CHAPTER XXVII

THE WRIST WATCH

Teddy Ford had no idea of letting Oriole get into danger alone. When she ran out of the covert to seize the Langdon twins, he followed her, brandishing the quirt he had brought along and which was his only weapon of defense. He was really prepared to attack Ridley with this whip if it was necessary; but at first the outlaw did not even seem to see the boy and girl who had followed him from the lowlands.

Mudd and Shaffer were locked in a desperate embrace, staggering and falling, getting up again still with their arms wrapped about each other--altogether displaying a hatred for each other that boded nothing but tragedy. Fortunately neither of the antagonists was now armed.

Oriole ran down to the twins and they clung to her. Teddy placed himself bravely between that group and the outlaws, gripping the handle of the quirt so hard that his knuckles were white, and ready to spring at Ridley if the latter turned on Oriole and the children.

"Beat it!" the boy shrilled to his friend. "Get 'em back of the rock. Hurry!"

But Oriole did not need this advice. She realized that she must get Myron and Marian out of sight as quickly as possible. She seized the twins by their hands and ran with them to the huge bowlder.

It was just before they reached its protection that Ridley turned and saw them. He shouted a threat and raised the weapon in his hand as though he intended to fire after the children.

Teddy Ford "saw red." That was too much for him to see done without effort to defend Oriole and the twins.

"You old scoundrel!" he shouted, "don't you dare shoot them. If you do Harvey Langdon will get you, sure as you live! Put it down!"

Perhaps the reminder of the ranchman's wrath stayed the rascal's hand. But he swung on the boy and started toward Teddy as though he intended attacking him.

The latter was not cowardly in his own behalf. He faced Ridley and raised the quirt.

"You hit me and I'll give you a taste of this," Teddy declared. He knew that the longer he stayed the man, the safer Oriole and the twins would be. They might even reach the horses beyond the hill. "I'll give you a taste of this old quirt--sure as you live, Hank Ridley!"

"Hear the bantam crow!" sneered the man. "I ought to slam you a few just to teach you your place--Hey! Look out for him, Mudd!"

He turned to see what the other men were doing. Shaffer had forced Mudd back against a rock. They fell over it together and their hold was broken. Both men scrambled to their feet, and Ridley darted forward, his pistol extended.

Teddy thought the man, Shaffer, was about to be shot. It was an awful thought, and although he had no more use for Shaffer than he had for the other outlaws, to see such a tragedy was a terrible thing. He shrieked as loud as he could:

"Don't shoot him! Don't you do it!"

Teddy's influence would have been slight indeed; but just as he shouted his warning there appeared from the brush across the glade several charging horsemen, George Belden at their head.

Shaffer and Mudd came together again, and Ridley lost his chance of firing at the former. The struggling men did not see the foreman and his party approaching. But Hank Ridley saw them and acted instantly.

Deserting his two mates, Ridley shot away across the open space and grabbed up his saddle as he passed the fire. The posse from the Langdon Ranch was some distance away. The outlaw had time to throw his saddle on his mount, cinch up, and climb on the horse before Belden or his men could get him.

Had they been of Ridley's own wicked mind, they might easily have shot him. Had they known, even, that he had tried to kidnap the Langdon twins they might have used their weapons in bringing the leader of the three outlaws to earth. But they contented themselves in capturing Shaffer and Mudd, while Ridley disappeared into the forest farther down the basin, evidently aiming for the more easterly of the Three Sisters.

Belden threw himself from his saddle and tore Mudd and Shaffer apart. He flung them both to the ground, and the desperadoes were so weary from their battle that, realizing that they were captured and helpless, they lay there panting.

"Well, here's two of the rascals," said the foreman with satisfaction. "Never mind Hank. We'll get him later. What was you-all fightin' about?"

Neither Shaffer nor Mudd seemed ready to answer. Belden turned to look at Teddy, his face breaking into a quizzical smile.

"And here's the kid. I would like to know what under the canopy of the wide blue sky brought you up here?"

"There's a good deal to tell, Mr. Belden," said the boy seriously. "But let me go after Oriole and the twins first----"

"Huh? Oriole Putnam and Harvey Langdon's children?"

