Bar-20 Days Read online

  CHAPTER II

  THE REBOUND

  A man moaned and stirred restlessly in a bunk, muttering incoherently.A stampeded herd was thundering over him, the grinding hoofs beating himslowly to death. He saw one mad steer stop and lower its head to gorehim and just as the sharp horns touched his skin, he awakened. Slowlyopening his bloodshot eyes he squinted about him, sick, weak, rackingwith pain where heavy shoes had struck him in the melee, his headreverberating with roars which seemed almost to split it open. Slowly heregained his full senses and began to make out his surroundings. Hewas in a bunk which moved up and down, from side to side, and was neverstill. There was a small, round window near his feet--thank heaven itwas open, for he was almost suffocated by the foul air and the heat.Where was he? What had happened? Was there a salty odor in the air, orwas he still dreaming? Painfully raising himself on one elbow he lookedaround and caught sight of a man in the bunk across. It was JohnnyNelson! Then, bit by bit, the whole thing came to him and he cursedheartily as he reviewed it and reached the only possible conclusion.He was at sea! He, Hopalong Cassidy, the best fighting unit of a goodfighting outfit, shanghaied and at sea! Drugged, beaten, and stolen tolabor on a ship.

  Johnny was muttering and moaning and Hopalong slowly climbed out of thenarrow bunk, unsteadily crossed the moving floor, and shook him. "Reckonhe's in a stampede, too!" he growled. "They shore raised h--l with us.Oh, what a beating we got! But we'll pass it along with trimmings."

  Johnny's eyes opened and he looked around in confusion. "Wha',Hopalong!"

  "Yes; it's me, the prize idiot of a blamed good pair of 'em. How'd youfeel?"

  "Sleepy an' sick. My eyes ache an' my head's splitting. Where's Buck an'the rest?"

  Hopalong sat down on the edge of the bunk and sore luridly, eloquently,beautifully, with a fervor and polish which left nothing to be desiredin that line, and caused his companion to gaze at him in astonishment.

  "I had a mighty bad dream, but you must 'a' had one a whole lot worse,to listen to you," Johnny remarked. "Gee, you're going some! What's thematter with you. You sick, too?"

  Thereupon Hopalong unfolded the tale of woe and when Johnny hadgrasped its import and knew that his dream had been a stern reality, hestraightway loosed his vocabulary and earned a draw. "Well, I'm goingback again," he finished, with great decision, arising to make good hisassertion.

  "Swim or walk?" asked Hopalong nonchalantly.

  "Huh! Oh, Lord!"

  "Well, I ain't going to either swim or walk," Hopalong soliloquized."I'm just going to stay right here in this one-by-nothing cellar an'spoil the health an' good looks of any pirate that comes down thatladder to get me out." He looked around, interested in life once more,and his trained eye grasped the strategic worth of their position. "Onlyone at a time, an' down that ladder," he mused, thoughtfully. "Why,Johnny, we owns this range as long as we wants to. They can't get usout. But, say, if only we had our guns!" he sighed, regretfully.

  "You're right as far as you go; but you don't go to the eating part.We'll starve, an' we ain't got no water. I can drink about a bucketfulright now," moodily replied his companion.

  "Well, yo're right; but mebby we can find food an' water."

  "Don't see no signs of none. Hey!" Johnny exclaimed, smiling faintlyin his misery. "Let's get busy an' burn the cussed thing up! Got anymatches?"

  "First you want to drown yoreself swimming, an' now you want to roastthe pair of us to death," Hopalong retorted, eyeing the rear wall of theroom. "Wonder what's on the other side of that partition?"

  Johnny looked. "Why, water; an' lots of it, too."

  "Naw; the water is on the other sides."

  "Then how do I know?--sh! I hear somebody coming on the roof."

  "Tumble back in yore bunk--quick!" Hopalong hurriedly whispered. "Beasleep--if he comes down here it'll be our deal."

  The steps overhead stopped at the companionway and a shadow appearedacross the small patch of sunlight on the floor of the forecastle."Tumble up here, you blasted loafers!" roared a deep voice.

  No reply came from the forecastle--the silence was unbroken.

