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017 - Chapter 16 A Mining Expedition · Redskin and Cow-Boy - A Tale of the Western Plains

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Speaker 1: Chapter sixteen of Redskin and Cowboy, A Tale of the
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Speaker 1: Western Plains by G. A. Henty. This Liberox recording is
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Speaker 1: in the public domain. Chapter sixteen a mining expedition. In
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Speaker 1: a few minutes, Hugh and Royce remounted and joined the
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Speaker 1: two Mexican gentlemen and set out, with the party of
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Speaker 1: a Caro's riding behind them. You came in with quite
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Speaker 1: a strong force, Don Ramon, Hughes said, smiling. It might
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Speaker 1: have been necessary. The Mexican replied, I could not tell
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Speaker 1: with whom I had to deal. Our guard do not
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Speaker 1: care very much about risking their skins, especially when it
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Speaker 1: is a question of Texan cowboys, who have, if you
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Speaker 1: will excuse my saying so, a terrible reputation and can
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Speaker 1: use their pistols with a skill that is extraordinary. I
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Speaker 1: could not guess that I had to do with gentlemen.
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Speaker 1: There is nothing that way about me, Signor Royce said abruptly.
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Speaker 1: I'm a cowboy, or a teamster, or a miner, or
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Speaker 1: anything that comes to hand, but nary a claimed to
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Speaker 1: be a gentleman. My friend is a good fellow, Signor
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Speaker 1: in every way, Hugh said, and is my staunch and
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Speaker 1: true friend. I myself am an Englishman who has come
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Speaker 1: out to enjoy the hunting and the rough life of
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Speaker 1: the plains of the West for a few years before
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Speaker 1: settling down at home. And now Signor the Mexican said,
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Speaker 1: with a bow, will you let me begin to question you?
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Speaker 1: For I am full of anxiety as to my unfortunate son.
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Speaker 1: I feared before that he was lost to us. I
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Speaker 1: fear now even more than before, for I am sure
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Speaker 1: that he would never have parted with his horse, which
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Speaker 1: he had reared from a colt, and was much attached
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Speaker 1: to these men from whom you bought it. Were they
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Speaker 1: known in that locality? No, he replied, wherever they came from,
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Speaker 1: they did not belong to that corner of Texas, for
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Speaker 1: neither the judge nor the sheriff had ever seen them before.
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Speaker 1: Had they known that they were bad characters, they would
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Speaker 1: have arrested them and held them until an owner was
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Speaker 1: found for the horse. But as they knew nothing against them,
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Speaker 1: they did not feel justified in doing so. Will you
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Speaker 1: describe them to me, the Mexican said. They were men
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Speaker 1: of between thirty and forty. From their attire, they might
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Speaker 1: have been hunters. They were dressed a good deal like yours.
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Speaker 1: They wore shupp at ajos with red sashes around their
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Speaker 1: waist and flannel shirts. They had jackets with silver buttons,
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Speaker 1: which you don't see much among our cowboys on the plains,
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Speaker 1: and broad, soft felt hats. I should say that one
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Speaker 1: was a half breed, that is to say, half Mexican
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Speaker 1: half American. Both had black mustaches and what I should
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Speaker 1: call hang dog faces. I have no doubt from your description.
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Speaker 1: Don Ramon said there were two men who joined the
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Speaker 1: caravan a day or two before my son left it.
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Speaker 1: These men said they were hunters, that I was told
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Speaker 1: that my son engaged them to accompany him while he
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Speaker 1: was hunting, to act as guides and show him the
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Speaker 1: best places for game. They were described to me by
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Speaker 1: some of the party that returned here, and I feared
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Speaker 1: at the time that if evil had befallen him, it
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Speaker 1: was through them. Now that you tell me they sold
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Speaker 1: you his horse, I feel but too certain this was so.
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Speaker 1: They seemed to have ridden fast and far. Their own
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Speaker 1: horses and the bay were in fair condition Signor, but
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Speaker 1: the pack horse was very poor. The men were evidently
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Speaker 1: in great haste to get away, and I should judge
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Speaker 1: from this that if, as you fear, they murdered your
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Speaker 1: son and his three servants, they probably did it at
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Speaker 1: the last camping place before they arrived at McKinney. Had
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Speaker 1: they done it when far out on the plains, there
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Speaker 1: would have been no good reason why they should have
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Speaker 1: been in so much haste. But if it had been
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Speaker 1: but a short distance away, they might have feared that
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Speaker 1: someone might find the bodies and organize a pursuit at once.
