"Scents water!" sneered Horace.

"Just you wait and see," retorted the younger of the comrades, and giving free rein to his pony, he let him nose along through the gra.s.s for some distance when the animal turned abruptly and entered the woods, stopping beside a brook.

"You'd better appoint me guide and captain of this company," smiled the boy as they dismounted and drank greedily of the cool water.

"You'd be a fine captain without a gun," retorted Larry, and in high spirits they remounted.

For a time the boys had the moon for company, but toward, midnight clouds gathered in the sky and a chilly wind began to blow.

"How about pitching camp pretty soon?" suggested Larry.

"Wait till we get to Elkhorn River," answered Horace".

"How far is that? I didn't suppose there was such a thing in these plains."

"Oh, I should say it was fifteen miles from here," returned the young rancher. "It isn't much of a river, but it's better than none."

"Wouldn't ride fifteen--h.e.l.lo! What's that glow in the sky right next the mountains?" exclaimed Tom, pointing to where a faint glare was visible against the dark background of trees.

"It's a fire," a.s.serted Horace, "a camp fire. You can tell by the steadiness of the light."

Excitedly they speculated as to whose it could be.

"If it's raiders, we want to know it. Perhaps we can round up some of them," declared Horace.

And urging their ponies into a gallop, the boys rode forward.

When they were near enough to distinguish the flames they dismounted, hobbled their horses in the underbrush and approached on foot.

No sign of man or beast could they see, and their curiosity was further aroused.

"Stoop down so your heads are In the gra.s.s," admonished Horace.

"It may be they have seen us and are hiding among the trees. Don't make any noise and stick close together."

Crouching low, the trio advanced stealthily. Nearer and nearer they drew, yet no sound could they hear. Consumed with curiosity, Horace suddenly stood up, determined to learn if any one were sleeping beside the fire.

Yet no sooner had he risen than a command rang out:

"Throw up your hands!"

The two brothers, ignorant of their companion's action, gasped at the words. But Horace let out a whoop of joy.

"Hooray! It's father and the boys," he cried so loud that instantly a dozen figures bounded from about the fire.

"Well, if it ain't them kids!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Pete, who had been on guard. "It's lucky you recognized my voice, Horace."

By this time Tom and Larry had straightened up and all three were hastening toward the camp fire, thinking only of their good fortune in finding their friends.

"Horace, what does this mean?" demanded his father sternly. "I told you to stay at home, and yet we haven't been gone but twenty-four hours and you come tagging along."

But the severity of his father did not dismay the young rancher.

Looking straight at him, the boy hastily told of the ride to the pool and the discovery that more cattle had been driven away.

The information excited the cowboys greatly, and emphatic were their opinions of the daring of the thieves in making another raid and within a few hours after the men pursuing them had set out.

"They probably were watching us all the time," a.s.serted the owner of the Three Stars.

"Probably," agreed Mr. Wilder. "But what have you boys been doing since you learned of the raid? You could almost walk your ponies from the pool to here in all this time."

Before any of them could reply, however, a long, low wail rang out.

Surprised, the men glanced at one another,

"That sounds like a coyote, but it ain't," a.s.serted Pete.

Again the cry broke on the air and was repeated twice.

"Why, it's the very same sound we heard in the mountains!"

exclaimed Larry. And his companions confirmed him.

"The same cry you heard in the mountains?" repeated Mr. Wilder.

"Yes, sir," and in a few words the elder of the brothers related their adventures.

"Then it's a signal," declared Pete. "You boys have been followed.

It's a mighty good thing we were camping here."

"Those cries came from the plains. Mebbe it's the thieves going for more cattle," declared Sandy.

"We'll find out what it is. Everybody to horse!" commanded Mr.

Wilder. "Pete, three or four of you go with Horace and the Aldens to get their ponies. We'll ride up and join you."

CHAPTER XIX

A TERRIBLE PLOT

Quickly the men ran to the woods where they had concealed their ponies, unhobbled, saddled and mounted them, riding along till they came to where Pete and the boys were.

"Which way shall we go?" inquired Sandy when all were In their saddles. "That cry came from straight ahead of us on the plains, according to my judgment."

Pete and the other cowboys agreed with him, and, trusting to their sense of direction, the owner of the Half-Moon said:

"Then we'll ride due east. Spread out abreast. The more ground we can cover the better."

"But don't get too far apart," interposed the rancher from the Three Stars. "Keep close enough together so you can see the man on your right."

Rapidly were these commands given, and within fifteen minutes after the mysterious calls had startled them the twenty-three hors.e.m.e.n were advancing over the prairie, eyes and ears alert for sound or sight of the men who had uttered the signals, the two Eastern boys and Horace riding between Mr. Wilder and Pete at the southern end of the line.