  "If I have to come down there I'll--" the first mate made promises in nouncertain tones and in very impolite language. He listened for a moment,and having very good ears and hearing nothing, made more promises andcame down the ladder quickly and nimbly.

  "_I'll_ bring you to," he muttered, reaching a brawny hand forHopalong's nose, and missing. But he made contact with his own face,which stopped a short-arm blow from the owner of the aforesaid nose, ajolt full of enthusiasm and purpose. Beautiful and dazzling flashes offire filled the air and just then something landed behind his ear andprolonged the pyrotechnic display. When the skyrockets went up he lostinterest in the proceedings and dropped to the floor like a bag of meal.

  Hopalong cut another piece from the rope in his hand and watched hiscompanion's busy fingers. "Tie him good, Johnny; he's the only ace we'vedrawn in this game so far, an' we mustn't lose him."

  Johnny tied an extra knot for luck and leaned forward, his eyes rivetedon the bump under the victim's coat. His darting hand brought into sightthat which pleased him greatly. "Oh, joy! Here, Hoppy; you take it."

  Hopalong turned the weapon over in his hand, spun the cylinder andgloated, the clicking sweet music to his ears. "Plumb full, too! I neverreckoned I'd ever be so tickled over a snub-nosed gun like this--but Ifeel like singing!"

  "An' I feel like dying," grunted Johnny, grabbing at his stomach. "Ifthe blamed shack would only stand still!" he groaned, gazing at thefloor with strong disgust. "I don't reckon I've ever been so blamed sickin all my--" the sentence was unfinished, for the open porthole caughthis eye and he leaped forward to use it for a collar.

  Hopalong gazed at him in astonishment and sudden pity took possession ofhim as his pallid companion left the porthole and faced him.

  "You ought to have something to eat, Kid--I'm purty hungry myself--whatthe blazes!" he exclaimed, for Johnny's protesting wail was finishedoutside the port. Then a light broke upon him and he wondered how soonit would be his turn to pay tribute to Neptune.

  "Mr. Wilkins!" shouted a voice from the deck, and Hopalong moved backa step. "Mr. Wilkins!" After a short silence the voice soliloquized:"Guess he changed his mind about it; I'll get 'em up for him," and feetcame into view. When halfway down the ladder the second mate turned hishead and looked blankly down a gun barrel while a quiet but angry voiceurged him further: "Keep a-coming, keep a-coming!" The second matecomplained, but complied.

  "Stick 'em up higher--now, Johnny, wobble around behind the nice man an'take _his_ gun--you shut yore yap! I'm bossing this trick, not you. Gotit, Kid? There's the rope--that's right. Nobody'd think you sick to seeyou work. Well, that's a good draw; but it's only a pair of aces againsta full, at that. Wonder who'll be the next. Hope it's the foreman."

  Johnny, keeping up by sheer grit, pointed to the rear wall. "What aboutthat?"

  For reply his companion walked over to it, put his shoulder to it andpushed. He stepped back and hurled his weight against it, but it wasfirm despite its squeaking protest. Then he examined it foot by foot andfound a large knot, which he drove in by a blow of the gun. Bending, hesquinted through the opening for a full minute and then reported:

  "Purty black in there at this end, but up at the other there's a lightfrom a hole in the roof, an' I could see boxes an' things like that. Ireckon it's the main cellar."

  "If we could get out at the other end with that gun you've got we couldraise blazes for a while," suggested Johnny. "Anyhow, mebby they cancome at us that way when they find out what we've gone an' done."

  "Yo're right," Hopalong replied, looking around. Seeing an iron barhe procured it and, pushing it through the knot hole in the partition,pulled. The board, splitting and cracking under the attack, finallybroke from its fastenings with a sharp report, and Hopalong, pulling itaside, stepped out of sight of his companion. Johnny was grinning at thesuccess of his plan when he was interrupted.

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bsp; "Ahoy, down there!" yelled a stentorian voice from above. "Mr. Wilkins!What the devil are you doing so long?" and after a very short wait otherfeet came into sight. Just then the second mate, having managed to slipoff the gag, shouted warning:

  "Look out, Captain! They've got us and our guns! One of them has--" butJohnny's knee thudded into his chest and ended the sentence as a bulletsent a splinter flying from under the captain's foot.