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Speaker 1: Why should they have delayed so long if their intention
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Speaker 1: was murder? The younger Mexican asked that I cannot say,
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Speaker 1: don Carlos. They may have fallen in with other hunters
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Speaker 1: after leaving the caravan, and these may have kept with
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Speaker 1: them all the time they were out on the plains,
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Speaker 1: and they may have had no opportunity of carrying out
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Speaker 1: their designs till the party separated. Or again, your brother's
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Speaker 1: attendants might have been suspicious of them and may have
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Speaker 1: kept up too vigilant a watch for them to venture
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Speaker 1: on an attack before. But this watch may have been
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Speaker 1: relaxed when the journey was just at an end and
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Speaker 1: it seemed to them that their fears were unfounded. That
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Speaker 1: is the most likely explanation. Don Ramon said they were
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Speaker 1: three picked men. Two of them were hunters, the other
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Speaker 1: my son's body servant. It is likely enough that the
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Speaker 1: hunters would have kept alternate watch at night had they
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Speaker 1: suspected these fellows. Those two were to have remained in
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Speaker 1: charge of the horses at the town where my son
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Speaker 1: took rail, and to await his return there. The other
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Speaker 1: man was to accompany him to New York. My son
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Speaker 1: had an ample supply of gold for his expenses, and
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Speaker 1: I fear it was that, rather than the horse that
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Speaker 1: attracted the scoundrels. They were by this time approaching a
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Speaker 1: large and handsome building standing in extensive grounds. As they
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Speaker 1: halted before it, a number of peons ran out and
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Speaker 1: took the horses. Prince had quickened his pace as he
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Speaker 1: neared the house, and had given a joyful may as
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Speaker 1: of recognition when Hugh alighted the horse, as usual, laid
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Speaker 1: his muzzle on his shoulder to receive a caress before
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Speaker 1: turning away, and then, without waiting for one of the
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Speaker 1: peons to take his rein, walked away toward the stables.
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Speaker 1: I see he is fond of you, signor you have
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Speaker 1: been a kind master to him. I love horse, Hugh said,
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Speaker 1: and Prince, as I have called him, has been my
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Speaker 1: companion night and day for eighteen months. We have hunted together,
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Speaker 1: and roped in cattle, and fought Indians, and divided out
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Speaker 1: last crust together. Don Ramon led the way into the
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Speaker 1: house and then into a room where an elderly lady
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Speaker 1: and two young ones were sitting. They rose as he entered.
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Speaker 1: What news, Ramond? The elderly lady asked, such news as
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Speaker 1: there is is bad Maria, these caballeros, Don Hugh tunstall,
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Speaker 1: and he hesitated and looked at Royce, with whose name
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Speaker 1: he was not acquainted. Bill Royce, without any dawn the
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Speaker 1: cowboy put in the Mexican repeated the name have been
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Speaker 1: good enough to ride over here with me, in order
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Speaker 1: that you, as well as I might question them as
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Speaker 1: to what they know of our son. Unhappily they know little.
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Speaker 1: We were not misinformed. Don Hugh has indeed our son's horse,
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Speaker 1: but he bought it, as he has proved to me,
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Speaker 1: from two strangers who tally exactly with the description we
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Speaker 1: have received, that the two hunters who left the care
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Speaker 1: of them with our son. I feared all along that
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Speaker 1: these men were at the bottom of whatever might have
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Speaker 1: befallen Estephan. I fear now that there is no doubt
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Speaker 1: whatever about it. Caballeros, This is my wife, Dona Maria Parrallas.
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Speaker 1: These are my two daughters, Dolores and Nina. For an
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Speaker 1: hour Hugh and his companion remained answering questions of Dona Parallas.
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Speaker 1: Then Hugh rose, feeling that the ladies would be glad
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Speaker 1: to be alone in their grief. For the confirmation of
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Speaker 1: their fears, respecting Don Estephan had brought their loss back
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Speaker 1: to them freshly, Don Ramon and his son accompanied them
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Speaker 1: to the door. I pray you, the former, said that
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Speaker 1: if at any time you come upon the villains, you
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Speaker 1: give them in custody. I and my son will make
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Speaker 1: the journey to appear against them. However far it may be.
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Speaker 1: You need not trouble on that score, Roy said, If
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Speaker 1: we meet them, I warrant you we can manage their
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Speaker 1: business without any bother of judge or jury. They will
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Speaker 1: have a cowboy trial, and after the evidence Hugh and
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Speaker 1: I can give, you may be sure that a rope
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Speaker 1: will very soon settle their affair. I must ask you,
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Speaker 1: Don Ramon, Hugh said to lend me a horse back
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Speaker 1: to the town, and to send of a kara with
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Speaker 1: me to bring it back. But why, sir, the Mexican asked,
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Speaker 1: in surprise, you have your own horse? No signor Prince
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Speaker 1: is not mine. He was your son's and is yours.
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Speaker 1: A man who buys stolen property is liable to lose
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Speaker 1: it if he meets the proper owner, And when I
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Speaker 1: bought Prince for half his value, I knew that I
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Speaker 1: was running that risk. No signor Englishman, I do not
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Speaker 1: say that a man who has lost his horse has
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Speaker 1: not the right to reclaim it wherever he may find it.
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Speaker 1: That is, if he happens to be in a place
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Speaker 1: where the law is respected, or if not, if he
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Speaker 1: happens to be with the strongest party. But in the
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Speaker 1: present case, I could not think of depriving you of
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Speaker 1: the horse. It is evident that he has found a
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Speaker 1: good master, and that you stand in his affections, just
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Speaker 1: as my son did. Besides, if you will pardon my saying, so,
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Speaker 1: the horse is more to you than it is to me.
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Speaker 1: There are many thousands of horses running wild on my estates.
