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"This is free land, so far as locatin' a claim is concerned," added Sol Blugg. "Well, if you locate that mine before we do, don't you dare to remove any of my uncle's landmarks," returned Roger. "Ha! wot kind o' talk is thet!" burst out Larry Jaley. "Oh, we know you," put in Dave. "We know just what sort of a bunch you are."
"It is," answered the former teacher. "Is it another gold strike?" burst out Sol Blugg, eagerly. "Not exactly a strike," answered Merwell. "All of us came out to relocate the lost Landslide Mine." "What! That mine!" yelled Staver, and the tone of his voice showed his deep disgust. "Nuthin' to it nuthin' at all. If you're arfter thet mine ye might as well go right back home.
"You you " stammered the former teacher, and for the moment knew not what to say. "Don't you call us hoss-thieves!" burst out Sol Blugg, savagely. "I can and I will," replied Dave, firmly. "Your crowd tried to take our horses, and the fellow called Staver got shot doing it. I guess that is why he isn't with you now." "Bah! I won't talk with you," growled Sol Blugg. He knew not what else to say.
"Who was it, do you know?" questioned Dave. "It was Ham Staver. I suppose Sol Blugg and Larry Jaley sent him ahead to steal the hosses. They thought it would be easy, with us asleep." "It came pretty near being so," answered Dave, gravely. Tom Dillon was glad enough to rest, and to partake of the hearty meal the boys prepared for him.
And Sol Blugg pointed unsteadily at Phil and Roger. "I know how it is," he went on, ramblingly. "You went there in place o' Abe queered the hull thing fer us, you did! I know! You're in with Abe, an' Abe's in with you! Thought you'd do us out o' our little game, eh? Say, Larry!" he called to the man on the sidewalk. "Look at these three fellers same ones was on the train last night.
Link Merwell was also agitated, and for the instant tried to back away. Perhaps, now that Sol Blugg had spoken so harshly, the youth realized that he was not such a kind-hearted fellow as Abe Blower had proved to be. "Come out here, where we can see you!" cried Blugg. "Larry, got yer pistol?" "I sure have," responded Larry Jaley, with a wicked grin.
"I I will will settle with you for this another time," came tartly from Job Haskers. "Oh, come on, what's the use of talking to them?" growled Link Merwell. "Some day I'll show them what I can do!" And he moved on along the ledge. "Some day I shall square up for this gross insult!" stormed Job Haskers, and then he followed Merwell, and Blugg and Jaley came behind them.
"Link Merwell!" gasped Phil. "And see, that Sol Blugg is with him!" "And here comes Job Haskers and the man called Larry Jaley!" said Dave, in reply. "Wonder where that other fellow, Staver, is?" murmured Roger. "Maybe he was too badly hurt to come with them and had to go back," returned Dave. "Say, I don't see much use of coming along this trail," called out Link Merwell, to those with him.
"But they must be watching us, I am almost certain of that," said Dave. And he was right. They were watching from behind one of the buildings of Black Cat Camp, and as soon as it seemed safe to do so, Sol Blugg ordered those with him to take up the trail. "Abe Blower came this way, in a hurry, too," said Blugg, to his cronies. "Now Tom Dillon is going the same way, and also in a hurry.
But all this had taken valuable time, and meanwhile the other horses continued to gallop on, led by the man in front, who was now riding like the wind. Who he was they could not make out, but they strongly suspected Sol Blugg or one of his cronies. "I'd shoot if them hosses wasn't in the way!" cried Tom Dillon, wrathfully. "Can't you go after them?" asked Dave and Roger, in a breath.
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