CHAPTER XVI

HIS NIGHT TO HOWL

If there was doubt in the listeners’ minds concerning the meaning of Silent’s remark, there was also doubt in the mind of the one who had uttered it. Actually, it meant nothing more than that the man was in the grip of a strong emotion and his tongue seized upon the phrase it had last spoken. For in those two horsemen, the two riders who had appeared like specters out of the night, Silent Neville had recognized the slayers of his father and brother.

Gradually the rain decreased, finally it ceased altogether. The fire was relit. Blankets were hung near it to dry. The animals were looked to. A pot of coffee was put on to boil.

Teddy walked to where Silent stood, staring into the flames. All around them they could hear the drip, drip of the water from the trees. Every now and again a distant roll of thunder, echoes of the departing storm, came to their ears.

“Forget it, Silent,” Teddy said in a low voice. “It’s all over. You’ll get your chance again.”

“Never like that, I won’t,” Silent responded dully, shaking his head. “Right there they stood, an’ me with my hand on my gun. Right there.”

“It happened too fast,” Teddy declared. “None of us had time to do a thing. Besides--” he stopped, then went on: “Funny, but I seem to have seen those two waddies before. Roy!”

“Yea?”

“Those two look familiar to you?”

“Well, Teddy, they did look like the rascals who knocked over Jerry Decker. But I only had a quick look. I can’t be sure.”

“That’s it! That’s who they were!” Teddy exclaimed excitedly. “Boy, they have got something to answer for!” He felt Silent’s hand upon his arm.

“They’ll answer to me,” the puncher said tersely.

“Right,” Teddy said. “Think there’s any use in--”

“Huntin’ them to-night? Not a chance. They’re miles from here already. They sort of knew who I was, I think. But I’ll get ’em some day!”

The remainder of the night passed uneventfully. The boys got about five hours of solid sleep and awoke with the sun streaming in their faces. Breakfast was eaten, and they set out again for Nugget Camp. Their second day was uneventful and the night passed quietly.

It was their intention to reach the mining camp by evening of the third day, and by hard riding they did it. The last of daylight was fading in the west when they got their first view of the place which was to be their headquarters for the next month or so.

The story of the vicissitudes of Nugget Camp had interested the Manley boys, since several times during the past fifteen or twenty years strikes had been reported there and a new rush started, only to dwindle to nothing when miners found the place practically empty of gold. The gold which they did discover had to be worked hard for, not taken in nuggets. For the last five years the name Nugget Camp had been almost a joke.

Then this new tale was circulated--of a man finding a huge fortune--and immediately those about the countryside, forgetting the many times “wolf” had been cried before, dropped the tools of their trade and headed for the gold field. Shacks which had been deserted for years once again had occupants. Tents sprang up like mushrooms. Two gambling houses were already under way, and saloons, officially “speakeasies,” flourished. The law had wisely let the camp govern itself, except for supervision over crimes of violence, for it would need a garrison of soldiers constantly on guard to make a refined city out of Nugget Camp.

This was the scene that confronted the four riders as, with their three beasts of burden, they approached the gold field. It was evening, and miners, some of them with their wives and children, sat on upturned buckets or boxes before the doors of their tents. Lanterns were hung on poles for street lights. At the far end of the camp were the gambling houses and saloons, and from that quarter came sounds of revelry--the whining strain of a violin, the heavier notes of an accordion. A miner carrying a bag of food in his arms stumbled into a tent, evidently having made a visit to a speakeasy on his way home. Dogs ran about, sniffing at the pile of cans which were thrown behind some of the tents. The work of the day was over. The miners were taking their rest.

Teddy, who was slightly ahead of his companions, suddenly exclaimed:

“Say, isn’t that Gus Tripp in front of that tent?”

“Looks like him,” Roy responded. “Hey, Gus!”

The man turned his head, then sprang to his feet.

“Teddy! An’ Roy! Hey, Nick! Well, for Pete’s sake!” He ran over and shook hands heartily with the new arrivals, expressing his pleasure at meeting Silent. “Say,” he went on eagerly, “when’d you get in? Just now, hey? How’s everybody back home?”

“O. K.,” Roy answered. “We got that bunch of beeves off to Chicago, and things are sort of quiet now. That’s how come you see us here.”

“I’m sure glad you came,” the puncher declared heartily. “You know, Roy, I felt mean leavin’ the ranch that-a-way. But snakes, I had to! If I let a chance like this slip by--”

“I know,” Roy laughed. “Dad understood. Said he didn’t blame you a bit. Said he’d do the same thing himself if he could. How you making out?”

“Find any big nuggets?” Nick broke in eagerly. “Real big ones?”