  "Hang these guns!" Johnny swore, and quickly turned to secure the gagin the mouth of the offending second mate. "You make any more yaps likethat an' I'll wing you for keeps with yore own gun!" he snapped. "We'recaught in yore trap an' we'll fight to a finish. You'll be the first togo under if you gets any smart."

  "Ahoy, men!" roared the captain in a towering rage, dancing franticallyabout on the deck and shouting for the crew to join him. He filled theair with picturesque profanity and stamped and yelled in passion at suchrank mutiny.

  "Hand grenades! Hand grenades!" he cried. Then he remembered that histwo mates were also below and would share in the mutineers' fate, andhis rage increased at his galling helplessness. When he had calmedsufficiently to think clearly he realized that it was certain death forany one to attempt going down the ladder, and that his must be a waitinggame. He glanced at his crew, thirteen good men, all armed with windlassbars and belaying pins, and gave them orders. Two were to watch thehatch and break the first head to appear, while the others returned towork. Hunger and thirst would do the rest. And what joy would be hiswhen they were forced to surrender!

  Hopalong groped his way slowly towards the patch of light, barking hisshins, stumbling and falling over the barrels and crates and finally,losing his footing at a critical moment, tumbled down upon a box marked"Cotton." There was a splintering crash and the very faint clink ofmetal. Dazed and bruised, he sat up and felt of himself--and found thathe had lost his gun in the fall.

  "Now, where in blazes did it fly to?" he muttered angrily, peeringabout anxiously. His eyes suddenly opened their widest and he stared insurprise at a field gun which covered him; and then he saw parts of twomore.

  "Good Lord! Is this a gunboat?" he cried. "Are we up against bluejacketsan' Uncle Sam?" He glanced quickly back the way he had come when heheard Johnny's shot, but he could see nothing. He figured that Johnnyhad sense enough to call for help if he needed it, and put thatpossibility out of his mind. "Naw, this ain't no gunboat--the Governmentdon't steal men; it enlists 'em. But it's a funny pile of junk, all thesame. Where in blazes is that toy gun? _Well_, I'll be hanged!" and heplunged toward the "Cotton" box he had burst in his descent, and workedat it frantically.

  "Winchesters! Winchesters!" he cried, dragging out two of them. "Whoop!Now for the cartridges--there shore must be some to go with theseguns!" He saw a keg marked "Nails," and managed to open it after greatlabor--and found it full of army Colts. Forcing down the desire to turna handspring, he slipped one of the six-shooters in his empty holsterand patted it lovingly. "Old friend, I'm shore glad to see you, allright. You've been used, but that don't make no difference." Searchingfurther, he opened a full box of _machetes_, and soon after foundcartridges of many kinds and calibres. It took him but a few minutes tomake his selection and cram his pockets with them. Then he filled twoColts and two Winchesters--and executed a short jig to work off thedangerous pressure of his exuberance.

  "But what an unholy lot of weapons," he soliloquized on his way back toJohnny. "An' they're all second-hand. Cannons, too--an' _machetes_!" heexclaimed, suddenly understanding. "Jumping Jerusalem!--a filibusteringexpedition bound for Cuba, or one of them wildcat republics down south!Oh, ho, my friends; I see where you have bit off more'n you can chew."In his haste to impart the joyous news to his companion, he barked hisshins shamefully.

  "'Way down south in the land o' cotton, cinnamon seed an''--whoa, blastyou!" and Hopalong stuck his head through the opening in the partitionand grinned. "Heard you shoot, Kid; I reckoned you might need me--an'these!" he finished, looking fondly upon the weapons as he shoved theminto the forecastle.

  Johnny groaned and held his stomach, but his eyes lighted up when he sawthe guns, and he eagerly took one of each kind, a faint smile wreathinghis lips. "Now we'll show these water snakes what kind of men theystole," he threatened.

  Up on the deck the choleric captain still stamped and swore, and hiscrew, with well-concealed mirth, went about their various duties asif they were accustomed to have shanghaied men act this way. Theysympathized with the unfortunate pair, realizing how they themselveswould feel if shanghaied to break broncos.

