He had secured Jupiter the best way he could, not wanting the pony to wander away during the time he, Billie, might be asleep. That would be a calamity the fat boy disliked to even contemplate. It was bad enough having to ride over that scorching sand; but to be compelled to go afoot, with the heat burning through the soles of his shoes, must be ten times worse.

The pony had evidently made up its mind that what "could not be cured must be endured." He stood there, close to where Billie had camped, and hardly moved. Perhaps later on he would lie down to rest, for he too must be weary, after such a strenuous day.

Billie found himself nodding presently. He was tired clean through, and knew of no reason why he should not secure his fair portion of balmy sleep, the strength renewer.

Once he had thought he might try shouting as loud as he could, but gave the idea up as useless. Even if his chums heard him in the far distance what good would it do to start them out on the desert again, roaming all around in search of him? No, it was best that he simply make the time pa.s.s by what means lay in his power, and with the dawning of another day he would feel refreshed, so that he could set out toward the north, always toward the north, he kept on telling himself, as he fondly touched the pocket where the compa.s.s was securely hidden.

Again Billie was nodding as he sat there. Had he been left undisturbed the chances were that before five minutes he would have rolled over in his blanket, and settled down to sleep; and after that the hours would slip along, for Billie was a famous sleeper.

But this was not to be, for a certain sound came stealing along over the desert and struck upon the ears of the boy, causing him to instantly sit up, wide-awake:

"Wolves, as sure as anything!" he told his pony, already whinnying the alarm.

CHAPTER XII.

THE LONG NIGHT.

"That's right, it never rains but it pours," Billie went on to say, as he fondled his Marlin repeating rifle, which had of late proven its value in many ways; one of which accounted for the skin of a grizzly bear which the overseer at the Red Spar Mine had promised to cure for the boy, and send to the ranch later on.

He listened and soon made up his mind that the howls were approaching.

"Course they just seem to know there's a chance for a fine meal, out here on the wild old desert; and there they come, licketty-split, as fast as they can run. But they needn't think they've got an easy mark to deal with. Reckon that if I could knock over an old he-grizzly, I ought to be able to take care of a pack of cowardly wolves and coyotes. Huh!

let 'em come, I say. But I wish that old moon'd peep out from behind them clouds; it'd sure be a heap more sociable like."

Brave words these were, and Billie doubtless meant to prove that he did not fear the coming of the four-footed pirates of the plains and the desert. All the same, his hands trembled more or less as he handled his gun, nervously drawing back the hammer several times, as if to make certain that it worked mechanically.

There could be no doubt but that the wolves were heading straight toward him. Billie was amazed. Why, had it been daylight, so that they could see him with their sharp eyes, they could not be taking a more direct course toward the spot where he and Jupiter were encamped.

Once he thought that perhaps he ought to jump on the back of his pony, and let the broncho shoot off over the desert as he pleased; feeling certain that Jupiter would do everything that lay in his power to keep out of the reach of the wolves.

Hardly had this idea occurred to him than he turned it down.

"That would be fool's play," he declared, aloud, so that Jupiter might hear him, and perhaps understand what motives influenced his actions.

"They'd keep right on after us, and sooner or later we'd just have to haul up and fight it out. So what's the use changing base? If it's got to come, this is as good a place as any. And if I've been and got anywhere near the border of the desert, what a goose I'd be to head back into it again, when that sand storm may commence in the morning. No sir-ee, here I take my stand, come what will; and that's all there is to it!"

Somehow Billie felt better after all that heroic talk. It does brace one up to exhibit such defiance, say what you will about it.

He no longer lay there on his blanket, but was on his feet. The first thing he did proved that Billie was getting on, and no longer the greenhorn he had been; for he made sure to secure the canteen; in case Jupiter took it into his head to run away, he would not carry off this priceless article with him.

That proved to be one of the smartest things the boy had ever done in all his life, and showed how he was waking up these days, under the new conditions which surrounded him, making him think for himself. For the terrified pony did presently jerk loose, and go galloping away, much to the chagrin of his owner.

However, there was no time now for crying over spilt milk, as Billie told himself. The approaching wolves were very close, and would soon be upon him.

Billie tried to figure out whether the cowardly creatures would attack him immediately; or after their customary manner, hang about in a circle at an ever decreasing distance, waiting for him to be overpowered by sleep.

"Looks like I'm up against it," he said aloud; "and let's see how a Winkle can pull through. There's lots of 'em been soldiers, and never yet did one turn out to be a _coward_; and I ain't meaning to be the first, hear that?"

Whether he was addressing the wind, or the nearby wolves, Billie did not say; but his defiance was meant all the same.

