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Shackaye arrived at the critical moment, when the helpless leader was being lifted upon the horse of Wygwind in front of him, and Avon lay senseless beneath the body of the mustang. The fact that Thunderbolt was still lying on the ground bleeding from his two flesh wounds led to the belief that he was mortally hurt, and no effort, therefore, was made to take him away.
"They must have heard the shot and his cry, and though we made things hum about them, they took time to look into it and bear the body away." "I wonder now whether that could have been Wygwind," said Avon, referring to the notorious leader of whom we have spoken. "No," was the decisive reply of Ballyhoo. "Why not?" "He is a powerful brave Injin, but plenty of his warriors can outrun him.
The New Mexican favored a pretended compliance with the proposition. He wished all to ride to the ridge with the horses, where they would halt, while the Texan went forward with them. This would not violate the conditions imposed by Wygwind, and they could watch proceedings from the elevation.
It remained to decide upon the method of carrying out the agreement, and again the wily Wygwind displayed his shrewdness. When the Texan referred in his offhand manner to himself and friends as bringing forward the animals to be passed to these two representatives, the Comanche replied that no one but Gleeson himself must act in the transaction.
When, therefore, the time came for the opening of the negotiations with the cowboys, the wounded and unarmed captain was left in charge of Shackaye, while the others went forward and maintained their places within reach of Wygwind and Richita, during their interview with Gleeson.
And he held up the thumb and fingers of his right hand. Wygwind with another grin shook his head. "Take so many" and he repeated the gestures by which he first indicated twenty. Gleeson now doubled his offer, which, it will be understood, was half the price demanded; but the wily Comanche felt that he was in a position to dictate terms, and remained inexorable.
Wygwind assured him he would be on the watch for his appearance, and, whatever delay took place should not be chargeable to him. With this understanding, the Texan wheeled and galloped toward the ridge, beyond which he knew his comrades were awaiting his return and report. It was received as he expected; that is to say, the views of his friends were almost as numerous as themselves.
To Shackaye's reply that the chief Wygwind meant to allow the friends of the prisoner to buy him back, Captain Shirril dwelt upon the impossibility of such a thing.
"I don't pretend to say we would not be frightened, but Dinah and I would feel secure inside, so long as there was no danger of the building being burned. I wonder whether Wygwind led this party." "I shouldn't be surprised if he did; he's one of the worst scamps that ever lived." "You're right," assented Ballyhoo. "I believe he led this gang, though a chap couldn't tell in the darkness.
He and his partners, in elaborating the scheme that had worked so well up to this point, had foreseen the very contingency in the mind of the white man, who sat on his horse before the delegates. "We take horses so many." In making this answer, Wygwind raised the fingers and thumbs of his hands twice in succession.
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