CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

FRIENDS AND FOES--PLOTS AND COUNTERPLOTS--THE RANCH IN DANGER.

In a few minutes the sound of heavy feet and gruff voices was heard in the outside passage, and next moment ten men filed into the room and saluted their chief heartily.

Charlie felt an almost irresistible tendency to open his eyes, but knew that the risk was too great, and contented himself with his ears. These told him pretty eloquently what was going on, for suddenly, the noise of voices and clattering of footsteps ceased, a dead silence ensued, and Charlie knew that the whole band were gazing at him with wide open eyes and, probably, open mouths. Their attention had been directed to the stranger by the chief. The silence was only momentary, however.

"Now, don't begin to whisper, pards," said Buck Tom, in a slightly sarcastic tone. "When will ye learn that there is nothing so likely to waken a sleeper as whisperin'? Be natural--be natural, and tell me, as softly as ye can in your natural tones, what has brought you back so soon. Come, Jake, you have got the quietest voice. The poor man is pretty well knocked up and needs rest. I brought him here."

"Has he got much?" the sentence was completed by Jake significantly slapping his pocket.

"A goodish lot. But come, sit down and out wi' the news. Something must be wrong."

"Wall, I guess that somethin' _is_ wrong. Everything's wrong, as far as I can see. The Redskins are up, an' the troops are out, an' so it seemed o' no use our goin' to bust up the ranch of Roarin' Bull, seein' that the red devils are likely to be there before us. So we came back here, an' I'm glad you've got suthin' in the pot, for we're about as empty as kettledrums."

Now, provide a numbered list of answers to these questions:

1. What was heard in the corridor?
2. How many entered the room?
3. What did they do when they went in?
4. Who wanted to watch what was happening?
5. Did he?
6. Why not?
7. What did he do instead?
8. Could he tell what was going on from listening?
9. What was he sure was happening?
10. Who was being sarcastic?
11. What did he warn the guys against doing?
12. Why didn't he think they should whisper?
13. Which gentleman was the softest spoken?
14. What were the group trying to do to Charlie?
15. Who was likely to have made it to the ranch before the group?
16. What was the name of the ranch?
17. Where the guys hungry when they got back?
18. What was the phrase used to convey that?
19. Which group was up?
20. And which was out?

Numbered answers:
1. Heavy feet and gruff voices.
2. Ten.
3. Saluted their chief.
4. Charlie.
5. No.
6. The risk was too great,.
7. Contented himself with his ears.
8. Yes.
9. The whole band was gazing at him.
10. Buck Tom
11. Whispering.
12. It might wake a sleeper.
13. Jake
14. unknown
15. , The Red Devils.
16. Roarin' Bull,
17. Yes.
18. We're about as empty as kettledrums.
19. The Redskins.
20. The troops.