"I guess we have," said Tom. "We are safe and sound, and that is the main thing, so far as we are concerned."
Here let me add a few words more and then bring to a close this tale of "The Rover Boys on the Plains."
Utterly worn out, the boys remained where they were until noon of the day which was now dawning. At a great distance, they heard pistol and gun shots, and they knew that some sort of a fight must be going on.
They were just preparing to move for town, when they saw two of the posse returning with three prisoners, each disarmed and with his hands bound behind him. One of the prisoners was Puller and another Andy Jimson.
"We are going to get most of them," said one of the posse to the boys. "But they are a pretty desperate lot."
The prisoners were placed in charge of the Rovers and their friends, and the whole party moved for town without delay, while the men of the posse went back to continue the hunt for the counterfeiters. In the end, every man but Sack Todd was captured. Dan Baxter was tracked to the edge of the swamp, and there his horse was found, stuck in the ooze, Nearby lay the hat of the bully.
"My opinion is that Baxter lost his life trying to get through the swamp," said James Monday after the hunt had come to a finish.
"What a horrible end," said Sam, and shivered.
"Perhaps he did lose his life," was d.i.c.k"s comment. "But I shan"t believe it until I have the direct evidence. I guess, though, I"ve seen the last of my watch," he added.
A search was kept up for several days for Baxter, but it brought no further traces of the misguided youth.
"He is gone, that"s sure," said Tom. "I must say, I never thought he"d have such an ending as this!"
James Monday was much chagrined to think that Sack Todd had slipped him, but he was much elated when one of the posse found several pack-ages among the rocks. These packages contained all of the printing plates used in the manufacturing of the counterfeit bank notes.
"The plates are what the government wants, most of all," he told the boys. "They were made by an old engraver who was once in the employ of the government. The man is too old and shaky to make other plates, and as Sack Todd isn"t an engraver himself, it"s not likely he will attempt to go into the business again."
As soon as all the criminals were properly jailed and the boys had given their testimony, they obtained a good night"s rest and then set off for Carson Denton"s plantation. The remainder of the trip proved uneventful, and when they reached their destination they felt in the best of spirits once more. The news of what had occurred had preceded them, and they were looked upon as heroes by the girls and Mrs. Laning and Mrs. Stanhope.
"But you mustn"t get into any such trouble again," said Dora to d.i.c.k.
"Think, if you had been burnt up at that fire!" cried Nellie.
"Or if those bad men had shot you," added Grace.
"Well, we came out of it with a whole skin," said Tom, "so we need not complain."
"And I guess, with Baxter gone, our troubles are about over," said Sam. But he was mistaken in his surmise, as we shall learn in the next volume of this series, ent.i.tled "The Rover Boys in Southern Waters; or, The Deserted Steam Yacht." In this volume we shall meet all of our young friends again and learn the particulars of a most peculiar happening.
When the proper time came, the rascals who had been captured were tried and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. All that remained of Red Rock ranch was confiscated by the government, and the paper and printing machinery were destroyed.
While at the plantation, the boys had much sport hunting and fishing and riding. The girls often went along; and all too soon it was announced that the houseboat was once more ready for use, and the brief outing ash.o.r.e must come to an end.
"Well, take it all in all, we have had a good time," said d.i.c.k
"Yes," answered Sam, "although we had a little more excitement than we bargained for."
"Excitement!" came from Tom. "Pooh! Life wouldn"t be worth living without some excitement."
And then he set up a merry whistle; and with that whistle let us bring this story to a close.
THE END