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Speaker 1: And although my son you used to assert that there
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Speaker 1: was not one which was equal to his horse. There
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Speaker 1: are numbers that are but little inferior. For our horses
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Speaker 1: are famous. They are mustangs crossed with pure Arab blood,
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Speaker 1: which my grandfather had selected and sent over to him
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Speaker 1: regardless of cost. Pray, therefore, keep the bay. May it
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Speaker 1: carry you long and safely. It will be a real
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Speaker 1: pleasure to my wife and myself to know that poor
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Speaker 1: Estefant's favorite horse is in such good hands. I have, also,
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Speaker 1: he said courteously to Royce, taken the liberty of ordering
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Speaker 1: my peons to change the saddle of the horse you
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Speaker 1: rode to one more worthy of being a companion to
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Speaker 1: the bay. It is of no use for one man
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Speaker 1: to be well mounted if his comrade does not bestride
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Speaker 1: a steed of similar swiftness. Hugh and Royce warmly thanked
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Speaker 1: Don Ramond for his kindness. The horses were brought round,
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Speaker 1: and that of Royce fully bore out the commendation of
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Speaker 1: the Mexican. We hope to see you again tomorrow, Don
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Speaker 1: Ramond said, as they mounted. You will always be welcome
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Speaker 1: guests here, and you will not forget. Don Carlos said,
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Speaker 1: in a low tone, if you ever meet those men
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Speaker 1: that has been a fortunate adventure, Royce said, as they
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Speaker 1: rode off. I have often wondered whether we should ever
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Speaker 1: fall upon the original owner of your horse, and picture
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Speaker 1: to myself that we might have a bad time of
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Speaker 1: it if we did. It isn't everyone who would have
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Speaker 1: accepted that receipt of yours's proof? No, I always felt
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Speaker 1: that myself, Royce, well, that sorrel of yours is a
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Speaker 1: splendid animal, and really worthy to go with. Prince. I
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Speaker 1: often wished you how to mount as good as mine,
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Speaker 1: for my sake as well as your own, For there
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Speaker 1: is no doubt of the truth of what he said.
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Speaker 1: When two friends are riding together, their paces only that
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Speaker 1: of the slowest horse. That is so, Royce agreed. So
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Speaker 1: there is some Arab blood in them. I have often
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Speaker 1: talked over the bay in the camps. We all agreed
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Speaker 1: we had never seen so good a mustang. There are
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Speaker 1: good mustangs, but they are never a match for a
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Speaker 1: really first rate States horse. And yet we could not
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Speaker 1: see any signs of such a cross in Prince. He
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Speaker 1: were mustang, but there seemed more whipcord and why about
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Speaker 1: them than a mustang. Has I've heard say that the
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Speaker 1: mustangs are the descendants of Spanish barbs, and that the
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Speaker 1: Barbs were Moorish horses. Yes, that is so Royce. The
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Speaker 1: barb is related to the Arab, but is not I
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Speaker 1: believe of such pure blood. It is a coarser animal.
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Speaker 1: And if Don Ramon's grandfather brought over some pure Arabs
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Speaker 1: of first rate strain, they would no doubt greatly improve
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Speaker 1: the mustangs. Well, Hugh, if we ever do meet those
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Speaker 1: two murdering villains, I reckon their chances of getting away
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Speaker 1: from us ain't worth mentioning. The reception on their return
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Speaker 1: to the hotel was very different to that they had
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Speaker 1: before experienced. They had been visitors at Don Ramon's hacienda,
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Speaker 1: and Don Ramon was the richest proprietor in the district
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Speaker 1: of El Paso. After they had finished supper that evening
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Speaker 1: and were enjoying coffee and cigars at a table placed
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Speaker 1: with others in a garden behind the hotel, the two
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Speaker 1: miners who had stood by them in the morning came
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Speaker 1: up and took seats beside them. You had a pretty
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Speaker 1: rough welcome this morning at Al Paso, the big man said.
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Speaker 1: But by the way, I do not know what to
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Speaker 1: call you. My own name is Sim. I am generally
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Speaker 1: known as surly Sim. My friend's name is Frank. I
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Speaker 1: generally call him the doctor. My name is Bill, Royce said,
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Speaker 1: and out on the plane the boys called me Stumpy,
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Speaker 1: which don't need any explanation. My mate's name is Hugh,
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Speaker 1: and he's got the name of Lightning. Ah. And why
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Speaker 1: is that, may I ask? The white haired little man said, well,
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Speaker 1: it is because of one of his accomplishments. Doctor. He's
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Speaker 1: got the neck of drawing a pistol that sharp that
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Speaker 1: almost before you see his hen move, you're looking down
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Speaker 1: the tube of a pistol. A very useful accomplishment, the
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Speaker 1: little man remarked, always supposing that it is not used
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Speaker 1: too often, and that it is only used in self defense.
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Speaker 1: I'm a peaceful man myself, he went on, and have
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Speaker 1: a horror of the use of firearms. His companion left.
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Speaker 1: Now you know that is so, Sim, the little man
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Speaker 1: said earnestly. Well, Doctor, I don't go for to say
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Speaker 1: that you are quarrelsome. And if anyone said so in
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Speaker 1: my hearing, I should tell if he were a liar
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Speaker 1: before a peaceable man. Doctor, And I don't deny as
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Speaker 1: you are peaceable. I don't know, as there is a
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Speaker 1: man in the mining regions who has used his weapon
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Speaker 1: oftener than you have. But always on the side of peace, Sim,
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Speaker 1: the little man said, earnestly, Please to remember always on
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Speaker 1: the side of peace. Kiss in the same way that
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Speaker 1: a New York policeman uses his club. Doctor, Well, I
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Speaker 1: can assure you I don't often use what you call
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Speaker 1: my accomplishment, Hugh said. I practice it so that I
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Speaker 1: may be able to defend my life if I am attacked.
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Speaker 1: But except in a fight with the band of comanches,
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Speaker 1: I have only once had occasion to draw my pistol
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Speaker 1: and he weakened. Sim asked, yes, I had the drop
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Speaker 1: of him. There was nothing else for him to do.
