Soon the clatter of hoofs died away in the
distance.
"Who was thet?" asked three of Buell's men in unison.
"Take it from me, Greaser's sneaked," replied Buell.
"How'd he git out?"
With that Bud and Bill began kicking in the piles of brush.
"Aha! Hyar's the place," sang out Bud.
In one corner of the back wall a rotten log had crumbled, and here it was
plain to all eyes that Greaser had slipped out. I remembered that on this
side of the cabin there was quite a thick growth of young pine. Greaser had
been able to conceal himself as he crawled toward the horses, and had
probably been seen at the last moment. Herky-Jerky was the only one to make
comment.
"I ain't wishin' Greaser any hard luck, but hope he carried away a couple
Of 45-90 slugs somewheres in his yaller carcass."
"It'd be worth a lot to the feller who can show me a way out of this mess,"
said Buell, mopping the beads of sweat from his face.
I got up--it seemed to me my mind was made up for me--and walked into the
light of the room.
"Buell, I can show you the way," I said, quietly.
"What!" His mouth opened in astonishment. "Speak up, then."
The other men stepped forward, and I felt their eyes upon me.
"Let me go free. Let me out of here to find Dick Leslie! Then when you go
to jail in Holston for stealing lumber I'll say a good word for you and
your men.
Pages:
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176