“Naw,” Gus responded. “Nary a nugget. Been gettin’ a fair amount of dust, though, by pannin’. Only that’s not what I came out here for.”

“It’s slow, but sure,” Silent said quietly. “The other is just luck.”

“An’ that’s just what I’m lookin’ for,” Gus declared. “Lady Luck! She can soak her socks in my coffee any time a-tall. Say, where you guys stayin’ to-night?”

“We’ve got to locate some place,” Teddy answered. “How about near you?”

“Fine! That spot big enough?” He pointed to a bare place at the side of his tent. It was amply large enough to accommodate the two tents.

“Fine,” Teddy asserted. “What do you say, Roy?”

“Suits me. Let’s get the mules unloaded.”

By the light of lanterns, the packs were removed, the tents spread and raised. Teddy and Roy had one, Silent and Nick the other. The mules were outspanned some distance from the street, and the horses were tied, after feeding and watering them, nearer the tents.

“Jim Casey an’ Nat Raymond got a tent over on the other side,” Gus told them when they had finished their labors. “They’ll be glad to hear you came. Say, ain’t you fellows hungry?”

“Hungry!” Nick almost shouted. “I could eat a brass doorknob--in fact, two brass doorknobs. Let’s get goin’.”

Since the new arrivals had not yet set up cooking stoves, Gus lent them his, and during the preparation and eating of the meal they told Gus of their adventure of the first night.

“One man shot, you say?” the puncher asked interestedly. “Now, that’s queer. Nat told me a man was shot a couple of days ago up at Hagerman’s--that’s one of our beauty spots, where you can get a drink of poison by askin’ for liquor. He pulled somethin’ funny.”

“Well, we can’t say whether this bird was shot or not,” Nick declared. “He was hurt some way, though. Maybe he got tossed off his bronc.”

“What sort of place is this, Gus?” Teddy asked. “I mean shall we tote these things”--he motioned to the gun at his side--“or not?”

“Well, it’s the only kind of life insurance we got,” Gus drawled. “I’d sort of hang on to ’em, if I was you. An’ the first thing in the mornin’ you boys’d better stake yore claims. There’s more people comin’ in here every day. Tell you, the best place, to my notion, is about one hundred an’ ten above discovery. That’s a quarter of a mile from here. Not many fellers locate near there, but I got a hunch it’s due for a strike, even if it is far up.”

“We’ll try it,” Teddy agreed. “Have you a claim near there?”

“Yep. But that ain’t no proof there’s gold there, ’cause I haven’t made out so well yet. But you wait. I tell you I got a hunch, boys.”

The meal was concluded, and Teddy and Roy decided to take a walk around Nugget Camp, to get their bearings. Silent and Nick concentrated on a game of double solitaire.

“Well, we’re here,” Teddy remarked, as the two strode down the street.

From the end of the street, where the gaming houses were located, came a wild shout.

“Somebody’s out for a good time. You’d think the men would leave their wives and children at home with that stuff going on.” Roy motioned to a tent outside of which sat a man, a woman, and two young girls. “But I suppose a lot of them pulled up stakes and hit out for good, with no intentions of returning. I’ll bet a lot of them will ride on within two weeks, broke.”

Teddy nodded. “That’s the luck of the game. Say, wouldn’t it be great if we could strike it good and rich and go home with a couple of thousand apiece? Baby! I’d like to be able to hand a bag of nuggets to dad and say: ‘See what your dutiful sons brought to you from afar. Here is ten thousand; take it and buy a race-horse.’”

“You know what dad would say to that,” Roy laughed. “He’d ask you who lent it to you. Anyhow, it’s nice to think about. Snakes! what is this, a free-for-all?”

They were opposite a large wooden shack, well lit, from which came excited cries. Suddenly a man burst through the door.

“Me, I am a bear, an’ it’s my night to howl!” he roared. “Who deposed the Russian Czar? Me, I done it! Who won the war? Me, again! And who is goin’ to--goin’ to--” he hesitated and took a deep breath. “I forget just what, but I’m goin’ to do it,” he muttered. “Right now, too!”

He turned, and saw Teddy and Roy. Slowly he pushed his hat back on his head, and by the light of a lantern which hung from a near-by pole the boys could see a livid scar running the length of his forehead.

“Ah, the Duke of York an’ his maid in waitin’,” he called ironically, bowing low. “Ladies, I greet you! Welcome to Buckingham Palace. What ho, the guard! Where’s the Lord Mayor? Where’s that Lord Mayor? He’s never around when I want him! I’ll have to do somethin’ about that. I’ll dock his pay, that’s what I’ll do! Yes, sir! Well, then I’m the welcomin’ committee. An’ here’s the way we welcome guests!”

Suddenly, without a word of warning, he drew his revolver and shot into the ground at Teddy’s feet!