Russ, as he put away the camera which he had had no chance to use after filming the start of the cowboys, "I"m not sure, but I think I recognized one of the fellows as the chap who was at Rocky Ranch when we arrived there."
"Then he has others with him," said Mr. Pertell.
"Evidently."
"And they will probably try to do us some more mischief," went on the manager. "We still have several important films to make, and if they try to steal our ideas and get the pictures we go to so much trouble to make we may as well give up."
"Don"t you do it!" cried Baldy Johnson. "Don"t you do it! We"ll get after these fellows the first thing in the morning, and round "em up good and proper."
"That"s what we will!" cried his companion. "Whoop-ee for the round-up!"
"We"ll pay "em for startin" that fire," went on Baldy.
"Yes, and for stampedin" those cattle, too," added Buster Jones.
"Do you think they did that?" Mr. Pertell asked, quickly.
"I wouldn"t be a bit surprised," declared Buster. "If they was mean enough to start a fire to spoil the picture they wouldn"t stop at a little thing like stampedin" a bunch of cattle. I"m sure they done it."
"Then all the more reason for runnin" "em out of the country!" decided Baldy. "We"ll get on the trail early in the mornin", boys."
"We"re with you!" cried the others.
The camp, which had been made on the side of the creek where refuge had been taken from the fire, was soon in order. The cook wagon and supplies had been sent far away from the scene of the blaze when it was started, and it had come up by a different trail. Soon with tents erected, and with the sleeping wagon for the ladies in readiness, quiet settled down over the scene.
Believing that it was more necessary to capture or drive out of that section the rivals who were endeavoring to get ahead of him, Mr. Pertell decided not to make any more films until after the chase. Preparations for this were soon under way, next morning, and, save for a small guard of cowboys left in camp, all the men riders went after the suspected ones. Mr. DeVere remained with his daughters. Of course Russ went along to make the pictures.
It was some time before the searchers got on the proper trail. They followed one or two false ones at first, but finally were set right, and then they rode furiously.
"There they are!" cried Baldy, who had taken the lead. This was after a hasty lunch. He pointed to a group of fleeing hors.e.m.e.n.
"After "em!" yelled Bow Backus.
"They shan"t get away this time!" cried Buster Jones.
And they did not. Ride as the fleeing ones might, they were no match for their pursuers, and after a short chase, which Russ was able to get on the film, the fugitives were surrounded.
"Surrender!" yelled the cowboys of Rocky Ranch as they rode down their rivals.
And the others were glad enough to pull up their jaded steeds, for they had ridden far and hard to escape. But fate was against them.
"So it"s you; is it, Wilson!" exclaimed Mr. Pertell, as he recognized the spy who had been detected in the studio.
"And there"s that other chap!" exclaimed Russ, as he saw the man who had so suddenly left Rocky Ranch. "Now if we could only get back that roll of stolen film we"d be all right."
The prisoners were searched and bound, and on Wilson were found papers incriminating him and his confederates in both the moves against our friends. Other actions to take advantage of Mr. Pertell had also been planned.
But, best of all, the headquarters of the gang was disclosed and there, among other things, was found the missing roll of film, with the seals unbroken, showing that it was not spoiled, but could be developed and printed. So, after all, there was no need of making the big scene over again. The surrept.i.tious pictures of the oil well were also recovered and destroyed.
And then, after no very gentle treatment, the Rocky Ranch cowboys ran out of the country the men who had been trying to take advantage of Mr.
Pertell"s work for the benefit of the International company.
"That"s the way!"
"Run "em out!"
"Give "em some more!"
To these startling shouts were Wilson"s men driven away, and glad enough they were to go. What other films they had taken on the sly were destroyed, and their cameras were confiscated. In fact all their efforts came to naught. It was disclosed, later, that they had not intended to endanger our friends by starting the prairie fire; only to spoil their plans.
"And now for the grand finale!" cried Mr. Pertell a few days later, when the return had been made to Rocky Ranch. "This will be the last scene in the great drama "East and West." There"s to be a cowboy festival, with all sorts of stunts in horsemanship and lariat throwing. You"ve got a lot of work ahead of you, Russ."
There were busy days at Rocky Ranch. Cowboys from neighboring places rode over to take part in the fun and frolic, and Russ got many fine films.
"Oh, I don"t know when I"ve enjoyed anything so much as I have this life in the West," said Alice, when the last film had been taken.
"Nor I," added Ruth. "It has been just glorious."
"And I am so much better," declared Mr. DeVere. "I would scarcely know I had a sore throat now."
"Oh, I"m so glad, Daddy dear!" exclaimed Alice, as she put her arms around his neck.
"And now we"re going back to New York, and have a good, long rest," went on Ruth. "I shall be sorry to get into the stuffy city again."
"I won"t," declared Miss Pennington. "I"m just dying for a sight of dear old Broadway," and as if that gave her a thought she gently powdered her nose. Perhaps it needed it, for she was very much sunburned.
"Well, you"re going back to New York all right, as far as that is concerned," said Mr. Pertell, who had overheard part of the talk. "But as for a rest--well, I suppose I"ll have to give you a little one, before we start off again."
"Oh, have you more plans in prospect?" asked Alice.
"Indeed I have, my dear young lady. We"re going in for water stuff next."
And those of you who desire to follow further the careers of Ruth, Alice and their friends, may do so by reading the next volume of this series, to be called, "The Moving Picture Girls at Sea; Or, A Pictured Shipwreck That Became Real."
"One more day at Rocky Ranch!" cried Alice, as she came out on the veranda one glorious morning. "Oh, but I don"t want to leave it!"
"Neither do I!" cried Paul, coming around the corner of the house so unexpectedly that Alice was startled. "Suppose we go for a last ride?"
he suggested.
And together they rode over the prairies, side by side toward the Golden West.