登陆注册
25530900000037

第37章 WOLVES ON THE MOUNTAIN.(2)

"Say," grunted Shaw, rolling over on his back, "I'm all fried out.""You have plenty of fat left," grinned Jimmie. "How did you fellows get here?""By following the signs in the stones," Frank replied.

Then Jimmie turned to Peter, also panting from his climb.

"Where's the drum you went after," he demanded, tauntingly.

"I got lost on the way down," Peter explained. "I didn't think I'd ever see or hear a drum again. Then I came upon Frank. He was lost, too. I was on my way down to the camp, and he was on his way up to the camp, and we met half a mile to the south of the camp, both trudging along like fools."The situation was explained in a few words. Both boys had missed the trail, and had found, not the camp, but each other. They had last met in New York. Frank had not the slightest notion that Peter had left the city. It was a fortunate meeting, for the two, after greeting each other like chums, had studied the situation out much better than one could have done, with the result that, after many false trails had been followed, they had struck the one left by Jimmie.

Where are they going with Fremont?" Frank asked, in a moment.

"They seem to be going after the reward," replied Jimmie.

"He'll get all the reward that's coming to him before he gets over the river and claims the money," Frank exclaimed. "Do you think Fremont knows that you are here?"Jimmie shook his head.

"I've had to keep back," he said, "and Fremont never will look my way when I get close up to where he is.""He ought to know," the drummer said.

"I've done my best," Jimmie said, in a discouraged tone.

Frank Shaw smiled and dropped down behind a huge rock.

"Just wait a minute," he said. "Just wait until I catch me breath, and I'll put him wise to the fact that there's a Black Bear somewhere in this turned-up-on-edge country.

Watch, and see him jump."

Frank put his hand to his throat and emitted a growl which would have done credit to a genuine black bear, a bear in a museum warning the inquisitive to keep away from his cage. The threatening sound, however, seemed to come from the other side of the slope where the prisoner stood.

The Englishman drew a revolver and glanced sharply around, while the outlaws seized their guns and held them ready for action. It was clear to the boys that they had been completely deceived by the signal, and were expecting an attack from the animal at any moment.

Fremont did not seem to notice the signal, which was one the members of the Black Bear Patrol had long practiced both in the forest and in their club room, but his eyes were for an instant lifted toward the hiding place occupied by the three boys.

"He's next," whispered Fenton.

"I should say so," grunted Frank. "I guess he'd know a Black Bear signal anywhere. We didn't learn that call by any correspondence school method. It is the genuine thing. We got it by dodging the keepers and stirring up the black bears at Central Park."The outlaws were now ****** timid runs out toward the point from which the sound had come, and the boys thought best to drop back a short distance, still keeping Fremont in sight, however. Directly the outlaws assembled again and stood talking in the villainous lingo which they had used before. It was evident that they were not a little alarmed at the thought of a wild animal being so close to them.

"They'll think there's more than one Black Bear after them," Shaw whispered as the men turned down the eastern slope and again moved toward the desert-like plain which lay between the mountains and the river.

"There's a Wolf after them, too," grinned Jimmie. "If I had some of the Wolves I left in New York we'd eat 'em alive," he added. "I'm hungry enough to eat that big lobster at three bites."As the boy ceased speaking a pebble struck him on the top of the head, and the whine of a wolf reached his ears. There was silence for a moment, and then the sharp, vicious, canine-like snap of a wolf on scent was heard.

"I reckon all the Wolves in the world are not in New York," Shaw said.

"That was a patrol signal, Jimmie. Go out and find your chum.""It's Nestor!" almost shouted the boy, and Nestor it was, climbing laughingly toward the astonished group.

"Get down! Get down," warned Frank. "You'll give us all away."Nestor pointed to the ridge, from which the outlaws had now disappeared, and threw himself down by the side of the boys.

"Did you bring anything to eat?" demanded Frank, rubbing his stomach.

"Where are the secret service men?" asked Fenton.

"This looks like a Boy Scout convention," Jimmie put in. "Where did you come from, and why didn't the guards come with you?"In a few words Nestor explained the situation. He had left the secret service men to convey the prisoners to El Paso, and had entered alone upon a search for his friends. In a short time he had come upon signs in stones left by Shaw and Fenton, and had followed them to the place of meeting.

"What's the matter with the secret service men?" asked Shaw.