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Speaker 1: And what are you going to do at El Paso?
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Speaker 1: You're too abrupt, Sim much too abrupt, the little man said, deprecatingly,
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Speaker 1: not at all. Doctor. If it is anything they don't
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Speaker 1: want to tell, they won't tell it. If it isn't,
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Speaker 1: we may be useful to them. We have no particular
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Speaker 1: object in view, Hughes said. I am an Englishman, but
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Speaker 1: not a rich englishman who comes out to buy ranches
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Speaker 1: or to speculate in mines. But I have come rather
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Speaker 1: to pass three or four years in seeing life on
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Speaker 1: the western plains than to make money. I worked for
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Speaker 1: six months in McKinney at three or four months hunting,
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Speaker 1: and then worked six months as a cowboy, and I
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Speaker 1: thought that for a change, I should like to come
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Speaker 1: this way and see something of mining adventure in New
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Speaker 1: Mexico or Arizona. My mate here has been with me
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Speaker 1: for nearly two years and has thrown in his fortune
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Speaker 1: with mine. There's adventure enough and more than enough in
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Speaker 1: mining down there in Arizona. The doctor and I have
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Speaker 1: been at it for some years. We haven't made a penny,
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Speaker 1: but we have saved our scalps, so we may be
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Speaker 1: considered lucky. I was told. Hugh went on that El
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Speaker 1: Paso was the most central place to come to. My
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Speaker 1: idea was that I might find some party setting out
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Speaker 1: on a prospecting expedition, and that I might be able
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Speaker 1: to join it. It ain't a good time for prospecting expeditions,
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Speaker 1: Sue said. Even on the upper heel of the mining
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Speaker 1: camps is all on guard, knowing that any day the
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Speaker 1: apaches may be down on them, and it would want
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Speaker 1: a man to be a wonderful fond of gold for
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Speaker 1: him to go out prospecting down in Arizona. I don't
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Speaker 1: care much for gold h left, though I don't say
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Speaker 1: I should object to take my share if we hit
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Speaker 1: on a rich load, I should go for the sake
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Speaker 1: of the excitement and to see the life well. At
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Speaker 1: other times, you might find any number of people here
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Speaker 1: in El Paso who would be glad enough to take
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Speaker 1: you out on such an expedition. The doctor said, you
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Speaker 1: asked the first man you meet, Mexican or white, and
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Speaker 1: he will tell you he knows of a mine and
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Speaker 1: will take you to it if you will fit out
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Speaker 1: an expedition. You are her exceptions to the rule. Doctor, No,
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Speaker 1: I don't say that, the doctor replied, though his companion
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Speaker 1: gave a growling protest. Oh, yes, we know of a mine,
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Speaker 1: he went on, not heating the growl. At least we
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Speaker 1: believe we do, which is I suppose as much as
14:46
Speaker 1: anybody can say. But we are like the rest. We
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Speaker 1: say that it is better to stay at El Paso
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Speaker 1: and keep our scalps on, even if we are poor,
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Speaker 1: than to go and throw away our lives and looking
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Speaker 1: for a mind. We've been out working for the last
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Speaker 1: six months on a mine in the Heel Valley on
15:00
Speaker 1: shares with six others. We weren't doing so badly, but
15:03
Speaker 1: the Mexicans who were working for us got scared and
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Speaker 1: wouldn't stay. So we've given it up and come down
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Speaker 1: here someday or other when things settle down again. I
15:11
Speaker 1: suppose the mind will be worked, but it won't be
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Speaker 1: by us. We're looking out for someone who will buy
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Speaker 1: our shares, but I don't suppose anyone will give five
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Speaker 1: dollars for them, and they would be right. The thing
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Speaker 1: paid in our hands, but it wouldn't pay in Mexicans.
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Speaker 1: They are poor, shiftless creatures and have no idea of
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Speaker 1: hard work. We should have given it up anyhow, even
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Speaker 1: without these Indian troubles, which don't make much difference, for
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Speaker 1: the Apaches are always ready to come down when they
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Speaker 1: see a chance. It is always war between them and
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Speaker 1: the whites. But we were there six months, and six
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Speaker 1: months are about the outside sem and I ever stop anywhere.
15:42
Speaker 1: When you do go prospecting, do you often get any
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Speaker 1: hints from the Indians as to where gold is to
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Speaker 1: be found? Never? Sim Howllett said the Engines are too
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Speaker 1: lazy to work theirselves, and they know that when the
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Speaker 1: whites get hold of gold, they poured down in numbers.
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Speaker 1: I believe they do know often where there are loads.
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Speaker 1: I don't see how they can be off knowing it.
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Speaker 1: For a red skin is always keeping his eyes on
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Speaker 1: the move. Nothing escapes him. And it would be strange if,
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Speaker 1: wandering about as they do, and knowing every foot of
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Speaker 1: their country, they didn't notice gold when it is there
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Speaker 1: to see. Besides, they've got tails handed down from father
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Speaker 1: to son. In old times they had gold ornaments and
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Speaker 1: such like, but you never see them now. They know
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Speaker 1: well enough that such things would draw the whites. Sometimes
16:24
Speaker 1: a red skin will tell a white who has done
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Speaker 1: in some great service where there is a load gold
16:29
Speaker 1: or silver or copper. But it don't happen often. Besides,
16:32
Speaker 1: most of the times the place lies right in the
16:34
Speaker 1: heart of their country, and for all the good it is,
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Speaker 1: it might as well be in the middle of the sea.
