"Surest thing, you know."
"Very well. I believe you. One of my reasons for coming over here, however, was to tell you to keep your eyes and ears open to-morrow."
"I"ll do that for you----"
"If we fail to find them to-morrow, I"ll ride over at night after the crowd has left here and hear what you have learned. When any of the cowmen come in, I want you to bring up the subject and try to draw them out. You"ll get something that will be of use to us, I know, for I"m dead certain that they"ve got both of those boys."
"Do you think they would dare do a thing like that?" asked Ned.
"Dare?" Luke laughed harshly. "They"d dare anything, especially about this time. Oh, did you hear whether any of them got hit last night!"
"Two or three is laid up for repairs," grinned the storekeeper.
"I"m glad of it. I wish the whole bunch had been trimmed."
"Lose many sheep?"
"Yes; too many. But that isn"t what"s troubling us now."
"No, I understand. It"s the kids."
"Exactly. Don"t forget what you have got to do, now."
Ned had been leaning against the counter listening to the conversation, when his hand came in contact with a soft object that lay on the counter. He carelessly picked it up and looked at it.
What he had found was a sombrero. This of itself was unimportant, for the store carried them for sale. A broad, yellow band about it was what attracted Ned Rector"s attention, causing him to utter a sharp exclamation.
"What is it?" demanded Luke quickly.
"Look. Did you ever see this before?" he asked excitedly.
"It"s Philip Simms"s hat," answered the foreman, fixing a stern eye on the old storekeeper.
CHAPTER XXII
CAPTURED BY THE INDIANS
"Yes. I recognized it the instant I saw it," answered Ned.
"Cavanagh, what does this mean?" demanded the foreman. "I think it"s up to you to explain and mighty quick at that."
"I--I don"t know anything about it," stammered the storekeeper.
"Where did you get that hat?"
"I bought it."
"Off whom?"
"Don"t know what his name is. I never seen him before."
"Tell me all you know. Come, I"ve no time to fool away asking you questions. Get to the point."
"I"ll tell you all I know. A fellow came in here this afternoon. I give him fifty cents for the hat and that"s all there was to it."
"Say where he come from?"
"Yes, said he was down from the Medicine range."
"That"s more than thirty miles north of here," mused the foreman. "I don"t understand it. You sure that"s all he said?"
"Yes; I don"t know any more."
"Then we"ll be off. I guess we"d better hit the trail for the Medicine range to-night so as to be well on our way by daylight."
"Here"s fifty cents. I"ll take the hat with me," said Ned, tossing a half dollar on the counter, and stowing the sombrero under his belt.
They hurried from the store, with a parting injunction to Cavanagh to be watchful. Mounting their ponies they rode swiftly away.
"We"ll return to camp before we leave for the north," said Luke.
As the sun went down, Tad, becoming concerned for himself, turned sharply to the right, urging his pony on so as to get back to camp before night. He did not relish the idea of spending another night alone in the mountains.
"I believe I don"t know where I am," decided the lad at last, pulling up sharply and gazing first at the sky, then at the unfamiliar landscape about him. "I seem to have acquired the habit of getting lost. h.e.l.lo, I hear some one coming. W-h-o-o-p-e-e!" he shouted to attract the attention of the newcomers, hoping that it might be some of the men from the Simms outfit.
There were several of them, and though they made no reply, he heard them turn their ponies in his direction. Suddenly there rode into the little clearing where he was sitting on his pony, half a dozen men, the sight of whom made him take a short, sharp breath.
"Indians!" he gasped.
With gaudily painted faces, bright blankets and buckskin suits, they made a picturesque group as they halted and surveyed the young man questioningly.
One who appeared to be the leader of the party rode forward and peered into Tad"s face.
"How," he grunted.
"How," answered Tad, saluting bravely, but feeling far from brave at that moment.
A second and younger brave rode up at this point and in very good English asked the lad who he was.
"I am from the Simms sheep ranch, and I guess I have lost my way. If you can set me straight, I shall be very much obliged."
The younger man consulted with the older one, who had greeted Tad first.
"The chief says we are going that way. If you will come along with us we will leave you within about a mile of the camp."