The Argosy, Vol. XI No. 20 — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

310 he added, in a low, confidential tone, ‘‘some of our men are old hands, and a few of them are not. I don’t know how the green ones will work under fire.” ‘* Under fire!’’ repeated Dick, in dismay. any shooting ?” ‘* Bound to be more or less,” returned Hart coolly. ‘* Generally the people engaged in this kind of work are desperate characters, and shooting won't trouble them if they think they can save themselves from the pen. I've taken places of this kind without a shot being fired, and then again we have blazed away at each other until they were starved out. Ina well regulated gang, where they have provis- ions laid by, that means several days.” So you see the boys did not relish the adventure at all, although they rode stoutly on. ‘You are sure we haven't passed the road ?”” questioned Hart anx- iously. ‘It is growing very dark.” ‘Te is still ahead,’ Chub reassured him. ° A few minutes later they turned into the road, but had not pro- ceeded far before Hart called a halt, and said sharply : ‘This will never do. The horses are making entirely too much noise amony the rocks, and on a still night it can be heard a long dis- tance. Broadwell, take charge of the animals, and wait until you get the signal or we return.” The little band dismounted, and, leaving the man on guard, they started down the road, Hart observing presently : ‘* Maxwell, you mus/ lift your feet higher, You never will make a success in this business !” And Maxwell, the poor unfortunate who struggled to steer clear of the stones, and always managed to stumble over them, retired in more tification to the rear, ‘* Now, how far down this road is the house ?” asked Hart. ‘* About a mile and a half,” responded Jack promptly. Nothing more was satd until the building was reached. It stood silent and dark, hardly distinguishable from the road, and the boys be- ran to fear it was deserted. Hart carefully stationed his men, completely surrounding the house, with a word of advice to each. ‘* Be careful not to fire at the house until you get the order. Don't let any one run between you. Shoot if necessary, but not until you have called to them to halt.” Then he cautiously tried the doors and windows, and finding them securely fastened, he hammered on the front door with the summons : ‘* Open in the name of the law [" , ‘Law be hanged !" retorted a gruff voice from within, showing that the enemy were on the alert. *' Keep your hands off that door.” And Hart stepped to one side, just as a heavy charge froma run tore its way through the panel. Had he not moved when he did he would have taken no further interest in the fight. The fight has begun in earnest now,” said Hart, coming up to the boys, who had stationed themselves behind trees, ‘* and 1 look for a desperate resistance. [It depends upon their strength and situation how long it will last; but I hope to pet away with them before morning, Fighting at night is dangerous enough, but in daylight itis worse. You can go back to town now tf you like, but by remaining vou can be of sume assistance.” Ajter consultation with the others, Dick teld him : ‘* We have decided to remain and watch the fight. thing to help you out that is not foolhardy,” ‘Thank you,” replied Hart, ‘‘ In case we get the worst of it and I have to send for reinforcements, 1f you would undertake the task, it will be like giving me an extra man, for you would take the place of the one I would have tu send.” ‘* Very weil.” And the Soys heard him tell the man nearest them : ‘* Be ready to fire at the word. Aim for the windows, and be par- ticular to move after each shot, or you are liable to stop what is sent at the flash.” ‘‘Is there going to be We will do any- CHAPTER XXV. AN EXCITING FIGHT. FTER Hart had visited each man, the order to fire was given ; but as near as could be learned no one was hurt, and the reply came in the shape of the rapid discharge of a double barrel on each side. THE ARGOSY The buckshot flew uncomfortably near to the boys, and, hugging close to the tree, Dick said : ‘Whew! Those came close ! continues until tomorrow. Duffy's disposition,” ‘Who is Duffy ?" asked Jack. ‘That brilliant officer we employed to get the wagon away from Roper and Foxy,” Chub replied. ** [ don’t consider myself brave, but I can stand more shooting than he could.” Several volleys were fired in the windows, but it was only a waste of ammunition, and Hart decided to try another plan. He picked out the trusty men and sent them to the front, leaving the green ones to gpuard the rear. ‘“*T don’t know whether it will work until we try it,” he told the boys. ‘* Will one of you go up the road until you can make him hear, and give three long whistles ? That is the signal for Broadwell to come on. You can stop him at a safe distance and picket the horses where you can keep an eye on them. Every man counts now.” ‘Pil go,” volunteered Jack, and he sped up the road. fart waited impatiently until Broadwell made his appearance, and after instructing him, he was sent to the rear to aid the two men stationed there. A few minutes later there was a crashing of glass, a few scattered shots, and then a regular volley, and it sounded as though an entrance had been effected. « shouts and cries could be heard from within, and during the broil Hart cried ‘‘ Now !” and the five men, with himself in the lead, left the shelter of the trees and advanced rapidly on the house. Thus between two fires, it looked as though they had the besieged at a disadvantage. A pole shattered the sash and glass of the front*win- dow from top to bottom, and the men began to scramble in, but a stiff fre from within caused them to scramble out more rapidly. One of the men hada bullet in the shoulder, and a number were scratched. The ruse had failed. ‘ Confound those fellows |" cried Hart savagely, as they halted be- neath the trees. ‘* They fight well. Are you sure there are no more than four ?” “That is all we saw,” replied Chub, ‘ Supposing that Foxy came afterward, there would be five and a woman.” ‘That makes six, for the woman can probably shoot as well as the men, It looks now as though we would have to depend on starv- ation.” = At this moment Broadwell approached and said : ‘What are we to do?) Murphy is shot in the neck and Carroll in the side. Those fellows seem to be evenly divided, half in front and half inthe back. They fight like fends.” : ‘* Are the men hurt badly 2?” asked Hart. ‘* Murphy is standing guard. His wound is only a scratch, but Car- roll is hit hard.” ‘* If he is able to sit on a horse,” said Hart, ‘‘ we will send him back to town, and order more men and provisions,” And when Carroll was lifted upon one of the animals, Dick and Jack agreed to accompany him, and the three started, leaving Chub to re- mam and distinguish himself, Hart made a tour of inspection around the house, which was silent and dark, and but for the exciting time a few minutes before, one would have thought it deserted. ‘* There is something that strikes me as strange,” he said to Chub ‘* They have no well.” ‘' Perhaps they use the water from the creek," suggested Chub. ‘I don't think so,” replied Hart. “1 have thought it over, and come to the conclusion there must be a spring under the house—in the cellar, for instance—and in that case this starving out process is liable to'last qitite a time.” ‘*T would like to offer a suzeestion,” remarked Chub. ‘You may,” returned Hart quickly. “The cellar under this house must be of good size, for when we stood in the sitting room the sounds were directly beneath us. There are but two windows on the other side, on the lower floor : situated such a distance apart that to fire at a point immediately between them, close to the house, one would have to Jean out a window.’ ‘* Exactly ; that is plain enough,” said Hart. ‘What are you try ing to pet at?” ‘Just this. The house is old and so is the foundation, which is all that separates us from the cellar. If aman crawled up there with a It is going to be warm work if it Hart doesn't seem to have a grain of comiclooolkks (CO