16:39
Speaker 1: Of course, if it was gold and the metal was
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Speaker 1: found in nuggets, and a horse loader too could be
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Speaker 1: got in a month, it might be done. But not
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Speaker 1: when it comes to settling there and sinking shafts and mining.
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Speaker 1: That can't be done until the apaches are wiped out.
16:53
Speaker 1: But are there such places as that? Sim Well, there
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Speaker 1: might be, but I've never seen them. The doctor and
16:59
Speaker 1: me have struck it rich many a time, but not
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Speaker 1: as rich as that. Still, I reckon there are places
17:04
Speaker 1: where the first comer might gather a big pilot. The
17:06
Speaker 1: redskins would but let him alone for a month. I
17:10
Speaker 1: suppose you are absent sometime on one of these expeditions.
17:13
Speaker 1: Do prospectors generally go on foot or horseback? They, in
17:17
Speaker 1: general takes a critter apiece, and two others to carry grub,
17:19
Speaker 1: and a pick and shovel. Sometimes they go two together,
17:22
Speaker 1: but more often one goes by his self. In course,
17:25
Speaker 1: where two men knows each other and can trust each other,
17:28
Speaker 1: two is kind of handier than one. We shouldn't like
17:30
Speaker 1: to work alone, should we duck? But then you see
17:33
Speaker 1: we have been twelve years together. Sometimes a man finds
17:36
Speaker 1: his own outfit. Sometimes he goes to a trader in
17:39
Speaker 1: a town, and if he is known to be a
17:40
Speaker 1: good miner and a straight man, the storekeeper will give
17:43
Speaker 1: him a sack of flour and a side of bacon,
17:45
Speaker 1: and such other things as are required, And then they
17:47
Speaker 1: go partners in what is found. Sometimes this goes on
17:50
Speaker 1: for months, sometimes for years. Sometimes the trader loses his money,
17:54
Speaker 1: sometimes he makes a fortune. You see, there are plenty
17:57
Speaker 1: of places as ain't in what you may call the
17:59
Speaker 1: Indian country. But somehow or other it do seem as
18:02
Speaker 1: if the Redskins had just been put down where the
18:04
Speaker 1: best places is, so as to prevent the gold being dug.
18:08
Speaker 1: And Arizona, some big finds have been made, but nobody's
18:11
Speaker 1: any the richer for them. The Redskins is always on
18:14
Speaker 1: the lookout. Often an exploring party never comes back. Sometimes
18:19
Speaker 1: one or two come back with the news that the
18:20
Speaker 1: others have all been wiped out. But what with the
18:23
Speaker 1: awful country and the want of water, and the certainty
18:26
Speaker 1: of having to fight, and of sooner or later being
18:29
Speaker 1: surprised and scalped, there ain't many men as cares about
18:32
Speaker 1: following the thing up. I suppose you know of such
18:35
Speaker 1: place as sim Well, maybe we do, the miner said, cautiously,
18:40
Speaker 1: Maybe we do, eh, Doctor. The little man did not reply,
18:44
Speaker 1: but sat looking searchingly at Hugh. When he did speak,
18:47
Speaker 1: it was not in direct answer to the question. I
18:50
Speaker 1: like your face, young fellow, he said, it reminds me
18:54
Speaker 1: of one I have seen somewhere, though I can't say where.
18:57
Speaker 1: You look to me as if you were downright honest,
18:59
Speaker 1: I hope I am, Hugh said, with a laugh. You
19:02
Speaker 1: may bet your boots on that. Bill Royce said. He
19:04
Speaker 1: is as straight a man as you will find in Texas,
19:07
Speaker 1: and you are out here. The other went on, part
19:10
Speaker 1: for pleasure, part just to see life, and part I
19:13
Speaker 1: suppose to make money if you see a chance. I
19:17
Speaker 1: have never thought much of making money, he replied, although
19:20
Speaker 1: I should certainly have no objection if I saw a chance.
19:23
Speaker 1: But I have never thought of doing more than keeping myself.
19:26
Speaker 1: And he has been with you, you say, nine two years,
19:29
Speaker 1: he nodded at Royce. And you can speak for him
19:31
Speaker 1: as he does for you. That I can, Hugh said warmly.
19:36
Speaker 1: We have worked together and hunted together. We have been
19:39
Speaker 1: mates in the same outfit, and we have fought the
19:41
Speaker 1: comenches together. And I can answer for him as for myself.
19:45
Speaker 1: He gave up his work and went with me, not
19:47
Speaker 1: because there was any chance of making more money that
19:50
Speaker 1: way than any other, but because we liked each other well.
19:54
Speaker 1: Sim the little man said, it seems to me that
19:56
Speaker 1: these two would make good mates for that job of ours. Well, doctor,
20:01
Speaker 1: you know I leave these things to you. I kind
20:03
Speaker 1: of feels that way myself towards them. And anyhow, I
20:06
Speaker 1: don't see as there can't be no harm in setting
20:08
Speaker 1: it afore them, seeing as there ain't no need to
20:10
Speaker 1: give them the indications. But I reckon there's too many
20:13
Speaker 1: about here to talk on a matter like that. Well,
20:16
Speaker 1: it comes to this, he went on, turning to Hugh.
