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The older man looked at him keenly. "How do you know, son?" "Smelt their smoke an' cut their trail." "Know Injuns, do you?" "I trailed with Al Sieber 'most two years." To have served with Sieber for any length of time was a certificate of efficiency. He was the ablest scout in the United States Army.
Looking at his watch as he sipped his tin of coffee Pike noticed that it was now eleven o'clock. "Oh, if I only knew that all was well with the captain," he muttered. "And if I only knew where Sieber and the cavalry were to-night." Not until after two o'clock in the morning did the old soldier decide that it was time to "turn over the command" and seek a little rest himself.
Before ten o'clock they had met, not only Sieber, but Turner's troop from Verde, coming full tilt, and Gwynne was now turned over to the doctor's care. Startled suddenly from his sleep, it was indeed a dreadful sight, and one calculated to shake the nerves of many an old soldier, that greeted Pike's eyes as he peered over the rocky parapet in front of him. One glance was sufficient.
"Well, Sieber, I've argued this thing out with all Prescott and Verde," said the captain at last. "I've sworn I wouldn't turn back, and so, by jinks, I'm going ahead. It's all open country around Snow Lake, and I can keep on the alert when we reach the Pass."
Waving his hat above his head and shouting back to Turner "Come on!" the captain dashed away in pursuit of Sieber. Turner's men could hear no sound, but they saw the excitement in the signal; saw the sudden rush of Gwynne's steed, and nothing more was needed.
In ten minutes Captain Turner, with Lieutenant Wilkins and forty troopers, was trotting off eastward following the lead of Sieber with his swarthy allies. Ten minutes more and Captain Gwynne had sufficiently revived to be made fully aware of what was going on, and was on his feet again in an instant. The surgeon vainly strove to detain him, but was almost rudely repulsed.
"May I say a word to the captain?" "Certainly, Pike; say on." "I was watching Manuelito, sir, while the captain was talking with Sieber. Them greasers are a bad lot, sir one and all. There isn't one of 'em I'd trust as far as I could sling a bull by the tail.
It was an hour before they came up with Turner's rearmost files and found burly Lieutenant Wilkins giving the men orders to keep well closed in case they had to increase the gait. The scouts and Sieber, far to the front, were galloping. "What is it?" asked the doctor. "Smoke," panted Wilkins. "The Hualpais saw it up the mountain south of the Pass." Gwynne's haggard face was dreadful to see.
They are gone! gone!" he was only saved from falling by the prompt action of two stalwart troopers. In ten minutes, supporting the fainting soldier as best they could, the detachment was marching rapidly westward. "Sieber with the scouts can't be farther away than Jarvis Pass. We'll meet him," said Hunter to his sergeant, "and trail these Scoundrels to their holes." His words were true.
And, even if the captain don't come, by Jinks! we can stand off all the Apaches in Arizona. It won't be more than three days before Al Sieber will be galloping out with a swarm of the old boys at his back, and if Jim and I, in such a fort as this, can't lick Es-Kirninzin and his whole gang, call me a 'dough boy!"
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