"Yes. We are all up here. Mudd and Ridley ran away with the twins and Oriole and I followed them."

"Peep o' day!" ejaculated Belden. "What you talkin' about?"

Teddy did not stop then to explain. He ran around the bowlder, found the terrified twins and Oriole, and brought them back to prove his statement. The punchers gathered around, amazed and interested to say the least. They paid little attention for the time being to Shaffer and Mudd; but those two rascals knew better than to try to escape.

When the story was told there was a chorus of praise for Oriole and Teddy from the punchers, as well as an expression of their amazement. A hunt for horse thieves had turned out to be the capture of at least one kidnaper. Shaffer was evidently at outs with the other two desperadoes. And even Mudd was not the principal in the abduction plot.

"Just the same," decided George Belden, "we'll let Hank go for now. I bet he won't get far on that tired-out horse of his--no, sir! But it is our duty to take these children--all of 'em--back to the ranch. Sadie Brown will be near about worried to death over these here twins--no doubt of that. And if Harvey Langdon gets back to headquarters and finds his twins stole, he'll near about have a fit."

"What'll we do with these two fellers, George?" demanded one of the punchers, looking scornfully down upon Shaffer and Mudd.

"Bring 'em along. We can't judge 'em. Let Harvey Langdon do that."

"They ought to stretch hemp," growled another.

"Never mind that now!" commanded the foreman. "We are law-abidin' citizens, I hope. These fellers will be punished by the courts, no doubt. Get busy now. Where's your horses, boy?"

Teddy ran and secured both Oriole's pony and the one he had been riding. One thing he had refrained from speaking of before Belden and the others. That was the strange path, including the one under the waterfall, by which they had reached the uplands. And now he warned Oriole to say nothing about it.

"No use everybody knowing that trick. George and these fellows came by another way. Only those outlaws and we know the waterfall path, Oriole."

"Oh, Teddy! It shall be a secret--yes? I don't believe the children will ever remember it."

"If they do they won't make anybody understand unless we chip in and explain," said the boy cheerfully.

A secret of any kind delighted Oriole. Why not? With often only her own thoughts for company, the girl had become more imaginative and fanciful than many children of her age. She had few playthings, too--that is, playthings like dolls and baby-houses and such toys, which other girls of her age enjoyed. A veritable secret between Teddy and her was delightful.

And especially because it was Teddy with whom she shared it. To her mind Teddy Ford was quite a wonderful creature. Of course, Oriole Putnam would not for the world have admitted it to Teddy; but she believed him to be the most remarkable boy alive!

So it was agreed between them. The path behind the curtain of falling water was to remain a secret--as far as Oriole and Teddy were concerned. And surely the captured Shaffer and Mudd would be unlikely to speak of it. Myron and Marian did not mention the wonder. When the party regained the ranch-house, where Sadie Brown and Mr. Langdon were just talking over the twins' abduction, it was dusk, the children were tired and sleepy, and they were put to bed without recounting to their nurse and father many particulars of the adventure.

It was Oriole who, before she went to bed that night, made a discovery that was quite startling, to her at least, if not to the ranch family. When she came to undress and make ready for bed she discovered that her wrist-watch was gone.

"Oh, my dear!" she cried, running to Sadie Brown, "I've lost it--that dear watch that Myron gave me last New Year's eve."

"Why, Oriole, don't you think you may have mislaid it?" asked Nurse Brown.

"No, no! I lost it up there in the hills--I know I did. I know just where I looked at it last. I am sure. It was while we stood behind that big bowlder and George Belden and the other men rode up and captured those two bad men. Yes! I remember looking at it then."

"But you don't really know you left it there," said the nurse.

"Well, I'm sure it was gone when I reached home. Yes! right up there it was lost, for Teddy and I washed our hands in a pool of water before we rode away from that spot. My watch was gone then, or I would have noticed it on my wrist and taken it off before washing my hands. I always do."

"Well, it is too bad. But it is too far away for you to go back and look for it."

"Oh! I don't want to lose that pretty watch," complained the girl.

"Nothing can be done about it to-night, child," said the woman. "We'll see to-morrow."