He tried to penetrate the darkness so that he might see some object at which he could fire, for he wanted to make every bullet count, if possible. There was no telling how many of the wolves and coyotes there might be. If he kept on shooting them down, and more continued to arrive, the dreadful moment must come when he would run out of ammunition. What then? The programme ceased to interest Billie after that stage. True, he would still have his trusty hunting-knife, and that possessed a keen edge on both sides; but what a puny weapon it must always be in the hands of one unaccustomed to wielding a blade like that, and with an unnumbered throng of four-footed adversaries leaping about him.

Now the howls were along a different order. Billie fancied that he could trace exultation among other things in the last series; just as though the wolves began to feel sure of their supper, and rejoiced accordingly.

Many a time had Billie himself shouted with glee because of that call to the spread; and now he was experiencing how it felt to be on the other side of the fence, with these hungry wolves springing to the feast.

Well, first he would at least have some satisfaction in knocking over a few of his lupine enemies-he believed that was what they were called in books he had read concerning their characteristics.

There was certainly something moving close at hand, and coming toward him too. Billie swung his ready gun that way. Looking closely he felt sure that he could make out a dark, slinking form-yes, and there were two shining dots that made him think of a cat's eyes as seen in the dark, such as he had often done at home.

Billie waited for no more. He knew the first of the wolves had arrived, and that he could not get busy any too soon now. The quicker he taught these varmints a much needed lesson, the better. Besides, if he could only succeed in killing a few of the gray rascals perhaps he might take that keen edge off the appet.i.tes of the others, for he knew that they would lose no time in pouncing on any of their mates from whom blood was drawn.

With this in mind he leveled his rifle, took as good aim as was possible under the conditions, and pulled the trigger.

Instantly a wild screech arose, proving that his bullet had not been wasted. He instantly got his rifle in readiness for further operations, and then grimly waited to see what followed.

There was a great scurrying around out there in the gloom, accompanied by all sorts of snapping noises, some growls, and the sounds of a battle.

"Glory!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the boy, as he crouched there, trying to pierce the darkness that shrouded the scene so completely, "I do believe the rest of the gang have tackled the one I hit, and are tearing him to pieces right now. Ugh! hear 'em snap and growl, would you? Don't I wish it was light enough to see, and wouldn't I just like to send another chunk of lead straight in among the lot? Oh! why can't the beggarly old moon peep out, just to encourage a poor fellow once in a while?"

Apparently his earnest plea must have been heard, for just then there did come a break in the clouds, allowing the moon a chance to look out.

Billie seemed to take it for granted that he was being favored, and that he must make a quick use of the golden opportunity.

He was already looking straight out toward the place where all this commotion seemed to be in progress, so that as soon as he saw the whirling figures there he started in to send several shots that way.

That he did not waste his ammunition was evident, for there was a wild scattering among the fighting animals; and he could plainly see several forms lying there, before the moon again hid her smiling face.

"Good boy! do it some more, can't you?" Billie cried out, being wildly exultant by this time, because of his success.

The wolves kept at some little distance after that. They had learned a lesson, and would be careful how they attacked the one who apparently had it in his power to deal out death at will.

Half an hour later he could hear sounds again in the same old quarter.

He understood from this that the hungry beasts were making a meal off the unlucky victims of his fire, but as this suited him very well, Billie did not attempt to interfere.

That threatened to be the longest night in all his experience, for he knew that he dared not go to sleep, even for a minute, lest those daring beast of prey jump upon him; and once at close quarters, where the repeating rifle did not count for more than a cudgel, get the better of him.

Sometimes it was almost impossible for the boy to keep his eyes open, despite the fact that he was fully aware of the serious consequences, that would follow, should he forget himself. He fought fully fifty battles while night held sway; and often victory was gained only by a close margin; for more than once he had nodded until his head fell forward, and this served to arouse him again.

He had matches with him, and once in a long time used one so that he might have the consolation of learning the time of night.

It seemed to Billie that his little nickel watch must have stopped, though he had surely wound it up, and so far as he knew it was not subject to tricks of any kind. But those minutes did drag most terribly, and when four o'clock arrived he began to look toward the east most expectantly, though he knew full well that he could not possibly discover the first gleams of coming day for at least an hour and a half.

All was well, however, and that gave the boy considerable solid satisfaction. He experienced the pleasure that always accompanies a task rightly done; and even fancied that Donald and Adrian must find reasons for congratulating him, when they heard how he had kept guard all through that dreadful night.

He could hear the wolves moving around every little while, but as a rule they had learned their lesson well, and kept at a certain distance away.

Then again it was of course possible that, not being so ferociously hungry as they had been in the beginning, they were no longer ready to take desperate chances.