CHAPTER XIII.

THE ROUND UP.

The shriek came from the tent directly in front of them and for a second Bob's heart seemed to stop beating. That it was Sue there could be no doubt. Jack started up but Bob caught him by the arm and dragged him back.

"S-s--s-h," he whispered. "Wait a minute."

"But----"

"Quiet."

Just then the sound of a man's voice, from around in front of the tent was heard.

"What in Sam Hill's the matter wid yer?"

For a moment there was no reply then they heard Sue's voice say:

"I guess I had the nightmare."

"What's the matter?"

This was Hains' voice and came from the tent to their right.

"'S allright," they heard the man, who had spoken first, reply, "Gal had a nightmare, that's all."

"She'd better not have 'em any more," they heard Hains growl and then all was still again.

Bob gave Jack's arm a pull, a signal which he understood, and they backed slowly into the forest until they were thirty or more feet from the tent.

"We've found her at any rate," Jack whispered.

"But we haven't got her out yet, not by a long shot."

"Long shot is right," Jack agreed. "What's the next move?"

"We've got to wait till everyone gets to sleep again in the first place. That yell must have woke them all up."

"It was loud enough to wake the dead pretty near," Jack agreed.

"Looks as though they had posted a guard in front of her tent," Bob suggested.

"No doubt of it. Think we can get the jump on him?"

"Too risky."

"Then what?"

"Well, I'm not sure, of course, but it sounded to me as though she was pretty close to the back of the tent and I think our best bet is to get up as close as we can and try to attract her attention. She probably won't go to sleep for some time after that scare and we ought to make her hear without disturbing the guard. He's apt to be asleep anyhow, especially if she's tied and I reckon there's not much doubt about that."

"Good plan," Jack whispered enthusiastically. "How soon can we try it?"

"I'd say in about a half hour."

The half hour passed after what seemed a long time and Bob whispered that it was time to make the attempt.

"But wait a minute," he ordered, and Jack knew that he was breathing a prayer and his own heart echoed the silent petition. A few minutes more and they were again lying close behind the tent. A slight but distinct sound soon convinced them that the girl was not asleep but was moving as though to ease her cramped limbs.

Raising the side of the tent a few inches Bob trust his face beneath it and whispered faintly.

"Sue."

The moving stopped, but there was no answer.

"Sue," he whispered, this time a trifle louder.

"Who is it?"

The reply was so low that he barely caught the words.

"It's Bob," he whispered back.

"Thank God!"

There was a volume of relief in the words and both boys knew how great must have been her fear.

"Are you tied?" Bob asked.

"Yes."

"Both hands and feet?"

"Yes."

"Can you get your hands back close to the side of the tent?"

"I'll try. Wait a minute."

He got his knife ready and soon he felt her hands as she pushed them behind her, and in another minute they were free.

"Now hand me the knife and I'll free my feet," she whispered with a deep sigh of relief. "Wait a minute till I get the circulation started and I'll be with you."

"What's the matter in thar? Having another night horse?"

The boys held their breath as they heard the guard push aside the flap of the tent. Were they to fail just when success seemed assured?

"I-I guess not," they heard Sue say.

"Thought I heard you whisperin'."

"If your hands and feet were tied as tight as mine I reckon you'd do more than whisper," she told him.

"It's too bad, but I don't dare do nuthin'."

"Reckon I can stand it," they heard her tell him.

"Reckon yer'll have ter."

The man went out and the boys could hear her sigh of relief. For some moments they waited not daring to whisper again and then a slight movement from inside the tent warned them that she was edging closer to the wall of the tent. Bob slipped the guy rope from one of the pegs and, in another minute she was on the outside.

Without even a whisper they crept noiselessly back into the forest until they felt that they were safe.

"How'd you ever find me?" Sue whispered as she leaned back against a tree.

In a few words Bob told her how they had stumbled onto the trail and had followed Royce and the other man to the cache.

"Is Royce here?" she asked in surprise.

"Yes, he's here."

"But I thought--" she began, but Bob interrupted her.

"Just a minute and you'll understand."

"And you mean that he said he'd stay with that gang?" she asked after he had told her about the bargain Hains had made.

"That's what he said, but I honestly believe he had a motive back of it. You see, he probably thought it was the only way he could help you."

"And you say they're holding him prisoner now?"

