_ CHAPTER XIV. THE WAY IT WAS DONE
The new driver drove the run to W--- for several round trips, and not once was he held up.
He made the regular time, drove without any accident whatever, attended to his business, associated with no one, or, that is, to be on intimate terms with any one, not even Doctor Dick, and still slept in his little shelter on the hill.
He had fitted this up more comfortably, and said that he felt perfectly at home there, while on his return from W---- he had led his horse back behind the coach, wishing to have him at Last Chance, where his stay was always two weeks, for there was only a day's stop at the other end of the run.
He was wont to go on long hunts, mounted upon Rawbones, as he called his horse, and he kept Landlord Larry well supplied with game.
One day as old Huckleberry was returning to Last Chance, and neared the Dead Line, the scene of the other hold-up, he suddenly threw his rifle to his shoulder and sent a shower of buckshot into a thicket ahead.
A rifle-bullet from the other barrel was sent to the other side, and the whip was brought down upon his team in a way that put them into a run.
Seeing them well started he threw the reins over the brake and with a revolver in each hand opened a fusillade on both sides of the trail, while he called out to his passengers:
"Blaze away into the bushes, durn yer, for thar is game thar ter kill!"
All this had not taken over half a dozen seconds, and that there was "game" in the thickets, and dangerous game at that, was proven by hearing several loud cries of pain, and stern orders given, while men were seen hunting shelter from the unexpected fusillade opened upon them.
There were eight passengers in the coach, and, urged by the old driver, several of them obeyed and opened fire from the windows.
The result was that where road-agents had been lying in wait for the coach, and were just about to show themselves and command a halt, they were taken completely by surprise and forced to seek shelter from the leaden messengers flying about them.
The rapid fire caused the road-agents to believe that there was a coach full of soldiers, that a trap was prepared for them, and ere they could rally and their leader could convince them that it was not so, the coach had gone by the Dead Line and was going along the pass at the full speed of its horses, the reins now in the hands of old Huck once more.
The passengers all saw the panic-stricken road-agents, half a dozen in number, and, encouraged by the boldness of old Huck, kept up a hot fire, which they felt confident had not been thrown away.
When pursuit was no longer feared, old Huck drew his team down to a trot, and, leaning over, called out:
"We done 'em up thet time, pards."
The passengers cheered the old driver, and when he drew rein at the hotel in Last Chance they quickly made known his act of heroism, for, throwing the reins upon the backs of his horses, he had gotten down from the box, reported the safe arrival of the coach to Landlord Larry, and gone in to his supper.
When the story was told, of how bravely he had run the gantlet, Landlord Larry went in to have a talk with him, but found that he had finished his supper and gone.
It was a cold evening, and there was snow flying, so, looking over to the hill where the little shanty of old Huck was located, Landlord Larry saw a bright fire burning and at once went there.
There sat old Huck enjoying his pipe and warming his feet before the fire in the clay chimney he had built.
He had a canvas covering the doorway, to keep out the cold and snow, and seemed as contented as could be in his lone quarters.
"Well old man, you seem happy," he said.
"Why not?"
"You brought in a valuable freight to-night, in money and registered letters."
"I know it."
"Do you know how much?"
"Ther agent at W---- told me he thought about forty thousand, and so I made a rush, ter git through."
"And did it grandly."
"That's what I'm paid fer."
"I have heard the story of your running the gantlet and surprising the road-agents."
Old Huck laughed and replied:
"Waal, I calkilate as how they was astonished. You see I seen the tracks on the trail, foot-tracks, and fresh ones, goin' on toward the Dead Line, and so I kinder felt sart'in o' a hold-up. When I come to ther pass I seen ther top o' a small tree wavin' and knowed somebody were up in it looking over t'other trees.
"So I jist up with old drop-'em, and I let drive with a handful o' bullets I had dropped into ther shot-barrel, and I put a piece o' lead on t'other side o' trail, dropped ther ribbons and set my two puppies ter barking, as soon as I hed laid ther silk onter ther team and got 'em inter a run.
"I tell yer, landlord, it were prime fun and no mistake, and as ther insiders helped with ther guns, you bet we waltzed through them scared road-agents in a way that crippled 'em; and we come in on time.
"That's all thar is of ther story, boss," and old Huckleberry puffed away at his pipe again in the most unconcerned manner possible.
Hardly had old Huckleberry finished his simple story of his brave act when a voice at the door said:
"Ho, old gentleman, I have just heard at the hotel of your splendid work this afternoon and have come to congratulate you."
"Come in, Pard Doc, and camp on that blanket thar before ther fire, I is glad to see yer, but I don't need no congratulations, for I hain't done nothing more than I oughter."
"Well, old man, you saved the lives of your passengers, and a rich freight, I learn, and I know as well as any one how to appreciate what you did, for I have driven the trail, you remember."
"I know it, and done it well."
"I also praised old Huck, Doc, but he does not care to be thanked; but what is to be done about this attempted attack on the coach?" said Landlord Larry.
"I'll go out so as ter git thar at daybreak, and see if thar can be any trail found. It is spittin' now, but not much, and I guess we can find if we done any harm in our fire and maybe track the varmints," said old Huck.
"And I'll go with you," said Landlord Larry.
"Count me another," the doctor added.
Then it was decided to take a dozen men along, and the doctor and the landlord bade the old driver good night and departed, when he at once turned in, after throwing a large log upon his fire to burn until morning.
"That is a strange old character, Larry," said Doctor Dick as the two walked back to the hotel.
"He is, indeed, Doc. I do not understand him, for he is a mystery to me."
"And to me; but do you think I should send another courier to Buffalo Bill making known this intended attack?"
"No, write as you did before to him, and he'll get it by way of W----."
"I'll do so; but did you learn anything in particular about this attack?"
"Nothing more than that fully half a dozen road-agents were seen, and but for the bold and prompt act of old Huck there would have been death and robbery beyond all doubt."
"He is a very daring man to do what he did."
"He is indeed, and it will surely mark him for death with the road-agents."
"Beyond all doubt; but we must make a start early enough to bring us to the scene by daybreak, so good night."
The two separated to meet again when old Huck came up ready mounted to take the trail.
The party who were to go were soon in the saddle, and they started off at a canter. There was just a trace of snow upon the ground, and they were glad to see that there was no more.
A brisk gallop brought them to the Dead Line at dawn, and the search was at once begun.
Hardly any snow had fallen there, and in the pinons there was none, so that in several places the ground was stained red, showing that the fire from the coach had not been useless if not fatal.
Then old Huck showed his skill as a trailer, for he at once went to work in a way that revealed the fact that he was an old hand at the business.
He went from blood-stain to blood-stain in silence, examined the position of the thicket, took in the whole situation, and the direction of the stage when the firing had been going on, and at last started off up the canyon following a trail that was so faint that a number of the party said that there was no trail at all.
But he climbed up the steep side of the canyon end, followed by the others, and there on the top were found several red spots in different places.
"Three, maybe dead, maybe only wounded," he said shortly.
"Those three stains tell you that, old man?" asked Doctor Dick.
"Yas, they took off their dead or wounded, as ther case might be, and halted ter rest after climbin' up here, and right here is whar they laid the dead or wounded down, while they was restin'."
"Well, which way now, Huck, for your solution seems the right one," said Doctor Dick.
"That's hard ter tell, for a horse wouldn't leave no track here," was the reply. _