The Broncho Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers Part 14

"I believe you are right," said Adrian, "and, if you are, what is the matter with following this ridge until we find the other entrance?"

"That's just what I was going to suggest," was Donald's reply. "Come on!"

Suiting the action to the word, he ascended the hill, followed by Adrian.

Arrived at the top, the boys could see that they were some little distance from the creek and that the ridge upon which they stood was not continuous but broken and irregular. There were also two paths.

"Which of these paths had we better follow, Don?" asked Adrian.

Donald bent down and examined both carefully.

"I believe," he finally said, "that this one on the left has been the most used. Suppose we take this?"

They did so, and after a few minutes approached the place where the bodies of the two smugglers were lying.

"What's this?" exclaimed Donald, starting back as the two figures caught his eye.

Adrian made no reply, but stood staring in surprise at the unexpected sight. It was not a pleasant spectacle, and both the boys involuntarily turned away from the place.

Donald was the first to regain his composure. "Come," he said, "this is no time for squeamishness. Something serious has occurred, and we have been in too many serious sc.r.a.pes to falter now! Let's see what has happened."

They approached closer and examined the bodies.

"They have been killed by some wild beast," declared Adrian. "They look just like sheep that have been killed by wolves."

"Yes," replied Donald, "or by dogs."

"Why do you say dogs, Don?"

"I just have an idea; that's all."

Adrian wrinkled his brow. Then a smile of intelligence pa.s.sed over his face.

"I see," he exclaimed. "I have the same idea-Tanto!"

"Exactly," replied Don. "But they have captured Guadalupe in spite of the dog."

"By George, Don, you've hit it exactly! But where is the dog now? He must have escaped, or we should see his body here."

"True," replied Don. "But why should he run away? You'd think a dog which could do such a thing would stick to his mistress no matter what happened."

"Sure you would. There's a mystery here we must unravel. Where do you suppose Tanto is?"

As though in response to the question, there was a sharp bark from the thicket, and the next moment Tanto sprang up onto the mound and attacked one of the lifeless bodies.

Both the boys turned at the unexpected arrival, only to confront Don Antonio and an officer of the rurales, who clambered up beside the boys.

"What is the meaning of all this?" demanded the officer, gazing first at the boys and then at the dog and his victims.

"You know as much about it as we," replied Adrian; "but anyone can guess what has happened," and he proceeded to tell the officer about seeing Guadalupe taken into captivity by the smugglers and the finding of the bodies, while Don Antonio called Tanto away and ordered the peons who had followed him to cover the bodies with branches until they could be properly cared for.

"Well," exclaimed the captain, for so the officer proved to be, "we have evidently run to earth a desperate band; but I am not sure whether they are simply smugglers or revolutionists."

"The presence of Don Rafael leads me to believe they are the latter,"

said Don Antonio.

"We shall very soon find out," declared the captain. "My men will be here shortly, and we will force the door to the cave and run them out and capture them."

"How?" queried Donald.

"Very simply! I will station a part of my men in front of the cave. Then I will force the rear door! If they try to escape by boat, they will be either captured or shot. If they turn and show fight, we will be in sufficient force to overpower them."

"And, while you are doing this, what do you think will happen to our friend and to Don Antonio's niece?"

"Yes," echoed Don Antonio, "we must remember Guadalupe! We can do nothing until she is rescued!"

The captain removed his sombrero and scratched his head.

"I hadn't thought of that," he finally said.

"That is where Don Rafael is the smartest," said Adrian. "That is why he was trying to capture Pedro."

"What would you suggest?" asked Don Antonio, who had come to have a wholesome respect for the opinions of the American boys.

"I haven't figured it out yet," replied Adrian. "Have you thought of anything, Don?"

"Yes; I have thought of a number of things, but none that seems to meet the requirements."

"How would it do to try and get into communication with Don Rafael?"

suggested Adrian.

"Not a bad idea at all," replied Donald; "but-h.e.l.lo! what's the dog found?" he suddenly asked, as Tanto, with nose to the ground, began to wag his tail and utter a joyous whine.

The exclamation at once called the attention of the four to the little grated window, through which Guadalupe was looking when seized by the bandits, and Donald threw himself down beside the dog and peered into the s.p.a.ce below.

"What do you see?" asked Adrian.

"Three figures," whispered Donald, "but I can't make out who they are. I wish we could pull out these iron bars!"

He seized the grating and pulled with all his might, but the bars refused to yield.

"If we only had a crowbar!" he exclaimed.

"Beat them down," came a voice from below.

Donald started back in surprise for just a moment, then put his face close to the bars and whispered back:

"What did you say?"