"Aw, they're jealous of Nestor!" Jimmie put in. "I reckon they wouldn't much care if Nestor had been geezled instead of Fremont.""They did all they were ordered to do," Nestor replied. "It is now up to us to release Fremont. "I'm glad he knows we are here," Nestor added, after due explanation had been made by Jimmie and Shaw. "He'll be on the lookout for us.""How are you going to get him?" asked Fenton.

"You've heard of cutting cattle out of a herd?" smiled Nestor. "Well, that is the way we are going to get Fremont. We're going to cut him out."CHAPTR XVII.

PLENTY OF BLACK BEARS.

"There's four of us now," Jimmie urged, "and we've all got guns, so we ought to go after the lobsters and get Fremont away from them.""They look like dubs," Frank put in, "and I believe they'll run when they hear us shooting. If you won't let me drum, you must let me shoot.""You got no drum!" grinned Jimmie.

"I'm afraid they would turn their guns on their prisoner if we attached them," said Nestor. "We've just got to wait until we can cut him out.""I'm hungry enough to eat 'em all alive," cried Frank.

同类推荐
  • 明刻话本四种

    明刻话本四种

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大易象数钩深图

    大易象数钩深图

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 白雨斋词话

    白雨斋词话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 新世说

    新世说

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 澎湖考略

    澎湖考略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 忍冬

    忍冬

    年少轻狂,总会有那些一二三事。这是一个在年少时犯错,长大后救赎的故事。
  • 恋爱时不折腾,结婚后不动摇

    恋爱时不折腾,结婚后不动摇

    为什么如此之多的“三高女性”自觉选择了充当“齐天大剩”?为什么现在非常火爆的相亲节目中的男人和女人都很优秀,却少人牵手、孤单离场?为什么男人女人越来越像两条平行线,彼此倾慕却无法交集?或者即便相交,结成眷属,却只是构成了一个大大的“×”,开始于误会,终结于错误,渐行渐远,无可奈何地忍受孤独?答案就是:因为他们都缺少爱的能力。本书完全跳出了两性指南的范畴,从心理学的视角对我们的情感做出了耳目一新的分析和解读,追根溯源,深刻剖析童年时代对一个人心理的深层影响,让我们顿悟,原来,许多爱情中的偏执,婚姻中的矛盾,两性相处时的痛苦,婆媳关系里的纠结,都与我们童年时的家庭环境与教育息息相关。
  • 武魂独尊

    武魂独尊

    亘古一直流传的古老传说,当昊天的武魂重临人间之时,玄天大陆的武者将会迎来黎明的曙光!(新书期间求收藏求推荐!谢谢朋友支持!)
  • 冥王的俏医妃

    冥王的俏医妃

    一朝穿越,得神医所真传,又奉旨嫁给冥王。一处废墟,使得三人又来到了一个新的地方,神冥大陆。神冥大陆……?她竟然是个废材?她身体里竟然有个……?她遇到了谁?最终又和谁踏上巅峰之路?
  • 暴戾危机

    暴戾危机

    世界三部曲第一步,通过五合城的故事描写社会与人性
  • 侠幻独缘之幻梦初生

    侠幻独缘之幻梦初生

    为找寻异能者、反抗压迫而进行的奇幻探险旅程。
  • 抢仙:总裁的VIP情人

    抢仙:总裁的VIP情人

    这家伙从头到尾就是在扮猪吃老虎,分明就是欺负她好几千年没来过人间,初到凡尘,把她骗上床,然后吃干抹净!好啊!神仙也敢耍?你小子是活得不耐烦了!要知道,神仙可是会仙法的!可是怎么回事?她怎么飞不动?她的仙法呢?糟了!最重要的仙法没了,她不得被他吃得死死的?!以后骨头还有得剩吗?
  • 快穿:智商,你还在吗

    快穿:智商,你还在吗

    “喂,系统,为什么我感觉我的智商不在了。”【叮!由于某种原因,你的智商已下线!近期都不会上线了!】“我擦,就这样你要我怎么完成任务!!!整我呢这是!”【叮!你的系统已下线!所有的事情由宿主沐域七自行完成!】“啊喂!别走啊!”……
  • 千年醉歌

    千年醉歌

    人神魔三族共在一处,各怀心思。神族所在神魔大陆因五百年祭司和神将守护,和平度过,却在苦苦寻找当年女祭司清歌的灵魂碎片,五百年后,人族阴谋,魔族野心,带着清歌碎片的吕式微踏足此地,又会发生怎样的故事?
  • 锦屏破石卓禅师杂着

    锦屏破石卓禅师杂着

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。