United States or China ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Kid pointed to the far end of the crater, if one may use the word "end" in referring to a circular bowl. The cowboy posse saw, riding at top speed into the great depression, a crowd of men, who, as they came nearer, could be recognized as the Del Pinzo gang. The Greaser leader was not in evidence, however. "They're after the cattle!" cried Nort.
And, as he turned, and beheld who had thus "winged" him, Del Pinzo gave another cry as filled with surprise as had been the exclamation of Dick on beholding the Mexican renegade who, it was supposed, was safely locked up in penalty for many crimes. "That your bunch down there?" called Del Pinzo to Snake, and he waved his uninjured hand toward the camp amid the rocks.
"You told the truth for once," remarked Dick, whose wound had been rebandaged by the surgeon accompanying the troopers. "And I guess this is the end of Del Pinzo," remarked Nort, for the outlaw Greaser half-breed had been caught red-handed, so to speak. "I hope so," mused Bud. "But we paid a price for it." "And so did they," observed Slim.
As they dipped down into a little valley there came to their ears faint yells of rage. "They've found their saddles gone!" said Nort. Again came a shout. "They've missed their bridles!" said Dick. A louder yell! "No guns!" shouted Bud. "Oh, this is one time we put it all over Del Pinzo!" Forward rode the outfit from Diamond X. "Rosemary, are you able to stand it?"
"Oh, Del Pinzo and Hank Fisher had pull enough to get him out of jail, after he'd served only part of his term for infecting our stock," said Bud. He had reference to something which is explained in the volume immediately preceding this. Del Pinzo was a notorious Mexican half-breed who, more than once, had made trouble for the boy ranchers.
After that we'll nab Del Pinzo and his bunch if we can," he added, as a saving clause. "Suits me!" remarked Yellin' Kid, taking off his hat and looking at the two bullet holes. "That nabbin' part is what I want t' play at," and his grin suggested that when he and the Greaser met there would be some interesting happenings.
"You said something, Del Pinzo," grimly answered the cowboy. "What you all up to now? Be careful I have you covered!" he warned. "And if your men want to bask in the sweet sunshine of your presence from now on, tell 'em to chuck down their guns. Also, up with your hands!" There was a stinging menace in the tones that Del Pinzo knew well enough to obey.
This was a sight of another body of Greasers riding into the bowl from the south end a body of Mexican horsemen led by Del Pinzo himself. "I guess it's all up with us now," said Dick to his brother, calling the latter's attention to the reinforcements of the enemy. "That's what that half-breed was hanging back for. He wanted to get us well mixed up, and now he'll drive off the cattle."
"However, we'll give the benefit of the doubt for the time being. File out!" Del Pinzo gave an order, and his band of disreputable half breeds like himself, including several Indians, though not of the Yaquis tribe, marched out, hands above their heads, while Snake and his men, the boy ranchers in the van, watched. "Is that all?" asked Snake, when the outlaws stood in a row amid the rocks.
S'pose you sneak up there an' take a look in." "All right," was the ready answer. Of course Bud, Nort and Dick, each and every one of them, wished they had been selected for this duty. But while they were rapidly learning the ways of the west, in dealing with desperate characters, it was better at this time to have an experienced man spy out the movements of Del Pinzo and his gang.
Word Of The Day