The Young Forester

by Zane Grey

  VIII. THE LUMBERMEN

  For a full moment I just lay still, hugging the ground, and I did notseem to think at all. Voices loud in anger roused me. Raising myself, Iguardedly looked from behind the tree.

  One of the lumbermen threw brush on the fire, making it blaze brightly.He was tall and had a red beard. I recognized Stockton, Buell's righthand in the lumber deal.

  "Leslie, you're a liar!" he said.

  Dick's eyes glinted from his pale face.

  "Yes, that's your speed, Stockton," he retorted. "You bring your thugsinto my camp pretending to be friendly. You grab a fellow behind hisback, tie him up, and then call him a liar. Wait, you timber shark!"

  "You're lying about that kid, Ward," declared the other. "You sent himback East, that's what. He'll have the whole forest service down here.Buell will be wild. Oh, he won't do a thing when he learns Ward hasgiven us the slip!"

  "I tell you, Ken Ward gave me the slip," replied Dick. "I'll admit Imeant to see him safe in Holston. But he wouldn't go. He ran off from meright here in this forest."

  What could have been Dick's object in telling such a lie? It made mewonder. Perhaps these lumbermen were more dangerous than I had supposed,and Dick did not wish them to believe I had left Penetier. Maybe he wasplaying for time, and did not want them to get alarmed and escape beforethe officers came.

  "Why did he run off?" asked Stockton.

  "Because I meant to send him home, and he didn't want to go. He's crazyto camp out, to hunt and ride."

  "If that's true, Leslie, there's been no word sent to Washington."

  "How could there be?"

  "Well, I've got to hold you anyway till we see Buell. His orders were tokeep you and Ward prisoners till this lumber deal is pulled off. We'renot going to be stopped now."

  Leslie turned crimson, and strained on the lasso that bound him to thesapling. "Somebody is going to pay for this business!" he declared,savagely. "You forget I'm an officer in this forest."

  "I'll hold you, Leslie, whatever comes of it," answered the lumberman."I'd advise you to cool down."

  "You and Buell have barked up the wrong tree, mind that, Stockton. JimWilliams, my pardner, is wise. He expects me back tomorrow."

  "See hyar, Stockton," put in Bill, "you're new in Arizona, an' I want togive you a hunch. If Jim Williams hits this trail, you ain't goin' to bewell enough to care about any old lumber steal."

  "Jim hit the trail all right," went on Dick. "He's after Greaser. It'dgo hard with you if Jim happened to walk in now."

  "I don't want to buck against Williams, that's certain," repliedStockton. "I know his record. But I'll take a chance--anyway, till Buellknows. It's his game."

  Dick made no answer, and sat there eyeing his captors. There was littletalk after this. Bud threw a log on the fire. Stockton told the Mexicanto take a look at the horses. Greaser walked within twenty feet of whereI lay, and I held my breath while he passed. The others rolled in theirblankets. It was now so dark that I could not distinguish anythingoutside of the campfire circle. But I heard Greaser's soft, shufflingfootsteps as he returned. Then his dark, slim figure made a shadowbetween me and the light. He sat down before the fire and began to rolla cigarette. He did not seem sleepy.

  A daring scheme flashed into my mind. I would crawl into camp and freeDick. Not only would I outwit the lumber thieves, but also make Dickthink well of me. What would Jim Williams say of a trick like that? Thethought of the Texan banished what little hesitation I felt. Glancinground the bright circle, I made my plan; it was to crawl far back intothe darkness, go around to the other side of the camp, and then slipup behind Dick. Already his head was nodding on his breast. It made mefurious to see him sitting so uncomfortably, sagging in the lasso.

  I tried to beat down my excitement, but there was a tingling all overme that would not subside. But I soon saw that I might have a long wait.The Mexican did not go to sleep, so I had time to cool off.

  The campfire gradually burned out, and the white glow changed to red.One of the men snored in a way that sounded like a wheezy whistle.Coyotes howled in the woods, and the longer I listened to the long,strange howls the better I liked them. The roar in the wind had dieddown to a moaning. I thought of myself lying there, with my skinprickling and my eyes sharp on the darkening forms. I thought of thenights I had spent with Hal in the old woods at home. How full thepresent seemed! My breast swelled, my hand gripped my revolver, my eyespierced the darkness, and I would not have been anywhere else for theworld.

  Greaser smoked out his cigarette, and began to nod. That was the signalfor me. I crawled noiselessly from the tree. When I found myself goingdown into the hollow, I stopped and rose to my feet. The forest was sopitchy black that I could not tell the trees from the darkness. I gropedto the left, trying to circle. Once I snapped a twig; it cracked likea pistol-shot, and my heart stopped beating, then began to thump. ButGreaser never stirred as he sat in the waning light. At last I had halfcircled the camp.

  After a short rest I started forward, slow and stealthy as a creepingcat. When within fifty feet of the fire I went down on all-fours andbegan to crawl. Twice I got out of line. But at last Dick's burlyshoulders loomed up between me and the light.

  Then I halted. My breast seemed bursting, and I panted so hard that Iwas in a terror lest I should awaken some one. Again I thought of what Iwas doing, and fought desperately to gain my coolness.

  Now the only cover I had was Dick's broad back, for the sapling to whichhe was tied was small. I drew my hunting-knife. One more wriggle broughtme close to Dick, with my face near his hands, which were bound behindhim. I slipped the blade under the lasso, and cut it through.