20:19
Speaker 1: If you're disposed to make a joint expedition with us,
20:22
Speaker 1: and ain't a feared neither of roughing it nor of redskins,
20:25
Speaker 1: you meet us tomorrow three miles outside of town on
20:27
Speaker 1: the South Road, and we will talk to you straight.
20:30
Speaker 1: That is just what would suit me, you said, And you, Royce,
20:35
Speaker 1: it's all the same to me, Lightning. If you are
20:37
Speaker 1: for an expedition, you know you can count me in.
20:40
Speaker 1: Good night, then, sim Hallett said, rising, we've sat here
20:44
Speaker 1: quite long enough talking together if we mean to do anything.
20:46
Speaker 1: I reckon there is a score of these Mexicans have
20:49
Speaker 1: been saying to themselves afore. Now what can those two
20:52
Speaker 1: miners and them cowboys be a talking together about? And
20:55
Speaker 1: when a Mexican begins to wonder, he begins to try
20:58
Speaker 1: and find out. So off we are three miles out
21:01
Speaker 1: on the south road at nine o'clock tomorrow morning, about
21:04
Speaker 1: half a mile past a village, you will see a
21:06
Speaker 1: stone cross by the road. There is a path turns
21:09
Speaker 1: off by it. You follow that and you will come
21:11
Speaker 1: across us. Afore you have gone two hundred yards. What
21:14
Speaker 1: do you think of it, Royce, Hugh asked when they
21:16
Speaker 1: were alone. Don't think nothing of it, one way or
21:19
Speaker 1: the other. Most of them miners have got some tail
21:22
Speaker 1: or other. However, they seem to me straight men. I
21:25
Speaker 1: feel sure they are, Hugh said. The big one looks
21:28
Speaker 1: an honest fellow. I don't so much understand the little one,
21:31
Speaker 1: but evidently he is the head of the party. He
21:34
Speaker 1: is a curious little fellow, with his white hair and
21:36
Speaker 1: gentle voice. He doesn't look strong enough for such a
21:39
Speaker 1: life as they lead, but I suppose he is able
21:41
Speaker 1: to do his share, or they would never have been
21:43
Speaker 1: working twelve years together. At any rate. I came here
21:46
Speaker 1: to see something of life among the mines, and this
21:49
Speaker 1: seems as good a chance as we are likely to have.
21:52
Speaker 1: The next morning, they breakfasted at seven, and at half
21:54
Speaker 1: past eight saddled their horses and rode out. They found
21:58
Speaker 1: their two companions of the previous night the appointed place.
22:01
Speaker 1: As the miners saw them approaching, they turned off the
22:03
Speaker 1: path and preceded them to a Mexican hut, and there
22:06
Speaker 1: waited for them to come up. Good morning. The doctor said,
22:09
Speaker 1: as they dismounted, there's no fear of our being overheard
22:13
Speaker 1: up here. The Mexican who lives here has often been
22:15
Speaker 1: up with us among the hills, and started for the
22:17
Speaker 1: town a quarter of an hour ago when we told
22:20
Speaker 1: him we had a rendezvous here. Now, if you will
22:22
Speaker 1: hitch your horses up and sit down on these maize stalks,
22:25
Speaker 1: we can talk comfortably. A year ago, when Sem and
22:28
Speaker 1: I were working in a gulch among the mountains, we
22:31
Speaker 1: heard a call in the distance. We went to see
22:33
Speaker 1: what it was and found a man who had dropped down,
22:36
Speaker 1: just worn out and famished. After he had given the
22:38
Speaker 1: cry that fetched us. He had been shot in four
22:41
Speaker 1: or five places, and we saw at once that his
22:43
Speaker 1: journey was nearly over. We carried him to our fire
22:46
Speaker 1: and brought him round and did all we could for
22:49
Speaker 1: him for three weeks. Then he died. He told us
22:52
Speaker 1: he had been one of a party of six who
22:53
Speaker 1: had been prospecting in the hills west of the Lower Hila.
22:57
Speaker 1: One of them had learned from an Indian he had
22:59
Speaker 1: helped in way of a place where the bed of
23:02
Speaker 1: a stream was full of gold. They found it, but
23:05
Speaker 1: the next morning they were attacked by the Apaches, who had,
23:08
Speaker 1: I expect, been following them all the time. Two of
23:11
Speaker 1: them were killed at once. The others got upon their
23:14
Speaker 1: horses and rode for it. Three of them were shot down,
23:17
Speaker 1: but this man was well mounted and got off, though
23:19
Speaker 1: they chased him for three days. He lost his way,
23:22
Speaker 1: his horse fell dead, but he struggled on until he
23:25
Speaker 1: saw the smoke of our fire and made us out
23:27
Speaker 1: to be whites. Before he died, he told us how
23:31
Speaker 1: the place could be found. He said there was no
23:33
Speaker 1: doubt about the gold, and he had three or four
23:35
Speaker 1: nuggets in his pockets, weighing two or three pounds each.
23:39
Speaker 1: He said he had lots of bigger ones, but it
23:41
Speaker 1: chucked them all away to lighten his horse. Well, it
23:44
Speaker 1: is a long journey. It will take us all a month,
23:46
Speaker 1: I reckon, to get there. We cannot go straight. The
23:49
Speaker 1: Apaches would have us to a certainty but must go
23:52
Speaker 1: north into the Mokeithe country, then down again from that side.
