`Reckon not--they wouldn't wanta split the reward too much. We'll have to stand 'em off; can't have 'em trailin' us all the time.'
They pushed on at a fast clip until they came to the spot they were looking for, a long, narrow gorge with precipitous sides which only a cat could hope to scale, and with little in the way of vegetation to serve as cover. Boulders and rock debris littered the sandy bed of the gorge, which had at one time been a watercourse.
`Hope she ain't a blind one,' Larry remarked, with a glance at the beetling cliffs on either side. `If she is, we'll be wantin' wings.'
`An' we may get 'em too, if them hombres can shoot,' returned his friend grimly.
`Mother's cheery little helper, ain't yu? Allus lookin' on the bright side,' grinned Larry.
They rode far enough along the gorge to make the task of going round to cut them off a long one, and then, turning a sudden bend, simultaneously pulled down their mounts.
`There she is--the very place,' cried Larry, pointing to a clump of boulders among which a few snunted bushes were growing, about a hundred yards away. A brief examination satisfied them, and tying the horses behind an outflung shoulder of the cliff, they squatted down to await the pursuers.
`If they come a-battin' round than bend we can get a couple of 'em 'fore they know we're here,' Larry said complacently. `It'll be like money from home.'
`Yo're a gory-minded sport, ain't yu?' Green retorted. `No, seh; they get their warnin'; I ain't no sneakin' bush-whacker.'
`Yu are thirty-two sorts of a darn fool,' Larry said heatedly. `There's five of 'em, ain't there? Fine lot o' warnin' they'd 'a' give us if we'd waited in Big Rock.'
We'll drop a couple o' hosses, though I hate doin' it, an' if they want to argue after that, we'll shore accommodate 'em.'
`An' he's got the reputation of bein' a cold-blooded killer,' was Larry's unspoken thought.
They sat there waiting, each ensconced behind a serviceable chunk of rock, with rifle ready. It was cool in the gorge now, but the sun was climbing the sky and once it became vertical, they knew they would have a grilling time. They had filled their canteens at the last stream, and had been careful to place them out of reach of questing oullets; if the fight were prolonged, thirst would become an important factor.
`They're a long time gettin' here--must be comin' dead slow,' Larry said impatiently.
Hardly had the words left his lips when there came the rapid beat of hoofs, somewhat dulled by the sand, and in a few moments the bunched riders dashed round the bend, Scaife and the Crossed Dumb-bell representative slightly ahead. The venomous crack-crack of two rifles reverberated and re-echoed along the gorge, the sound tossed from wall to wall, and the horses of the leaders dropped, sending their riders headlong. The rest of the party, whirling their startled mounts, scampered back round the protecting curve. The landlord and his fallen companion clawed their way crab-wise behind the dead bodies of their horses and began to industriously pump lead at the clump of rocks sheltering the ambushers. The other three, having recovered from their panic, also commenced to waste cartridges, but without eliciting any response.
`One of 'em'll get careless an' give us somethin' to aim at presently,' Green argued. `Betche Stiffy will try an' make that rock on his left; dead hosses is poor cover.'
Evidently the rustler was of the same opinion, for he suddenly rose into view and sprang for the boulder in question. It was less than ten yards away and he had almost reached it when Green fired; they saw him stumble and pitch forward.
`Missed him,' gibed Larry. Wish I'd pulled too.'
`Missed nothin',' said the marksman. `I got him where I aimed to--in the left laig.'
`Huh, if yo're thinkin' o' startin' a hospital round here I'd like to suggest that a cemetery is less trouble an' safer.'
`Yu been readin' too many dime novels. Wonder if friend Scaife will go to help friend Stiffy? What d'yu think?' `Betche ten level he don't,' said Larry promptly.
`Yo're a reckless feller with yore money,' reproved Green. `But I gotta take yu. Look, there he goes!' He fired as he spoke, and the landlord, with a hearty curse, crumpled up, and then rolled behind the rock which sheltered the groaning Stuffy.
`Tough luck havin' to down a feller when he's earnin' yu money, but I had to do. I got him in the right laig, so they've still got a sound pair between 'em.'
`Well, of all the' began the disgusted loser.
`Don't say it,' admonished Green. `When yu get yore growth yu will know that even things like Scaife can act pretty near human at times. What do yu reckon they'll do now?'
The answer came from the attacking force in the shape of a perfect hurricane of lead which tore up the ground and searched every nook and crevice of their hiding-place.
`What in 'ell are they tryin' to do--knock this blame rock out of the way?' asked Larry peevishly, as a fragment of snone grazed his cheek and the bullet which had detached it went whining into the distance. `If these jiggers ain't careful somebody's goin' to get hurt.'
In the face of this fusillade the two men kept close, hugging the ground behind their barrier. The hail of shots was followed by a single bullet which dropped just between the outstretched legs of the younger man, causing him to promptly double them up and snuggle closer to the sheltering stone.
`They musta got a balloon,' he gasped.
Another shot followed, cutting a neat half-circle out of the brim of Larry's hat, which was entirely too close no be pleasant. `Dann smart,' murmured Green.
`Huh! think so, do yu?' snorted Larry. `A little bit smarter an' yu'd be alone. This blame rock musta shrunk.'
`They got the edge on us,' Green explained. `While they bombarded us just now one of 'em nipped across an' climbed that big tree by the bend. He's the feller who's doin' the potshootin'. Take a peep an' draw his fire; then I'll get him.'
`Yu go to blazes; I ain't no Aunt Sally,' retorted Larry. `That jigger shoots too well an' I ain't gamblin' with him--none whatever.'
For some time silence reigned in the gorge, each side waiting for the other to make a move. Then a jet of smoke spirted from higher up the tree and the missile snatched Green's hat from his head. Instantly he fired into the midst of the thinning smoke, there was a disturbance of the foliage as a heavy body crashed downwards, until, caught by a big lower branch, it hung, limply swinging.
`Crashed,' said Larry laconically.
The dispiriting effect of this loss on the enemy was soon apparent. From behind the boulder which sheltered Scaife arose a rifle with a dirty white rag fluttering from the barrel, and a voice shouted:
`Yu fellers can go on; we won't interfere nor foller.'
`Right kind o' yu, I'm shore,' Green shouted back. `S'pose yu do the clearin' out. We're quite comfortable an we won't interfere nor foller,' he mimicked.
A hearty curse was the only response to this pleasantry and then the landlord who, whatever his other failings, was not deficient in pluck, hobbled into view, using his gun to save his damaged leg. Stiffy followed, and having removed their saddles and bridles from the dead horses they vanished round the bend in the gorge. In less than ten minutes they reappeared beneath the big tree, two of the horses carrying double burdens, the other two being required for the corpse, which was soon dislodged and tied across the saddle. The victors waited a while and then crept cautiously from the concealment. They need not have worried; rounding a far curve they could see the discomfited reward-hunters heading for Big Rock.
`An' I reckon if they ain't wiser they're a heap sadder,' commented the younger man. `They've shore got a bellyful.'
`Which reminds me we ain't eat since the last time,' Green rejoined. `Why not rustle some grub an' can the chatter for once in a while?'