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Of course we can have Merwell arrested on sight, and Mr. Dillon can have that Staver locked up for trying to steal the horses." A rush of wind made further conversation just then impossible. So far there had been little thunder and lightning, but now came a flash and a crack that caused the boys to leap to their feet, while the horses plunged and acted as if they wanted to bolt.
"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.
In this crowd one fellow in particular, a tall, thin, leathery individual, called by the others Sol Blugg, seemed to be a leading spirit. About half an hour had passed, and the conductor had just gone through collecting tickets, when the man called Blugg pushed up alongside another man who sat on the arm of a rear seat. "Say, do you know what Staver jest told me?" he exclaimed.
"We'll see what we'll do with you after breakfast," answered the old miner, briefly. "Say, wot did ye do with them other fellers?" demanded Abe Blower, while Dave and Phil were getting the ropes. "We left them in camp." "Is Staver with 'em?" asked Tom Dillon. "No, his hand hurt him so he went back to town to have a doctor look after it," replied Merwell. "Is he coming back here?"
And then they continued to talk, while Staver dressed his wounded hand, which, fortunately for him, was not very badly hurt. Link Merwell caught Job Haskers by the arm and pulled him back. "I've got an idea!" he whispered, his eyes brightening with sudden expectation. "Why can't we join these men and go after the Morr crowd with them? It will give us a chance to get back at those fellows."
"Not much better," answered Larry Jaley. "We've been here a good many years." He turned to Staver. "What do you say, now?" "Wall, wot this young feller says puts a different look on the situation," replied the man who had been shot. "I'd like to have an interest in thet mine myself thet or the one Tom Dillon onct said he had near it.
"There is no need to do any shooting," said Link Merwell. "You were spyin' on us," growled Staver. "Who are you? Come here and give an account o' yourselves," ordered Sol Blugg. There was no help for it now, and, rather awkwardly, with their hands still upraised, Job Haskers and Link Merwell stumbled over the rocks to where the three men had been resting and talking.
The horses were cared for, and the boys were pleased to learn that they had not suffered through the wild run along the rocky trail. "If that Staver shows himself around Butte I'll settle accounts with him," said the old miner, while eating. "But I reckon he'll stay away for a while." After an hour's rest the old miner announced that he was ready to go forward once more.
Inside of half an hour Link Merwell and Job Haskers gained all the information they desired. They learned that the three men were Sol Blugg and his cohorts. The wounded man was Staver, and he had been shot through the hand by Tom Dillon. He was very angry and willing to do almost anything to square accounts.
At the rate we've bin goin' on we'll all be heathens by the time we git home if we ever do. Our Chaplain haint had no chance to preachify yet. The boys of Comp'ny X, w'at knows him, says he's a staver, 'n' I b'lieve it'll make us all feel better to have him talk to us once.
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