Jack Ranger's Western Trip Part 50

An instant later he had struck a light, and in the gleam of the tallow dip the boys saw they were inside a comfortably furnished cabin. It consisted of two rooms, one a sort of kitchen and general sitting apartment, and the other a bedroom, with two bunks against the wall. There was a rough table, a few chairs and a fireplace.

Cooking utensils scattered about, and the appearance of the bunk room, showed it had been lately occupied.

"I wonder if my father could have lived here," Jack remarked. "Where can he have gone to? Perhaps he is dead."

"Must have been some one here recently," said Nat. "That food looks fresh."

He pointed to some roast beef on the table, and to some slices of bread.

"It looks good enough to eat," Jack said, "and I'm going to tackle it, for I'm as hungry as a bear, and cold, too," for the ducking was beginning to tell on him.

The boys made a rude but satisfactory meal, and, building a fire on the hearth, with some dry wood in the cabin, they made their clothing more comfortable. They had just donned their dry garments, when Jack, looking from the door of the shack, said:

"h.e.l.lo, it's almost morning. The sun is beginning to rise." There was a faint light in the east, over the tops of the mountains.

"Yes, and some one is coming up the valley," remarked Nat, as he peered over Jack's shoulder.

The two boys saw, walking slowly along the trail that led to the cabin, the dim figure of a man. Over his shoulder he carried a gun, and, as he approached, he stopped every few feet to listen, the while regarding the cabin intently. It was growing lighter every minute, and the boys could see him quite well.

Suddenly, when the man was within a hundred yards of the shack, he dropped to one knee, and leveled the gun straight at the opened cabin door:

"Who's there?" he cried. "Speak or I'll fire!"

Jack, who was in the center of the portal, uttered an exclamation. He caught his breath sharply. Then, as the sun, mounting nearer the mountain tops, threw more light into the valley, showing clearly the figure of the crouching man, Jack cried:

"Father! Father! It's me! It's your son Jack!"

He was about to rush toward the figure, which he recognized from his aunts' description as that of his parent, when the voice of the man halted him:

"If you come a step nearer I'll fire!" the kneeling one exclaimed.

"I've been fooled too often to have any tricks played on me now. I know you. You are members of the gang that has been hounding me so many years. But my time is almost up. Stand back or I'll fire!"

"Father! Father!" cried Jack. "Your time is up now. I have come to take you back with me!"

"Who is this, who says he is my son?" the man asked, his rifle trembling. "My son is thousands of miles away from here. You can't deceive me again."

"But I am your son! Your Jack!" the boy cried, hardly knowing what to do. "See I have the ring--"

Then he stopped, for he remembered that his ring had been stolen from him.

"What is that about a ring?" asked the kneeling man.

With a quick motion Jack pulled from his pocket the golden lizard with the ruby eyes which Mr. Tevis had given him. He threw it toward his father, and it fell near the man.

"What is that?" the latter asked.

"Look at it," exclaimed Jack. "It will prove who I am. It is from Mr.

Tevis. See, don't you recognize me?"

The old man, still keeping his eyes fixed on the cabin, and his gun in readiness, rose to his feet and, going forward, picked up the golden charm. As he caught sight of it he uttered a cry.

At the same time Jack, who had been standing in the shadow of the door, stepped into the morning light. The man, with a sudden motion, threw aside his gun. He ran toward Jack, who sprang forward to meet him. The next moment father and son were locked in each other's arms.

"Jack! Jack!" exclaimed Mr. Ranger. "I was afraid I would never see you again."

"I'm so glad I've found you at last, father," murmured the boy, while his eyes filled with tears. Nat suddenly developed a bad cold, and had to blow his nose so violently that Mr. Ranger's attention was attracted to him.

"Who's there?" he asked, in startled tones.

"It's only Nat," Jack said. "Come Nat, and see my father. He's the best prize exhibit I ever had."

There was such an interchange of talk among the three a moment later that the best stenographer would have found himself at a disadvantage in taking it down. Jack and Nat told as much as possible of their trip from the time they started until they escaped by the sluiceway, and Mr. Ranger told how he had been watching in vain all night at the end of the trail for the return of old Mr. Lantry. He had done so for the last few nights, he said, as he was afraid to go far away in the daytime.

He was much surprised to learn of his partner being pursued by the bad men, and startled to hear that the scoundrels were so near his hiding place. He said he had been much startled, on his return from his night vigil, to see lights inside his cabin.

"But now you must come home with me," said Jack, when there came a lull in the talk. "The time limit has nearly expired and you will be safe back in civilization."

"Yes, I guess my long exile has ended," said Mr. Ranger. "At any rate I must leave here. The rascals may find me at any moment, when they come down after you."

Jack agreed with his father it would be best to leave the locality.

Mr. Ranger said he could depart from the valley by a little-used trail, and come out on the one that led to the ranch of Nat's uncle.

It would be slow going, without horses, he said, but they decided to try it.

Accordingly they began to pack up what few belongings Mr. Ranger wanted to take away with him. There was a simple camping outfit in the cabin, and plenty of food, so they would not suffer hunger on their way.

"I have but a little of the heart-medicine left," said Mr. Ranger. "I got two or three bad spells the last few days, and had to take considerable of it. But perhaps I will be all right until we get to a town, if we go slowly."

At last all was in readiness for the start. Each one bore a small pack, and Mr. Ranger had his rifle. Jack insisted that his father take the lightest of the camp stuff, while he and Nat shouldered the most of it and the food.

With a last look at the cabin, that had sheltered him for the last few years, Mr. Ranger turned to go. Then he exclaimed:

"I almost forgot my bag of gold."

"Your bag of gold?" asked Jack.

"Yes, it is all I have to show for my stay here. I have managed to live, and that is all. My partner and I got a little gold from the was.h.i.+ngs that came down the flume, but we had to spend most of it to live. I have only a few ounces left."

He was about to go back into the cabin when a cry from Nat warned him:

"Some one is coming!" the boy explained.

The next instant a group of hors.e.m.e.n swept forward around a turn in the trail, straight for the cabin!

"Here come the bad men!" yelled Jack. "Come on father!"

CHAPTER x.x.xV