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Updated: June 12, 2025
"Here we are," cried Bill Noxton, as he suddenly wheeled behind Tom. "Shall I introduce you, Mr. Rover?" Tom looked ahead, and his heart dropped. There around a camp-fire sat Arnold Baxter and his son Dan, and a man who was a stranger to him. Clearly he was trapped, and in the hands of the enemy. "Tom isn't here!"
"Yes, I had Bill Noxton all cocked and primed. But now our cake is dough and after all the trouble I've taken for your father, too!" And Henry Bradner uttered a snort of disgust. "Did you warn this Noxton?" "Oh, yes, and I put a flea into the ear of the hotel clerk, too. But the thing is, what do you suppose your father will want done next?" "Don't ask me," answered Dan Baxter recklessly.
He realized that the Baxters had not forgotten the past, and that here, in this wild country, they were more inclined than ever to take the law in their own hands. He was left alone for the best part of an hour, only Noxton seeing to it that he did not run away. Then he was ordered to mount again, his legs being liberated for that purpose.
Seeing this, the man of the plains raised his pistol, took steady aim, and fired. Noxton was hit in the leg and went down in a heap, shrieking with pain. While Yates and another of the men ran toward Noxton to make him a prisoner, the others turned their attention to the Baxters and Al Roebuck.
He kept hold of the other lariats as he mounted his steed. "Get up!" he said sharply but in a low tone, and touched on the flank the horse set off on a gallop, followed by the other animals. "Hullo, something is wrong with the hosses!" he beard Bill Noxton cry. Then came a rush through the bushes. At the sound Tom bent as low in the saddle as possible and urged his horse to do his best.
"Not exactly, although I did bring down yonder animal," with a jerk of the thumb toward the deer. "I've lost my way." "Did you, really? That's bad. It's lucky I ran across you. What's your handle?" "Tom Rover," answered the youth boldly. "What is yours?" "Noxton. So you are all alone?" "Yes." Tom was trying to think where he had heard that name, but could not remember. "Are you alone?"
But being rough the chimney afforded easy footings, and he reached the top without great effort. The tree branch was scarcely two feet from the top. With great caution the boy peered from the chimney. Noxton and Roebuck were still talking earnestly and both had their backs partly turned in his direction. The Baxters were out of sight.
Feeling it would be foolhardy to refuse, with three men and a boy against him, Tom mounted, and the whole party moved along the mountain to a spot which was evidently well-known to Noxton. Here, at a certain point, was what had once been an overland hotel, but the building was now dilapidated and deserted. "We'll stop here for the present," said Arnold Baxter grimly.
"Perhaps we can do a bit o' surprisin'," he explained. "Here comes Noxton!" exclaimed Tom. "Slinky Bill, sure enough," returned Yates, and one of his companions nodded. Noxton was still fifty feet away when he saw them, and gave a shout of consternation. Then he turned and tried to run away. "Stop!" called Hank Yates. "Stop, or I'll fire on ye!" But instead of stopping Noxton ran the faster.
"Is he the oldest of the three?" "No, Dick is the oldest. Tom comes next." "Then it is Dick you ought to have collared," said Roebuck, turning to Noxton. "I collared the one I happened to see." "Well, Tom Rover, how do you like your situation?" asked Dan, with a sickly smile, as the men turned away to discuss the situation among themselves. "Don't like it," replied Tom, as lightly as he could.
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