"Yes."

"Then we've got to rescue him."

"I wish we could but I'm afraid it's impossible," Bob told her sadly.

"Why is it?" she asked.

"Because two of the men are guarding him and Hains threatened them if they let him get away."

"But when they find I've escaped they'll most likely kill him," she insisted.

Neither of the boys had any answer to this and, after a moment's wait she continued:

"Couldn't we do it the same as you did for me?"

"I don't see how," Jack spoke for the first time since they had mentioned Royce. "You see if they've got him in one of the tents it's dead certain that he isn't there alone and we couldn't make him know that we're here without telling some of the gang at the same time."

"Jack's right," Bob declared. "I'd risk most anything to get him out of their clutches but that wouldn't be a risk, it'd be a dead sure thing."

"But it's awful when he gave himself up to save me," Sue moaned.

"I know it is," Bob agreed, "but it seems to me the best thing we can do for him is to get back as soon as we can and bring the boys in here."

"But you'll never be able to find your way back home in this darkness," she objected.

"Gracious, I never thought of that, and we're a long way from home too," Bob sighed.

"And it would be worse than useless to try and find our way back tonight," Jack added.

"Then what can we do?" Sue asked.

"I think we'd better get a little farther away from here the first thing," Bob advised. "You see that fellow may miss you most any time and he'll raise the camp when he does."

He had hardly spoken when they heard a shout from the direction of the tent.

"The gal's gone," a man cried and a moment later there was a perfect bedlam of shouts as they evidently realized that someone must have helped her escape.

"Keep close together and make as little noise as possible," Bob ordered as he sprang to his feet.

He had little idea in which direction he ought to go, but his one thought was to avoid the trail and to put much distance between them and the camp as possible. The moon was still hidden, although the rain had held off, and they were obliged to go slowly to avoid running into the trees. From the sounds behind them they knew that the outlaws were already scattering to take up the search and Bob blamed himself that they had waited so long.

Fifteen minutes passed and they could hear men on both sides of them as they beat the woods and several times flashes of light told them that some, at least, of the outlaws had electric flashlights. It was only a question of time, Bob thought, when they would be caught and he shuddered to think what would become of them. But he did not lose heart, instead he urged the others to greater speed although he knew that they were going about as fast as was possible.

"Don't get separated whatever you do," he cautioned.

"You can't lose us," Sue panted close at his heels.

"'And Jack came tumbling after'," Jack added cheerful even in the face of danger.

"Do you know which way we're going?" Sue asked a few minutes later.

"I'm pretty certain that we're going in the opposite direction from the ranch."

"Then perhaps we'd better turn off to the left," Jack suggested.

"Too risky," Bob advised. "We'd be almost sure to run into one of those fellows. I think we'd better keep on even if we are going away from the ranch."

"I think so too," Sue said and added: "We seem to be distancing them."

Bob had begun to feel a bit easier as he had noticed that the sounds made by their enemies were farther off than when they had started and, for the first time he really dared hope that they would get away. Then suddenly there was a crashing of underbrush just to their right and, almost before they had time to think, a beam of light struck Bob square in the face and the form of Red Hains loomed up behind it.

"So it's you, eh?" he growled as he took a step forward.

Bob afterward declared that had he stopped to think he would never have dared attempt what he did. As the man stepped forward it happened that the boy was standing on a bit of a knoll and, almost without thinking, he lunged forward dashing his fist with all his strength into the man's face. The action was so sudden and entirely unexpected that the man had no time to protect himself and the blow caught him fairly on the point of the chin. He went over backward without a sound save the crackling of the brush as he struck the ground, the torch falling from his hand as he fell. The light was switched on and Jack quickly sprang forward and grabbed it up.

"Get your gun on him, Bob," he cried.

Bob already had his automatic out but there was no use for it. Hains lay like one dead.

"A knock out clean's a whistle," Jack declared as he bent over the man.

"What a peach of a punch," Sue gasped.

"Let's beat it before he wakes up," Bob advised.

"It's too bad we haven't got something to tie him with," Jack declared.

"What's the matter with a handkerchief?" Sue suggested.

"Better than nothing. Roll him over, Jack, and I'll tie his hands behind him. I can do it so that it'll take him a while to get free."

He worked quickly and in a few seconds the man's hands were as securely bound as was possible under the circumstances.

