Frank Merriwell's Alarm Part 15

After they had ridden some distance, Frank proposed that they halt for the night.

"We are in for an open-air camp to-night," he said. "It is something we did not expect, but it can't be helped, and as the night is not cold I think we can get along all right. We need rest, too."

"That's right," agreed Bruce. "I feel as if I need about a week of steady resting, but I don't care to take it here."

"How about the Indians?" asked Jack. "We are not very far from them, and they might find us."

"I scarcely think there is any danger of that."

"Why not?"

"Those redskins were so badly frightened that they'll not go hunting after white boys to-night. It is more likely they will skin out and make for the Shoshone Reservation, on which they must belong."

"But what if they should happen to follow us?" Jack persisted.

"We must take turns at standing guard to-night, and the guard should be able to give us warning of danger in time for us to mount our wheels and get away."

It was plain that Diamond was not in favor of stopping there, but he said no more.

Fortunately the night was warm, so they suffered no discomfort by sleeping thus. No dew fell out there on the desert.

It was arranged that Diamond should stand guard first, while Frank came second, with Toots for the last guard toward morning.

They ate some of the hard bread and jerked beef and then threw themselves down, with their bicycles near at hand, so they could spring up and mount in a hurry if necessary.

Browning was the first to stretch himself on the ground, and he was snoring almost immediately. The others soon fell asleep.

The rim of a round, red moon was showing away to the eastward when Jack awoke Frank.

"How is it?" Merriwell asked. "Have you heard or seen anything suspicious?"

"Not a thing," was the reply. "All is still as death out here--far too still. I don't like it."

"Well, it is not real jolly," confessed Frank, with a light laugh; "but I don't think we need to be worried about visitors; and that is one good thing."

Jack was fast asleep in a short time.

Morning came, and Toots was the first to awaken. Dawn was breaking in the east as he sat up, rubbing his eyes and muttering:

"Good land! dat am de hardes' spring mattrus dis c.o.o.n ebber snoozed on--yes, sar! Nebber struck nuffin' lek dat befo'."

Then he looked around in some surprise.

"Gracious sakes!" he continued. "Whar am de hotel? It done moved away in de night an' lef' us."

It was some time before he realized that they had not put up at a hotel the night before.

"Reck.u.m dis is whar we stopped las' night," he finally said. "I 'membah 'bout dat now. We was ter tek turns watchin'. I ain't took no turn at all, an' it's wamnin'. He! he! he! Guess de chap dat was ter wake me fell asleep hisself an' clean fergot it. Dat meks meh 'bout so much sleep ahaid ob de game."

He was feeling good over this when he noticed that three forms were stretched on the ground near at hand, instead of four.

"Whar am de odder one?" he muttered. "One ob dem boys am gone fo'

suah. Land ob wartermillions! What do hit mean? Dar am Dimun, an' dar am Rattletum, an' dar am Brownin', but whar--whar am Ma.r.s.er Frank?"

In a moment he was filled with alarm, and he lost no time in grasping Harry's shoulder and giving it a shake, while he cried:

"Wek up heah, yo' sleepy haid--wek up, I tells yeh! Dar's suffin'

wrong heah, ur I's a fool n.i.g.g.e.r!"

"Muts the whatter?" mumbled Rattleton, sleepily. "Can't you let a fellow sleep a minute? It isn't my turn yet."

"Yoah turn!" shouted Toots. "Wek up, yo' fool! It's done come mawnin', an' dar's suffin' happened."

"Eh?" grunted Harry, starting up and rubbing his eyes. "Why the moon is just rising."

"Moon!" snorted the colored boy. "Dat's de sun comin' up! An' I don't beliebe yo' took yoah turn keepin' watch."

Browning grunted and rolled over, flinging out one arm and giving Toots a crack on the neck that keeled him over on the ground.

"Landy goodness!" squealed the darky, grasping his neck with both hands. "What yo' tryin' ter do, boy? Want ter c.o.o.n? Nebber seen such car'less pusson, sar!"

"Oh, shut up your racket!" growled the big college lad. "I'm not half rested yet. Call me when breakfast is ready."

"Yo'll done git yeh own breakfas' dis mawnin', sar; but befo' dar's any breakfas' we's gwan ter know what has become of Ma.r.s.er Frank. He's gone."

"Gone?" replied Bruce, sitting up with remarkable quickness.

"Gone?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Harry, popping up as if he were worked by springs.

"Gone where?" asked Diamond, also sitting up and staring around.

"Dat's jes' what I wants ter know, chilluns," declared Toots. "Dat boy ain't heah, an' I's po'erful feared de old skillerton debbil has cotched him."

"Why--why," said Jack, "I woke him and he took my place."

"But n.o.body roused me," declared Rattleton.

"Nor me," a.s.serted Browning.

"Git up, chilluns--git up!" squealed Toots, excitedly. "We's gotter find dat boy in a hurry! 'Spect he's in a berry bad sc.r.a.pe!"

CHAPTER VIII.

THE MYSTERY EXPLAINED.