Part 5 (1/2)
”There's always a first time,” countered Nort, while the cowboys gazed about them, talking in low voices.
”It must be something else,” said Bud. ”This is a prospecting bunch, it's easy to see that, but they're not after gold. These two professors are from some eastern college, I take it,” he went on.
”They may be after specimens of plants, or stones. Using their vacation this way. I've heard of it being done.”
”That's right!” chimed in d.i.c.k. ”Two of the professors from our Academy spent all one summer in the Adirondacks, getting material for a new geology book they were writing. Maybe that's what these professors are doing,” he suggested.
”Then why are they keeping so blamed secret about it for?” asked Nort, impulsively. ”There's no crime in getting rock specimens, or in making up a new geology, only I wouldn't want to do it,” he finished with a grin. ”I get enough of study all winter. We came out here to have fun!”
”And we've started in right!” declared his brother. ”Fun and excitement.”
”I reckon we'll have to let these fellows have their way,” murmured Bud. ”They aren't on our ranch, and this is a free country. They may have permission from the Double Z people to look for specimens here.”
”Is this Double Z land?” asked d.i.c.k.
”Right about here is,” answered Bud. ”Our line runs over there, and back where we came from,” and he motioned toward the ranch buildings.
”Better be hitting the home trail too, soon,” he commented. ”It'll be dark in no time, and I'm as hungry as they make 'em!”
”You said something then!” declared Babe. ”I don't see that we can do anything more here--they don't appear to want us overly much,” he added.
Perhaps Professor Wright was aware that a little feeling had arisen over his hasty warning to Yellin' Kid, for he hastened toward the foreman and said:
”I shall be most grateful to you if you will send over something for the two wounded men. I don't like to let them go to your place, hurt as they are, and I don't like to deplete my force. Those rascals may return.”
”That's right,” agreed Slim. ”Wa'al, I reckon we can accommodate you.
I'll send one of the boys back with a bottle of antiseptic stuff right after grub. Wash out the wounds, pour some of this stuff on and bind 'em up. The men'll be all right. Greasers don't mind a little thing like a bullet through the arm or leg. You know 'em?”
”No, I only hired them three days ago to help with our camp outfit.
Some of my men deserted, and I have reason to believe it was some of them who led the attack on us.”
”Any special reason why they should shoot you up?” asked Slim. ”That is if it isn't askin' a personal question,” he added, mindful of the reception accorded Yellin' Kid.
”It is all due to a foolish mistake,” said Professor Wright, with a quick glance at his a.s.sistant, Professor Blair. ”We are here on a scientific mission, as perhaps Professor Blair told you, and a few of the deluded men I engaged to help me make some excavations imagine I am after gold. That is far from the truth, for----”
”It is far more valuable than gold!” exclaimed Professor Blair.
”Eh--well, yes, in a way,” said the chief, as Bud caught a look of warning flashed at the man who had ridden for help. ”But that is neither here nor there,” went on Professor Wright. ”The point of the matter is that I had to discharge the leader of my uneducated helpers because he persisted in trying to find out what we were after. He took some of the men with him, necessitating the hiring of others. Then the climax came this afternoon, when, unexpectedly, we were attacked. In my wanderings I had seen your ranch buildings, and I ventured to hope you would send us help when I dispatched my a.s.sistant to you.”
”Wa'al, we did what we could,” said Slim. ”Of course you know your own business best, but I wouldn't take any chances with Greasers. They may come back, if you have any valuables here.”
”We have,” said Professor Wright, with a glance at the tent, the flaps of which he had tightly closed. ”But I do not fancy they will again attack us soon. We wounded some of them before you came, and we shall now be on our guard. If I can have the antiseptics for those two men, I shall be grateful.”
”I'll send 'em over later,” promised Slim, and then he called to the cowboys: ”Don't 'pear to be much further need of us, boys. Let's mosey back!”
And while the cavalcade was on the trail leading to Diamond X ranch, Bud's cousins had a chance to tell him how it was they had come West so unexpectedly.
They had long been promised by their parents that they might spend a summer in the great open, but, for one reason or another, the visit had been postponed from time to time.
But about a week back Mr. Shannon found that his business called him to South America. He decided to take his wife with him, and this would break up their home for the time being.