23:56
Speaker 1: We have been minded to try it ever since, but
23:58
Speaker 1: luck has been bad with us. And besides, two men
24:01
Speaker 1: wouldn't be enough for such a journey. It ain't everyone
24:04
Speaker 1: sim and I would care about going with. But we
24:07
Speaker 1: have both taken a fancy to you. We saw you
24:09
Speaker 1: stand up straight before that crowd of Mexicans. Besides, we
24:13
Speaker 1: know it wants good grit for that cowboy life. Now
24:15
Speaker 1: this is the offer we make. We have got two horses,
24:18
Speaker 1: and we can buy two pack horses, but we can't
24:21
Speaker 1: go further than that. You've got two out and out horses.
24:24
Speaker 1: We saw you ride in yesterday afternoon. You will want
24:27
Speaker 1: another pack horse, and you will have to provide the outfit,
24:30
Speaker 1: say two bags of flour, two sides of bacon, ten
24:32
Speaker 1: pounds of tea, and a couple of gallons of spirits.
24:35
Speaker 1: Then there will be sugar and some other things. We
24:38
Speaker 1: shall also want a small tint. Now, if you like
24:41
Speaker 1: to join us on these terms, you can. There's plenty
24:43
Speaker 1: of gold for us all. But mind you, it will
24:46
Speaker 1: be no child's play. The journey from the Mokeithe Country
24:49
Speaker 1: there will be terrible and there is the chance, and
24:51
Speaker 1: a pretty big chance. It is I tell you of
24:53
Speaker 1: a fight with the redskins. We may never find the place.
24:57
Speaker 1: We've got pretty good indications, but it is not an
24:59
Speaker 1: easy matter to find a place among these mountains. Still
25:03
Speaker 1: there it is. If you get there and back, you
25:05
Speaker 1: will each have a horse load of gold. If you don't,
25:08
Speaker 1: you will leave your bones there. What do you say
25:10
Speaker 1: to it? Hugh looked at Royce. I reckon, we can
25:13
Speaker 1: take our chances if you can. The latter said, at
25:16
Speaker 1: any rate, mates, you will find as we can take
25:18
Speaker 1: our share of whatever comes. Then that has agreed, The
25:21
Speaker 1: doctor said, Now about preparations, it will never do for
25:25
Speaker 1: you to be buying the things here, for if we
25:28
Speaker 1: were seen to start off together, we should be following.
25:30
Speaker 1: Sure enough, it would be guessed at once we had
25:32
Speaker 1: told you of something good. We must not be seen
25:35
Speaker 1: together again. We will get our pack horses and load
25:38
Speaker 1: up and go as if we were undertaking a job
25:40
Speaker 1: on our own account, and camp up somewhere twenty miles away,
25:43
Speaker 1: and stop there. A week after we've gone, you can
25:46
Speaker 1: get your outfit and move off and join us. Sim
25:48
Speaker 1: and I have been talking over whether it will be
25:50
Speaker 1: a good thing to take Jose, that's the man here
25:53
Speaker 1: with us, instead of buying baggage horses. He's got four beasts.
25:57
Speaker 1: He could ride one himself, and the other three with
25:59
Speaker 1: the one you have would make up the number. Hose
26:02
Speaker 1: can be trusted. Besides, we should not tell him where
26:05
Speaker 1: we were going, but we should have to say. It
26:06
Speaker 1: would be a long journey and a dangerous one. He
26:09
Speaker 1: is a widower with one child, and these horses are
26:11
Speaker 1: his only possession, and I think he would want their
26:14
Speaker 1: value put down before he started, say seventy five dollars
26:17
Speaker 1: apiece for them in their saddles. That is three hundred dollars.
26:20
Speaker 1: You wouldn't buy them for less. So as far as
26:23
Speaker 1: money goes, it would come to the same thing. You
26:26
Speaker 1: will get it back again if Hose and the animals
26:28
Speaker 1: come back, But if we all do come back, three
26:31
Speaker 1: hundred dollars would be nothing one way or the other.
26:34
Speaker 1: Then comes the point would it be worthwhile to take him.
26:38
Speaker 1: There would be one more rifle in case we had
26:40
Speaker 1: to fight, and Jose has plenty of courage. I've seen
26:43
Speaker 1: him in a fix before. Now he would look after
26:45
Speaker 1: the beasts and leave our hands free and his pay
26:47
Speaker 1: would cost us nothing, for if we got there, he
26:49
Speaker 1: would help us gather and wash the gold. What is
26:52
Speaker 1: the drawback, then, he asked. The drawback is that if
26:56
Speaker 1: we have to ride for it, he might hinder us.
26:58
Speaker 1: There ain't much in that. Sim Howlett put in, Our
27:02
Speaker 1: horses are pretty good, though they ain't much to look at.
