The Coconino weekly sun., 1895-07-18

cooked supper. The boys waited some time after supper was done, and then, as 1t was getting quite dark, they squatted about the fire and began eat ing, expecting every moment to see the stranger walk into the camp. But no ntranger came, and the boys began to grow uneasy. Thinking he had per haps lost his way, they built a huge fire and shouted loudly, but their own voices, echoing from the hillsides, alone answered.
 The younger boys became frightened as they remembered their first sus- picions, but Al, although great dread had sprung mp in his own bosom, laughed to scorn the fears of his com panions, and set about stretching big canvas over his wagon as usual, weight ing it down on all sides with rocks, and forming snug tent for their beds, which they spread on the ground be- tween the wheels of the vehicle. Reassured by his confident manner, the tired boys were soon sleeping soundly, when Al slipped quietly out of bed and paced silently up and down the road. Not a sound could be heard save the champing of the horses at their feed boxes; and after untying sack of horse feed and showing the money down among the oats as far as he could reach, he tied up the sack | again and crept back to bed, but not to sleep. Several farmers had been robbed in the vicinity of Smoky Hollow that autumn, and the more Al thought of it the more he became convinced that his passenger was spy acting | for the band that committed these crimes. He lay awake for hours. No sound but the hootings of owls broke the stiffness, and he was just falling into a doze when the rush and chatter of troop of hard-riding horsemen came to his ears.
 "Boys boys" he whispered, as he shook his sleepy companions. "Wake up! quick; Somebody is coming, and I'm afraid it's robbers, Now, mind what tell you," he continued, as the sleepy lads sat up and stared at him by the light of the lantern. That scamp was spying, sure enough. Hear them coming? but don't you get scared. I've hidden the money, and if we keep our wits about us we can stand them of in some way"
 At that moment wild yell, accom- panied by several pistol shots, rang through the woods, and half dozen riders dashed into the camp and sur rounded the wagon tent just as the boys came stumbling out.
 'Throw up your hands" ordered the leader, as he and one of his men, easily recognized as AIS passenger, covered them with their pistols while the other four dismounted and began searching the other boys for money.
 'Look'e here now, my young friends." shouted the leader, when the men reported the result of their search, 'our time IS precious, and we ain't the kind of men to be fooled with, so the sooner you hand over that gold the better it will be for you!"
 What gold are you talking about? We haven't dollar in our pockets, not one of us" boldly answered Al, who did not know the spy had seen him re- ceive the money.
 That may be-" replied the robber, but if you haven't got it in your pockets it's hid about your wagons somewhere. There's no use of your trying to bluff me. My man here saw | you get the money and watched to see that you did not spend it, so just fork it over, and be lively about it; do you l hear?"
 Al heard all too plainly.
 ''If that sneaking blackguard knows where there's any gold, let him find it!' he answered, hotly.
 "lll do that in hurry, cap" replied the man, who was about to throw him self off his horse when the leader checked him.
 "Keep to your horse, Billy he or dered. You're sure they had the money when they left the landing"
 "As sure as I sit on this horse," an swered the spy. ''That feller there, the tall one, had it in his pocket in a buckskin bag"
 Do you hear that, youngster?" said the chief, turning upon Al. "Now we're here after that gold, and, what's l IHOTc, we IC RoluS IO hd'C AS' 'iii oa ] hand it over or must l make you do it?''
 Al hesitated. He knew he had des- perate men to deal with, but was de- termined not to yield until obliged to,
 Look here," thundered the ruffian leader, exasperated by the lads stub bornness, five 'fooled away all the time I'm going to with you, young fel- low. Do you see that horse there?" pointing his pistol at one of the teams. Well, I'll give you just one minute to hand over that gold, or down goes that horse; and if that don't con vince you, I'll down the next, and the next, and every hoof you've got. And if that don't fetch the money" he added, with fierce oath, "pll take a shot at you!"
 Al saw the fellow meant what he said, and, as further resistance would have been foolishness, he united the sack of oats and handed the money to the robber, who, after counting it, put the purse in his pocket.
 All right, boys!" he called out. | HApd po,u nv youpn friap6S u han