  Hogan, A. B., stated the feelings of his companions very well in hisremarks to the men who worked alongside: "In me hear-rt I'm dommed gladav it, Yensen. I hope they bate the old man at his own game. 'T is ashame in these days for honest men to be took in that unlawful way. I'veheard me father tell of the press gangs on the other side, an' 't issmall business."

  Yensen looked up to reply, chanced to glance aft, and dropped hiscalking iron in his astonishment. "Yumping Yimminy! Luk at dat fallar!"

  Hogan looked. "The deuce! That's a man after me own heat-rt! Kape yorepagan mouth shut! If ye take a hand agin 'em I'll swab up the deck widyez. G'wan wor-rking like a sane man, ye ijit!"

  "Ay ent ban fight wit dat fallar! Luk at the gun!"

  A man had climbed out of the after hatch and was walking rapidly towardsthem, a rifle in his hands, while at his thigh swung a Colt. He watchedthe two seamen closely and caught sight of Hogan's twinkling blue eyes,and a smile quivered about his mouth. Hogan shut and opened one eye andwent on working.

  As soon as Hopalong caught sight of the captain, the rifle went up andhe announced his presence without loss of time. "Throw up yore hands,you pole-cat! I'm running this ranch from now on!"

  The captain wheeled with a jerk and his mouth opened, and then clickedshut as he started forward, his rage acting galvanically. But he stoppedquickly enough when he looked down the barrel of the Winchester andglared at the cool man behind it.

  "What the blank are you doing?" he yelled.

  "Well, I ain't kidnapping cow-punchers to steal my boat," repliedHopalong. "An' you fellers stand still or I'll drop you cold!" heordered to the assembled and restless crew. "Johnny!" he shouted, andhis companion popped up through the hatch like a jack-in-the-box."Good boy, Johnny. Tie this coyote foreman like you did the others," heordered. While Johnny obeyed, Hopalong looked around the circle, andhis eyes rested on Hogan's face, studying it, and found something therewhich warmed his heart. "Friend, do you know the back trail? Can youfind that runt of a town we left?"

  "Aye, aye."

  "Shore, you; who'd you think I was talking to? Can you find the wayback, the way we came?"

  "Shure an' I can that, if I'm made to."

  "You'll swing for mutiny if you do, you bilge-wallering pirate!" roaredthe trussed captain. "Take that gun away from him, d'ye hear!" he yelledat the crew. "I'm captain of this ship, an' I'll hang every last one ofyou if you don't obey orders! This is mutiny!"

  "You won't do no hanging with that load of weapons below!" retortedHopalong. "Uncle Sam is looking for filibusters--this here gun is'cotton,'" he said, grinning. He turned to the crew. "But you fellersare due to get shot if you sees her through," he added.

  "I'm captain of this ship--" began the helpless autocrat.

  "You shore look like it, all right," Hopalong replied, smiling. "Ifyo're the captain you order her turned around and headed over the backtrail, or I'll drop you overboard off yore own ship!" Then fierce angerat the thought of the indignities and injuries he and his companion hadsuffered swept over him and prompted a one-minute speech which leftno doubt as to what he would do if his demand was not complied with.Johnny, now free to watch the crew, added a word or two of endorsement,and he acted a little as if he rather hoped it would not be compliedwith: he itched for an excuse.

  The captain did some quick thinking; the true situation could not bedisguised, and with a final oath of rage he gave in. "'Bout ship, Hogan;nor' by nor'west,
" he growled, and the seaman started away to executethe command, but was quickly stopped by Hopalong.

  "Hogan, is that right?" he demanded. "No funny business, or we'll cleanup the whole bunch, an' blamed quick, too!"

  "That's the course, sor. That's the way back to town. I can navigate,an' me orders are plain. Ye're Irish, by the way av ye, and 't is backto town ye go, sor!" He turned to the crew: "Stand by, me boys." And ina short time the course was nor' by nor'west.