27:04
Speaker 1: But the horses are mates here of God would leave
27:06
Speaker 1: them standing. And I don't know that Jose's best is
27:09
Speaker 1: much slower than ours. Besides, when you are working among
27:12
Speaker 1: those mountains, speed goes for nothing. A horse accustomed to
27:15
Speaker 1: them would pick his way among the rocks faster, and
27:17
Speaker 1: a racehorse, if we're attacked they're running won't be much
27:20
Speaker 1: good to us. If we get fairly from the hills
27:23
Speaker 1: with the golden the patches are on our trail, Why
27:25
Speaker 1: then we must trust a cunning and our mates here
27:28
Speaker 1: it can ride clear away. We shan't do that, sim
27:31
Speaker 1: Hugh said. If we throw in our lot with you,
27:33
Speaker 1: we shall share it to the end. Whatever it is, well,
27:36
Speaker 1: that is all right, lad, But there are times when
27:38
Speaker 1: stopping to fight is just throwing away your life without
27:41
Speaker 1: doing no good. The doctor hearing me, ain't minted as
27:44
Speaker 1: art mates. But when a time comes where it ain't
27:46
Speaker 1: no sort of good in the world to fight, and
27:48
Speaker 1: when those mates must get rubbed out, whether you stick
27:51
Speaker 1: by them or not, then it is downright on reasonable
27:53
Speaker 1: for anyone as can get clear off to throw away
27:56
Speaker 1: his life foolish. Well, anyhow, sim Hugh said, it seems
28:00
Speaker 1: to me that it will be best to take Jose
28:02
Speaker 1: and his horses with us. It will, as you say,
28:05
Speaker 1: leave our hands free, and it will make the journey
28:07
Speaker 1: much more pleasant and will add one to our strength. Well,
28:10
Speaker 1: that would cost you, say, three hundred dollars? How much
28:13
Speaker 1: will the rest of the outfit cost? Three hundred at
28:16
Speaker 1: the outside? The doctor said, we've been reckoning it up.
28:19
Speaker 1: Of course, we have all got kits, and it's only
28:21
Speaker 1: grub and ammunition we've got to buy, and two or
28:23
Speaker 1: three more shovels, and some pans for washing the sand,
28:26
Speaker 1: and another pick or two and a couple of crowbars.
28:29
Speaker 1: Three hundred dollars will get as much grub as the
28:31
Speaker 1: four pack horses will carry and make a good proper
28:34
Speaker 1: outfit for us. Will your money run to that? Hardly?
28:37
Speaker 1: You said, that's just about what we have got between us.
28:40
Speaker 1: We had each six months paid to draw when we
28:43
Speaker 1: left the ranch, and I had some before. I think
28:45
Speaker 1: we are about twenty dollars short of the six hundred.
28:48
Speaker 1: That is plenty, the doctor said. If you put in
28:51
Speaker 1: four hundred, Semini can chip in another two hundred as
28:54
Speaker 1: we shan't have to buy pack horses, so we have
28:56
Speaker 1: plenty between us. We shall see jose tonight and talk
28:59
Speaker 1: it over with him, and if he agrees, he will
29:01
Speaker 1: come to you and bring a document for you to sign,
29:03
Speaker 1: saying that if he does not return in six months,
29:06
Speaker 1: the three hundred dollars are to be paid over for
29:08
Speaker 1: the use of his child. Then he will go with
29:10
Speaker 1: you to a priest and put the paper and the
29:12
Speaker 1: money in his hands. Then you can hand to him
29:14
Speaker 1: over your pack horse. He will take charge of it. Then,
29:17
Speaker 1: if you will give us one hundred dollars, we will
29:19
Speaker 1: engage to get the outfit all provided. When it is
29:22
Speaker 1: all done, we will let you know what day you
29:24
Speaker 1: are to meet us and where you see. We are
29:26
Speaker 1: asking you to trust us right through. That is all right,
29:29
Speaker 1: Hugh said. We are trusting you with our lives, and
29:32
Speaker 1: the dollars don't go for much in comparison. That is
29:35
Speaker 1: so sim Hallett said, well, there's nothing more to say. Now,
29:39
Speaker 1: you'd best ride back to the town and give yourself
29:41
Speaker 1: no more trouble about it. You will hear from us
29:43
Speaker 1: in a few days, or it may be a week.
29:45
Speaker 1: We shall buy half the things and send them on
29:47
Speaker 1: by jose, then get the others and follow ourselves. It
29:50
Speaker 1: would set them talking here if we was to start
29:53
Speaker 1: with four loads. There are some pretty bad men about
29:55
Speaker 1: this place. You bet well we shan't have much for
29:59
Speaker 1: them to plunder us. Hughes said, four laden horses wouldn't
30:03
Speaker 1: be a bad haul, but it ain't that I'm afraid of.
30:06
Speaker 1: If there were a suspicion as we was going out
30:08
Speaker 1: to work a rich thing, there's plenty of men here
30:10
Speaker 1: would get up a party to track us and fall
30:12
Speaker 1: on us, either there or on our way back. There
30:15
Speaker 1: are two or three bands of brigands upon the mountains,
30:17
Speaker 1: and they are getting worse. There have been several highciendas
30:20
Speaker 1: burned and their people killed, not so many miles from
30:23
Speaker 1: El Paso. Parties have been got up several times to
30:26
Speaker 1: hunt them down, but they never find them. And there
30:28
Speaker 1: are as people here as believe that the officers of
30:30
Speaker 1: the Garda are in their pay. They've come across us
30:34
Speaker 1: more than once when we have been prospecting, but they
30:37
Speaker 1: don't interfere with men like us, because firstly, we haven't
30:40
Speaker 1: gotten anything worth taking anyway, nothing worth risking a half
30:43
Speaker 1: a dozen lives to get. And in the next place,
30:46
Speaker 1: if it had gotten known they had touched any of
30:48
Speaker 1: our lot, the miners would all join and hunt them down.
30:51
Speaker 1: And they know right enough that it would be a
30:53
Speaker 1: different thing altogether to having to deal with the Mexicans.
30:57
Speaker 1: Five minutes later, Hugh and Royce were on their way
31:00
Speaker 1: back to El Paso. End of chapter sixteen read by
31:03
Speaker 1: Dorry Smith