"Now gag him," Sue ordered.

This was done with Jack's handkerchief and they again set off convinced that it would be some time at least before he would be able to follow them.

"It's a lucky thing for us that he was alone," Jack declared a few minutes later as they stopped to listen.

No sound, save the rustle of the branches as they swayed in the light breeze came to them and they concluded that the men must have given up the search. They went on for another half hour, during which time they heard no sound from their pursuers, and Bob suggested that they stay where they were until it began to get light.

"I think we'll be able to get our bearings as soon as it is light and there's no use in getting any farther away than we have to."

"Second the motion," Jack said throwing himself on the ground.

"I don't believe it's going to rain after all," Bob declared as he too sank down by his side.

"What time is it?" Sue asked.

"Half past two."

"Then it'll begin to lighten up in about an hour."

"I reckon," Jack agreed.

"Do you suppose there's any chance that Royce got away in the confusion?" Sue asked.

"He might have," Bob replied, but in his heart he doubted it greatly. He had heard Hains when he told the men to guard him and he knew that they feared him.

They had been there about half an hour, at times whispering and again dozing for a few minutes, when Sue's quick ears caught a sound which escaped the boys.

"Someone or something is coming this way," she whispered.

"I didn't hear anything," Bob said as he drew the revolver from his pocket resolved to take no chances.

"Listen a minute and you will," Sue told him.

"I hear it," Jack declared just then.

"I'll bet it's Hains," Bob said as he got to his feet. "Let's keep perfectly still and maybe he'll go by without spotting us."

It was soon evident that the man or animal was coming directly toward them and soon Bob changed his opinion as to its identity. Hains would never make so much noise in passing through the woods, even if he was hunting no one. This must be either a stray steer or a man unused to the forest, for he was making, as Jack whispered, more noise than a train of cars.

Bob knew that he was only a few feet away when he flashed the light, which Hains had dropped, and at the same time ordered whoever it was to stop.

"Oh, it's he," Sue cried joyfully as she jumped for the man.

"Royce, sure as guns," Jack added.

"Good boy." Bob shoved the revolver back in his pocket and then they were all trying to shake hands with him at the same time.

"Now tell us all about it," Sue ordered when the first greetings were over.

"But first tell us if you think they're after you," Bob said. "Safety first, you know."

"I think they've given it up," he told them. "They almost had me a dozen times, but I managed to slip them and I haven't heard a thing for the last half hour."

"But how did you get away?" Sue demanded impatiently.

"Well, they had me tied, that is my hands were tied behind my back, but I'm pretty good when it comes to getting ropes loose, and I had very little trouble in fixing it so that I could slip the knot any time I wanted to."

"Didn't they tie your feet?" Sue asked as he paused.

"No, I guess they thought I wouldn't go very far with my hands tied, and with two men standing guard over me. Well, I was in a tent with four or five of them and was sound asleep when someone shouted that you had got away. Maybe I wasn't glad. The men all jumped up and rushed out of the tent, all but one, and as soon as they were gone I jumped him. It was darker'n pitch in the tent and I don't know where I hit him, but it must have been in a pretty good place, because he dropped like a log and I beat it. He must have come to pretty soon, though, for they were after me in almost no time and how I ever got away I don't know."

"Did you know that we were following you?" Bob asked.

"I didn't till we were almost to the camp. Then I looked back just as we made a sharp turn in the trail and saw you. Then I knew that you were watching while Hains was talking to me there because I saw that bush move. I 'spect you thought I'd turned yellow again, but I figured it was the only way I'd stand even a chance to help her."

"Just what I thought," Bob assured him.

"Do you know where we are?" Royce asked.

"No, haven't an idea, but I think we can find the way out as soon as it gets light," Bob told him.

"Well, if you take my advice we'll keep going right now. They'll be after us again as soon as day breaks."

"All right, come on. It'll begin to get light most any time now, but be careful and don't get separated," Bob cautioned as he started off.

The first hint of the coming dawn stole over the forest soon after they set out and it was not long before they were able to see for several feet ahead.

"That's East over there," Bob pointed as he stopped and he looked about him, "and that's the way we want to go, but it'll take us right back toward that camp."

"Then I guess we'll have to make a wide circle," Jack said.

"And you're guessing just about right," Bob assured him.