  The return journey was uneventful and at nightfall the ship lay atanchor off the low Texas coast, and a boat loaded with men grounded onthe sandy beach. Four of them arose and leaped out into the mild surfand dragged the boat as high up on the sand as it would go. Then thetwo cow-punchers followed and one of them gave a low-spoken order to theIrishman at his side.

  "Yes, sor," replied Hogan, and hastened to help the captain out onto thesand and to cut the ropes which bound him. "Do ye want the mates, too,sor?" he asked, glancing at the trussed men in the boat.

  "No; the foreman's enough," Hopalong responded, handing his weapons toJohnny and turning to face the captain, who was looking into Johnny'sgun as he rubbed his arms to restore perfect circulation.

  "Now, you flat-faced coyote, yo're going to get the beating of yorelife, an' I'm going to give it to you!" Hopalong cried, warily advancingupon the man whom he held to be responsible for the miseries of the pasttwenty-four hours. "You didn't give me a square deal, but I'm man enoughto give you one! When you drug an' steal any more cow-punchers--" actionstopped his words.

  It was a great fight. A filibustering sea captain is no more peacefulthan a wild boar and about as dangerous; and while this one was not athis best, neither was Hopalong. The latter luckily had acquired someknowledge of the rudiments of the game and had the vigor of youth tooppose to the captain's experience and his infuriated but well-timedrushes. The seamen, for the honor of their calling and perhaps with amind to the future, cheered on the captain and danced up and down intheir delight and excitement. They had a lot of respect for the prowessof their master, and for the man who could stand up against him in afair and square fist fight. To give assistance to either in a fair fightwas not to be thought of, and Johnny's gun was sufficient after-excusefor non-interference.

  The _sop! sop!_ of the punishing blows as they got home and the steadycircling of Hopalong in avoiding the dangerous attacks, went on minuteafter minute. Slowly the captain's strength was giving out, and heresorted to trickery as his last chance. Retreating, he half raised hisarms and lowered them as if weary, ready as a cat to strike with allhis weight if the other gave an opening. It ought to have worked--it hadworked before--but Hopalong was there to win, and without the momentaryhesitation of the suspicious fighter he followed the retreat and hishard hand flashed in over the captain's guard a fraction of a secondsooner than that surprised gentleman anticipated. The ferocious frowngave way to placid peace and the captain reclined at the feet of thebattered victor, who stood waiting for him to get up and fight. Thecaptain lay without a sign of movement and as Hopalong wondered, Hoganwas the first to speak.

  "Fer the love av hiven, let him be! Ye needn't wait--he's done; I knowby the sound av it!" he exclaimed, stepping forward. "'T was a purtyblow, an' 't was a gr-rand foight ye put up, sor! A gr-rand foight, butany more av that is murder! 'T is an Irishman's game, sor, an' ye didyersilf proud. But now let him be--no man, least av all a Dootchman,iver tuk more than that an' lived!"

  Hopalong looked at him and slowly replied between swollen lips, "Yo'reright, Hogan; we're square now, I reckon."

  "That's right, sor," Hogan replied, and turned to his companions. "Puthim in the boat; an' mind ye handle him gintly--we'll be sailing underhim soon. Now, sor, if it's yer pleasure, I'll be after saying good-byeto ye, sor; an' to ye, too," he said, shaking hands with both punches."Fer a sick la-ad ye're a wonder, ye are that," he smiled at Johnny,"but ye want to kape away from the water fronts. Good-bye to ye both,an' a pleasant journey home. The town is tin miles to me right, overbeyant them hills."

  "Good-bye, Hogan," mumbled Hopalong gratefully. "Yo're square all theway through; an' if you ever get out of a job or in any kind of troublethat I can help you out of, come up to the Bar-20 an' you won't have toask twice. Good luck!" And the two sore and aching punchers, wiser inthe ways of the world, plodded doggedly towards the town, ten milesaway.

  The next morning found them in the saddle, bound for Dent's hotel andstore near the San Miguel Canyon. When they arrived at their destinationand Johnny found there was some hours to wait for Red, his restlessnesssent him roaming about the country, not so much "seeking what he mightdevour" as hoping something might seek to devour him. He was so soreover his recent kidnapping that he longed to find a salve. He faithfullypromised Hopalong that he would return at noon.