  Dick started as if he had received an electric shock. He threw back hishead and uttered a sudden exclamation.

  Although I was almost paralyzed with fright I put my hand on hisshoulder and whispered: "S-s-s-h! It's Ken!"

  Greaser uttered a shrill cry. Dick leaped to his feet. Then I grewdizzy, and my sight blurred. I heard hoarse shouts and saw dark formsrising as if out of the earth. All was confusion. I wanted to run, butcould not get up. There was a wrestling, whirling mass in front of me.

  But this dimness of sight and weakness of body did not last. I saw twomen on the ground, with Dick standing over them. Stockton was closingin. Greaser ran around them with something in his hand that glittered inthe firelight. Stockton dived for Dick's legs and upset him. They wentdown together, and the Mexican leaped on them, waving the bright thinghigh over his head.

  I bounded forward, and, grasping his wrist with both hands, I wrenchedhis arm with all my might. Some one struck me over the head. I saw amillion darting points of light--then all went black.

  When I opened my eyes the sun was shining. I had a queer, numb feelingall over, and my head hurt terribly. Everything about me was hazy. Idid not know where I was. After a little I struggled to sit up, and withgreat difficulty managed it. My hands were tied. Then it all came backto me. Stockton stood before me holding a tin cup of water toward mylips. My throat was parched, and I drank. Stockton had a great bruiseon his forehead; his nostrils were crusted with blood, and his shirt washalf torn off.

  "You're all right?" he said.

  "Sure," I replied, which was not true.

  I imagined that a look of relief came over his face. Next I saw Billnursing his eye, and bathing it with a wet handkerchief. It was swollenshut, puffed out to the size of a goose-egg, and blue as indigo. Dickhad certainly landed hard on Bill. Then I turned round to see Dicksitting against the little sapling, bound fast with a lasso. His cleanface did not look as if he had been in a fight; he was smiling, yetthere was anxiety in his eyes.

  "Ken, now you've played hob," he said. It was a reproach, but his lookmade me proud.

  "Oh, Dick, if you hadn't called out!" I exclaimed.

  "Darned if you're not right! But it was a slick job, and you'll tickleJim to death. I was an old woman. But that cold knife-blade made mejump."

  I glanced round the camp for the Mex
ican and Bud and the fifth man, butthey were gone. Bill varied his occupation of the moment by kneadingbiscuit dough in a basin. Then there came such a severe pain in my headthat I went blind for a little while. "What's the matter with my head?Who hit me?" I cried.

  "Bud slugged you with the butt of his pistol," said Dick. "And, Ken, Ithink you saved me from being knifed by the Greaser. You twisted hisarm half off. He cursed all night.... Ha! there he comes now with youroutfit."

  Sure enough, the Mexican appeared on the trail, leading my horses. I wasso glad to see Hal that I forgot I was a prisoner. But Greaser's sullenface and glittering eyes reminded me of it quickly enough. I readtreachery in his glance.

  Bud rode into camp from the other direction, and he brought a bunch ofhorses, two of which I recognized as Dick's. The lumbermen set aboutgetting breakfast, and Stockton helped me to what little I could eat anddrink. Now that I was caught he did not appear at all mean or harsh. Idid not shrink from him, and had the feeling that he meant well by me.

  The horses were saddled and bridled, and Dick and I, still tied, werebundled astride our mounts. The pack-ponies led the way, with Billfollowing; I came next, Greaser rode behind me, and Dick was between Budand Stockton. So we traveled, and no time was wasted. I noticed that themen kept a sharp lookout both to the fore and the rear. We branched offthe main trail and took a steeper one leading up the slope. We rodefor hours. There were moments when I reeled in my saddle, but for thegreater while I stood my pain and weariness well enough. Some time inthe afternoon a shrill whistle ahead attracted my attention. I made outtwo horsemen waiting on the trail.

  "Huh! about time!" growled Bill. "Hyar's Buell an' Herky-Jerky."

  As we approached I saw Buell, and the fellow with the queer name turnedout to be no other than the absent man I had been wondering about. Hehad been dispatched to fetch the lumberman.

  Buell was superbly mounted on a sleek bay, and he looked very much thesame jovial fellow I had met on the train. He grinned at the disfiguredmen.

  "Take it from me, you fellers wouldn't look any worse bunged up if you'dbeen jolted by the sawlogs in my mill."

  "We can't stand here to crack jokes," said Stockton, sharply. "Someranger might see us. Now what?"

  "You ketched the kid in time. That's all I wanted. Take him an' Leslieup in one of the canyons an' keep them there till further orders. Youneedn't stay, Stockton, after you get them in a safe place. An' you cansend up grub."

  Then he turned to me.

  "You'll not be hurt if--"

  "Don't you speak to me!" I burst out. It was on my lips to tell him ofthe letter to Washington, but somehow I kept silent.

  "Leslie," went on Buell, "I'll overlook your hittin' me an' let you goif you'll give me your word to keep mum about this."

  Dick did not speak, but looked at the lumberman with a dark gleam in hiseyes.

  "There's one thing, Buell," said Stockton. "Jim Williams is wise. You'vegot to look out for him."

  Buell's ruddy face blanched. Then, without another word, he waved hishand toward the slope, and, wheeling his horse, galloped down the trail.