Part 25 (1/2)

Bob retorted: ”Well, we hadn't invited you girls, had we? So you need not refuse with such gusto! We're going to take the horse, so that Dan can ride most of the way.” But that lad interrupted: ”You mean that we will take turns riding. Although I have been in the Rockies so short a time my cold is entirely cured, and, as my lungs had not really been affected, I am soon to be as husky as you, Bob.”

”Of course you are, old man,” Bob put a hand on his friend's shoulder, ”but soon isn't now. I won't go unless you will ride, when I think it is the best for you to do so.”

”All righto! Anything to be agreeable.” Dan sank down on the porch step as though he were rather tired after the climb they had just completed.

Bob then turned to the girls. ”You maidens fair need not awaken. We'll be as quiet as--as----” Dan smilingly offered: ”How would Santa Claus do? He steals around very softly, or so tradition has it.” Bob laughed. ”I was going to say as a thief in the night, but I don't like to use a simile which suggests an unpleasant picture, and it's the wrong time of the year for Santa Claus.”

”A mouse is awful quiet,” Julie put in.

”Or a cat. They have cus.h.i.+ons on their feet,” Gerald added.

”We'll be as quiet as all of them,” Bob said, ”and tomorrow, young ladies, we are going to bring home the box.”

When the boys returned from Crazy Creek Camp they were weary and disappointed, but not discouraged, or so Bob a.s.sured the girls. It was quite evident that they were much excited, however, but what had caused it they would not reveal. When Merry asked if their search had taken them close to the tomb of the old Ute Indian, Bob had looked over at Dan and had asked, ”Shall we tell?”

The older boy nodded. ”Why, yes, we might as well. Sooner or later they are likely to find it out.”

The young people were seated about the hearth in the living-room of the cabin resting and visiting before they retired for the night. Gerald's eyes glowed with excitement. ”Julie won't sleep a wink if she knows about it. She'll be skeered as anything, Julie will.”

The small girl nestled closer to Jane and looked up at her inquiringly.

”What does Gerry mean, Janey?” she asked. ”Are they trying to tease us?”

But Dan replied seriously, ”No, it is the truth that something has occurred since we were last at the Crazy Creek Camp, and the discovery of it did startle us. Although we planned to give the tomb-cabin a wide berth, we at once went to a position where we could look at it. You girls can imagine our surprise, and I'll confess it, horror, when we saw the front door standing wide open.”

”Oh-oo, how dreadful!” Jane shuddered. ”What did it mean? Had someone opened the door out of curiosity, do you suppose, and what a shock it must have been when they found that dead Indian on the floor.”

Dan and Bob exchanged curious glances. Then the latter spoke up: ”It is just possible that the old Ute was not really dead and that he revived and left the cabin.”

”But how could he?” Merry looked thoughtfully into the fire. ”As I remember, the door was barred on the outside.”

”True!” her brother replied, ”but we also found a loose board on the floor, which had been lifted, leaving a hole large enough for the Ute to have crawled through. After that he may have opened the door to procure his pick-ax and shovel, as both were gone.”

Julie glanced fearfully at the dark windows of the room, and Gerald said, almost gloatingly: ”There, I told you so! Julie is skeered. She thinks the old Ute may be prowling around our cabin this very minute.”

”Mr. Heger ought to be told about this,” Dan had started to say, when Gerry grabbed his arm. ”What's that noise?” he whispered. ”Someone is outside. I hear 'em coming.”

Dan and Bob were on their feet at once. There was indeed the sound of footsteps outside the cabin, then there came a rap on the door. Julie implored: ”O Dan, don't! don't open it! Get your gun first!”

The older boy hesitated for a moment, but in that brief time his own fears were set at rest, for a familiar voice called, ”Daniel Abbott, may I speak with ye?”

The boy's tenseness relaxed and he threw open the door with a welcoming smile. ”Mr. Heger, we're mighty glad to see you! Come in, won't you?”

The mountaineer glanced at the group about the fire, but shook his head.

”No, I thank ye. I jest came down to ask if a big brown mare I found whinnyin' around my corral is the one Mr. Packard loaned ye? I would have asked Meg hed she been to home, but she went, sudden-like, to Scarsburg, along of some school-work, and she'll put up at the inn there for several days.”

Dan thanked the mountaineer for the trouble he had taken, adding, ”There really is no place here to keep the horse. I suppose that is why it wandered up to you. As soon as Jean Sawyer comes again, I will send it back.”

The mountaineer a.s.sured the boy: ”No need to do that, Danny, if you'd like to keep it. I'll jest let it into my corral along of Bag-o'-Bones.

They seem to be actin' friendly enough.” The man was about to leave, when Dan said, ”Mr. Heger, we boys have been over to Crazy Creek Camp today and we are rather puzzled about something.”