"Do you have any idea as to how far we are from the foot of the hills?" Royce asked.

"Not much, but it's a long way all right, especially on an empty stomach," Bob answered.

"Empty stomach," Jack echoed. "Gee, I could eat raw sidewinder and think it was a fried trout."

"It's too bad," Sue consoled them. "I had some supper last night, so I'm not quite starved, but you must be empty clear down to your toes."

While they had been talking they had been pushing their way toward the South, making as good time as possible. Another hour and the sun was up over the tops of the trees and it began to warm up, although the night had not been cold. Bob had nothing but the sun to guide him, but he was an expert when it came to finding his way through the trackless forest and he had little fear of not being able to find his way out provided their strength held out. That was his main source for worry now. Tramping through the dense woods when one has not eaten for twenty-four hours is no joke and he was beginning to feel a bit weak and he knew that Jack was no stronger than he.

He was leading the way some feet in advance of the others when, suddenly, he drew his revolver and fired.

"Here's some breakfast for us," he cried as he plunged forward and picked up a large rabbit "It'll be a bit flat without salt, but it'll give us strength," he told them.

Fortunately he had a box of matches and they were not long in finding a good place for a fire close by a small stream. There was plenty of dead wood about and while Bob dressed the animal Jack started the fire going and in less than fifteen minutes the rabbit was roasting.

"Wish I had a hook and line," Jack said as he felt through his pockets. "I'll bet there are trout in that brook."

But none of them had so much as a pin and they were forced to give up their hope of trout.

"I suppose it's pretty risky building a fire, but without it I don't believe we'd have strength enough to get out," Bob said as he turned the rabbit.

The meal was, as Bob had predicted, somewhat flat, but there is nothing like real hunger to make a meal taste right and there was not a trace of anything but the bones left when they had finished.

"Never cared much for rabbit before but that certainly did hit the right spot," Jack declared.

"Now we want to make as good time as we can," Bob said as they were ready to start once more. "It's more than likely that they've seen the smoke from our fire and are on our trail."

Much strengthened by the meal they set out with renewed courage and, stopping only when if was necessary for a breathing spell, they kept on hour after hour. Bob was afraid that Sue would not be able to keep up the pace but, to his surprise, she seemed absolutely tireless and often urged them to greater speed. If was shortly after noon when they came to a trail, and halted for a rest.

"Why, this is the trail to The Owl's Head," Sue declared as they were about to start again.

"Are you sure?" Bob asked.

"Sure is right. See that big tree right there? Well you look on the other side of it and you'll find my initials, S.B., cut in the bark about four feet from the ground."

"Right you are," Jack announced a moment later. "It's S.B. all right."

"Then you ought to know about how far we are from the edge of the woods," Bob said.

"It's about three miles from here to the foot of the hills," she told them.

"That's good news," Bob assured her. "I really didn't think we were so near out."

"An' yer not quite as near as yer think."

They all jumped at the sound of the voice which came from a thicket a little to their right, and their hearts sank as six men, headed by Red Hains, stepped out into the trail. Every man carried a revolver in his hand and Bob realized at once that resistance would be useless.

"It'll be some time afore yer out o' the woods, I reckon," Hains sneered.

"Perhaps not so long as you think."

The last words came from the other side of the trail and Sue's heart leaped for joy as she recognized her father's voice.

"We've got ever one of you covered and the first man that makes a move will never make another."

As he spoke, Jeb, followed by nearly all the men on the Lazy S., stepped out from the bushes and at least one gun covered each of the outlaws.

"Frisk 'em, Slim," Jeb ordered after he had told them to throw their guns on the ground.

The surprise was complete and the outlaws made no resistance.

"My baby!" There were tears in Jeb's eyes as he took Sue in his arms, and Bob noticed that his eyes were not the only wet ones.

The stories were soon told and more tears rolled down Jeb's cheeks as he grasped the boys by the hand. Royce, too, came in for his full share of praise and it was a happy crowd that, shortly after, started down the trail.

They found the horses at the foot of the hills and the boys, together with Jeb, Sue and Royce, set off at once for the ranch, leaving the rest to bring in the captured gang.

Charlie had a big meal ready for them almost as soon as they arrived, and how they did eat.

"But it's got nothing on that rabbit," Jack declared as he passed his plate for his third helping of chicken.