The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-10-08
eorrR'car 1910

When the last man was out of sight Johnny's
rope sailed up and out and the ghost swayed
violently and then began to sag toward the
trail as the owner of the lariat tied its free
end around a bowlder Then he feverishly
scrambled down to join his friends on the
other side.
Hopalong and Red paused in amazement
at the antics of the ghost and then the for
mer chuckled, and whispered in his COM
panions ear: "That's why he lugged his
d-n rope along! He's Just idiot enough to
want a souvenir an plaything at tn risk of
losing tn game. But come on!-they'll
tumble in minute an get away if we don't
hustle"
When the two punchers entered the
crevice, they heard fluent swearing in Span
ish by the man who worked the ghost, and
who could not understand its sudden am
bition to take root. 1t was made painfully
plain to him a moment later, when pair
of hands reached out of the darkness be-
hind him and enCircled his neck, hands
width below his cleaning cigarette Another
pair used cords with dizziness and dispatch
and he was soon left by himself to browse
upon the gag when all his senses returned.
Hopalong, with Red inconsiderately STEP
ping on his heels, felt his way along the
rough rock wall of the crevice, alert and
silent, his Colt nesting comfortably in his
right hand. AS they worked further away
from the canon distant voices could be
heard and they proceeded even more slowly.
When Hopalong came to the second turn in
the narrow passage he peered around it
cautiously and stopped SO suddenly that
Reds nose tried to spread itself over the
back of the leaders head. Reds indigna-
ton was all the harder to bear because it
must seethe unheard.
In huge, irregular room whose roof
could not be discerned in the dim light of
the candles, five men were resting in various
attitudes of ease as they discussed the
events of the night and tried to compute
their profits. They were secure because
Manuel, having put away the ghost and
horn, was, as usual, on guard at the mouth
of the crevice and he was as sensitive to
danger as hound.
"The risks are not much, the work far
apart, and the profits large" Pedro re-
marked in Spanish as he rolled new ciga-
rette. eve must burn a candle for the repose
of the soul of Carlos Martinez, who has"
"Hdnds ub!" said quiet voice in Eng
fish, followed by grim commands. Two of
the rowdy Gringo cow-punchers could just
be discerned in the heavy shadows of the
opposite wall, but the candle light glinted
in rings on the bright muzzles of their Colts.
easy, there!" shouted Red, his finger
tightening on the trigger, and Pedro's hand
stopped half way to his chest, where he
carried his knife.
"Stick 'em up, higher yet. Stick 'em up
Mgh,' purred a soft voice from the other
end of the room, where Dick Martin smiled
with pleasure upon them and wondered if
common sense into than "Greasers"
head. His gun was blue and not as easily
seen as those of the ow-punchers, but it was
the most prominent part of his makeup.
One of the MeuCans, a gun-man, reached
involuntarily to his hip, while his COM
panions stealthily felt for knives, deadly
weapons in a melee. Martin, crying,
"Watch 'em, Cassidy" side-stepped and
lunged forward with the speed and skill of
boxer, and his left hand landed flush on the
jaw of Juan Alvarez, the man with the gun,
with force and precision not to be denied.
Things were about to become interesting,
when two-legged cyclone burst upon the
scene in the person of Johnny Nelson, whose
rage had been worked up to the weeping
point because he had lost so much time
hunting for the opening in the canon wall
where it wasn't. Seeing Juan fall and the
CLINT of knives, he started in to clean house,
yelling: I'm ghost! I'm ghost! Take
'em alive! Take 'em alive!"
Hopalong and Red, clubbing the nearest
Mexican with reversed Colts, felt that they
were in Johnny's way, and dragged their
victim aside to bind him and to give their
youthful friend plenty of room. Martin
took care of another smuggler with crush
ing right swing, and then grinned at Johnny
who had cleaned up the remaining two and
was looking around to see if he had missed
any. He paused triumphantly, and then
showed his nose up in Hopalong's face:
Tried to lose me, hey!" he shouted. For
seven cents and toothbrush I'd finish up
on you'll"
Red grabbed him by trousers and collar
and heaved him into the passage: Get out
of here an play with yore souvenir, or
Hoppy'll step on you'll"
Johnnys sat up, felt of himself and grinned
"I've got it, all right: my ropes on it. I'm
going to take it back home with me an
make somebody eat it,
"And I'm going to take Alvarez to 'Paso
and feed him to a jail, along with the
others" laughed Martin, whose promotion