American library books ยป Western ยป Bar-20 Days by Clarence Edward Mulford (inspiring books for teens txt) ๐Ÿ“•

Read book online ยซBar-20 Days by Clarence Edward Mulford (inspiring books for teens txt) ๐Ÿ“•ยป.   Author   -   Clarence Edward Mulford



1 ... 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 ... 57
Go to page:
can make her from there, all right.โ€

โ€œYo're right; that's what we've got to do. He's sending 'em nearer every shotโ€”Gee! I could 'most feel the wind of that one. An' blamed if it ain't stopped raining. Come on.โ€

They clambered up the slippery, muddy bank to where they had left their horses, and cantered back over their trail. Minute after minute passed before the cautious skulker among the rocks across the stream could believe in his good fortune. When he at last decided that he was alone again he left his shelter and started away, with slowly weakening stride, over cleanly washed rock where he left no trail.

It was late in the afternoon before the two irate punchers appeared upon the scene, and their comments, as they hunted slowly over the hard ground, were numerous and bitter. Deciding that it was hopeless in that vicinity, they began casting in great circles on the chance of crossing the trail further back from the river. But they had little faith in their success. As Red remarked, snorting like a horse in his disgust, โ€œI'll bet four dollars an' a match he's swum down the river clean to hell just to have the laugh on us.โ€ Red had long since given it up as a bad job, though continuing to search, when a shout from the distant Hopalong sent him forward on a run.

โ€œHey, Red!โ€ cried Hopalong, pointing ahead of them. โ€œLook there! Ain't that a house?โ€

โ€œNaw; course not! It's aโ€”it's a ship!โ€ Red snorted sarcastically. โ€œWhat did you think it might be?โ€

โ€œG'wan!โ€ retorted his companion. โ€œIt's a mission.โ€

โ€œAh, g'wan yoreself! What's a mission doing up here?โ€ Red snapped.

โ€œWhat do you think they do? What do they do anywhere?โ€ hotly rejoined Hopalong, thinking about Johnny. โ€œThere! See the cross?โ€

โ€œShore enough!โ€

โ€œAn' there's tracks at lastโ€”mighty wobbly, but tracks just the same. Them rocks couldn't go on forever. Red, I'll bet he's cashed in by this time.โ€

โ€œCashed nothing! Them fellers don't.โ€

โ€œWell, if he's in that joint we might as well go back home. We won't get him, not nohow,โ€ declared Hopalong.

โ€œHuh! You wait an' see!โ€ replied Red, pugnaciously.

โ€œReckon you never run up agin a mission real hard,โ€ Hopalong responded, his memory harking back to the time he had disagreed with a convent, and they both meant about the same to him as far as winning out was concerned.

โ€œThink I'm a fool kid?โ€ snapped Red, aggressively.

โ€œWell, you ain't no kid.โ€

โ€œYou let me do the talking; I'll get him.โ€

โ€œAll right; an' I'll do the laughing,โ€ snickered Hopalong, at the door. โ€œSic 'em, Red!โ€

The other boldly stepped into a small vestibule, Hopalong close at his heels. Red hitched his holster and walked heavily into a room at his left. With the exception of a bench, a table, and a small altar, the room was devoid of furnishings, and the effect of these was lost in the dim light from the narrow windows. The peculiar, not unpleasant odor of burning incense and the dim light awakened a latent reverence and awe in Hopalong, and he sneaked off his sombrero, an inexplicable feeling of guilt stealing over him. There were three doors in the walls, deeply shrouded in the dusk of the room, and it was very hard to watch all three at once.

Red was peering into the dark corners, his hand on the butt of his Colt, and hardly knew what he was looking for. โ€œThis joint must 'a' looked plumb good to that coyote, all right. He had a hell of a lot of luck, but he won't keep it for long, damn him!โ€ he remarked.

โ€œQuit cussing!โ€ tersely ordered Hopalong. โ€œAn' for God's sake, throw out that damned cigarette! Ain't you got no manners?โ€

Red listened intently and then grinned. โ€œHear that? They're playing dominoes in thereโ€”come on!โ€

โ€œAw, you chump! 'Dominee' means 'mother' in Latin, which is what they speaks.โ€

โ€œHow do you know?โ€

โ€œHanged if I can tellโ€”I've heard it somewhere, that's all.โ€

โ€œWell, I don't care what it means. This is a frame-up so that coyote can get away. I'll bet they gave him a cayuse an' started him off while we've been losing time in here. I'm going inside an' ask some questions.โ€

Before he could put his plan into execution, Hopalong nudged him and he turned to see his friend staring at one of the doors. There had been no sound, but he would swear that a monk stood gravely regarding them, and he rubbed his eyes. He stepped back suspiciously and then started forward again.

โ€œLook here, stranger,โ€ he remarked, with quiet emphasis, โ€œwe're after that cow-lifter, an' we mean to get him. Savvy?โ€

The monk did not appear to hear him, so he tried another tack. โ€œHabla Espanola?โ€ he asked, experimentally.

โ€œYou have ridden far?โ€ replied the monk in perfect English.

โ€œAll the way from the Bend,โ€ Red replied, relieved. โ€œWe're after Jerry Brown. He tried to kill Johnny, an' near made good. An' I reckon we've treed him, judging from the tracks.โ€

โ€œAnd if you capture him?โ€

โ€œHe won't have no more use for no side pocket shooting.โ€

โ€œI see; you will kill him.โ€

โ€œShore's it's wet outside.โ€

โ€œI'm afraid you are doomed to disappointment.โ€

โ€œYa-as?โ€ asked Red with a rising inflection.

โ€œYou will not want him now,โ€ replied the monk.

Red laughed sarcastically and Hopalong smiled.

โ€œThere ain't a-going to be no argument about it. Trot him out,โ€ ordered Red, grimly.

The monk turned to Hopalong. โ€œDo you, too, want him?โ€

Hopalong nodded.

โ€œMy friends, he is safe from your punishment.โ€

Red wheeled instantly and ran outside, returning in a few moments, smiling triumphantly. โ€œThere are tracks coming in, but there ain't none going away. He's here. If you don't lead us to him we'll shore have to rummage around an' poke him out for ourselves: which is it?โ€

โ€œYou are rightโ€”he is here, and he is not here.โ€

โ€œWe're waiting,โ€ Red replied, grinning.

โ€œWhen I tell you that you will not want him, do you still insist on seeing him?โ€

โ€œWe'll see him, an' we'll want him, too.โ€

As the rain poured down again the sound of approaching horses was heard, and Hopalong ran to the door in time to

1 ... 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 ... 57
Go to page:

Free e-book: ยซBar-20 Days by Clarence Edward Mulford (inspiring books for teens txt) ๐Ÿ“•ยป   -   read online now on website american library books (americanlibrarybooks.com)

Comments (0)

There are no comments yet. You can be the first!
Add a comment