CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.

ANOTHER FRIEND COMES BACK.

Watch was set that night as usual, but it came on so pitchy dark that
nothing could be made out distinctly a yard away. Bart was with the
Beaver and Joses in their old place in the gallery, fortunately
well-sheltered by the rock overhead, for the rain came down in torrents,
and gurgled loudly as it rushed in and out of the crevices of the rock,
finding its way to the plains.

"How uneasy the cattle seem!" said Bart once, as they could be heard
lowing down below in the darkness.

"'Nough to make 'em," said Joses, with a chuckle; "they'll have got wet
through to-night, and I daresay there'll be water enough in the stable
for the horses to nearly swim."

"What a night for the Apaches!" said Bart after a pause, as they
crouched there listening to the hiss and roar of the falling waters.
"Suppose they were to come; we would never see them."

"But they wouldn't in a night like this," replied Joses. "Would they,
Beaver?"

"Beaver don't know. Beaver think much," replied the chief. "He and his
men would come if they wanted their enemies' horses; but perhaps the
Apaches are dogs and cowards, and would fear the rain."

Towards morning the rain ceased, and with the rising sun the clouds
cleared away, the sun shining out brilliantly; and as the Beaver
strained over the stones to get a good look into the corral, he uttered
a hoarse cry.

"What's wrong?" cried Bart and Joses, starting up from their wearying
cramped position.

"Cattle gone!" cried the Beaver; and a moment later, "Horses are gone!"

It was too true; for, taking advantage of the darkness and the heavy
rain, the Apaches had sent in a party of their cleverest warriors, who
had quietly removed the barriers of rock, and the cattle had followed
their natural instinct, and gone quietly out to the last hoof, the
horses the same, making their way down to the pastures, where, at the
first breaking of day, there was a strong band of mounted men ready to
drive them right away into the plain, where the Beaver pointed them out
miles away, moving slowly in the bright sunshiny morning.

The alarm was given, but nothing could be done, and the Doctor looked
with dismay at the lowering faces of the men who had agreed to follow
his fortunes out there into the wilderness.

"You never said that we should meet with enemies like this," said one
man, threateningly. "You said you'd bring us where silver was in
plenty, that wa