The Pony Rider Boys in Texas (19 page)

"We'll go in and look around, then," decided Big-foot, striding into the
church. "Whew! smells pretty musty in here. What's that up there?"

"That's where we were eating our lunch when we heard Chunky call," Walter
informed him.

"How long since you had seen himwas he up there with you?"

"No; he had left us twenty minutes before we began eating lunch," answered
Ned.

"Humph!" grunted the cowman, gazing about him in perplexity. "Sure it isn't a
trick?"

Tad shook his head.

"No. He was in trouble. I knew that from his tone."

"Then he must have fallen in some place," announced Big-foot. "He couldn't
fall up, so there's no use looking anywhere but on the ground floor here," he
decided, wisely. "Anybody know of any holes that he might drop into?"

"Not that I have seen," answered Ned. "The floor is as solid as stone."

"Well, that beats all. You boys scout around outside, while Curley and I are
looking things over in here. Besides, I want to be alone and think this thing
over."

"What do you make of it, Big-foot?" asked Curley Adams, after the others had
gone outside.

"I ain't making. When it comes to putting my wits against a spook place, I'm
beyond roping distance. We'll look into these holes in the wall around here,
first," he said, referring to the niches and cell-like rooms that they saw
leading off from the auditorium. "You make it your business to sound the floor.
We may find some kind of trap door."

Curley went about bringing down the heels of his heavy boots on the hard
floor, but it all sounded solid enough. There was no belief in the mind of
either that the lad could have disappeared in any of the places they had
examinedthat is, that he could have done so through any ordinary accident.

Like most cowboys, both Curley and Big-foot possessed a strong vein of
superstition in their natures. To them there was something uncanny in Stacy
Brown's mysterious and sudden disappearance.

"Here's a door, but it's closed," called Curley.

"That's so," agreed Big-foot, hurrying over to him. "The thing is sealed up
with mortar. Hasn't been used in fifty cats' lives. Wonder what's behind
it."

"Not the boy; that's certain."

"Nope. He didn't fall through there."

"Find any other doors open or closed?"

"Nary a one."

"Well, that seems to settle this part of the ranch; we've got to look
somewhere else. What bothers me is that we don't hear him call. If he was
anywhere near, and had his voice, he'd be yelling for help," decided the big
cowboy.

"Don't think he's dead, do you?"

"I don't think at all. I don't know," answered Big-foot.

"It's my idea that the gopher isn't in here at all," announced Curley, with
emphasis.

His companion eyed him thoughtfully.

"You're almost human at times, Curley. I reckon you've said the only true
words that's been spoke by us this afternoon. We look for the gopher and don't
find him. You say he ain't here, and he isn't. Great head! But that don't find
him. The question is, where is he?"

"We'll have to look outside," answered Curley.

"Right you are. Come on."

But their search outside was as fruitless as had been their quest within the
old adobe church. Not a trace of Stacy Brown did they find.

"Ned, I think you had better take the young ladies home," said Tad
finally.

"Want me to tell Professor Zepplin?"

"Not right away. You can tell him on the way out here. He will not have quite
so long to worry, but I think he should know about it. The matter is serious.
Where did you say Mr. Stallings was, Big-foot?"

"Out with the new herd. The cattle are pretty restless."

"Walt, you go in and tell the foreman the difficulty we are in. I'll wait
here and go on with the search. If he can get away I wish he would come."

"I'll tell him," answered Walter, hurrying away.

"I am sorry we have spoiled your afternoon, Miss Brayton," said Tad. "It's
too bad. But I'm afraid something serious has happened to our friend."

"Shall we see you again, Mr. Butler?"

"Of course. I don't know when the herd will start on. We certainly shall not
do so until we have found Stacy. Anyway, we will ride over some time to-morrow
and bid you all good-bye."

Assisting the young women into their saddles, Tad bade their friends good
afternoon and turned sadly back to the church, while Ned Rector rode back to the
Ox Bow ranch with the young women.

"Well, what do you think?" demanded the lad, as he faced the big cowboy.

"I don't think. My thinker's all twisted out of shape," answered Big-foot. "I
can't tell you what to do. Wait till the boss gets here."

"I guess that will be best," replied Tad. "We have done all we know how to
do."

The two men and the boy wandered about the church aimlessly, saying little,
but thinking a great deal, impatiently awaiting the arrival of Bob Stallings, to
whom they now looked to show them the way out of their difficulty.

The foreman arrived, in the course of half an hour, with his pony on a sharp
run. They had heard him approach, and were outside waiting for him.

"Well, this is a nice kettle of fish!" exclaimed Stallings, leaping to the
ground, tossing his reins to Curley Adams. "Tell me about it."

Once more Tad Butler related all the facts in his possession regarding Stacy
Brown's mysterious disappearance.

"Big-foot thinks it's spooks," added Tad.

"That's all bosh," exploded the foreman. "It's getting late in the afternoon,
and I've no time to waste. I'll find him for you. What ails you, Big-foot?
Getting weak in the knees?"

"Not as I knows of. This funny business is kinder getting on my nerves,
though."

"Humph!" grunted the foreman, starting for the church in long strides.
"Nerves in a cowboy! Humph!"

They watched the tall figure of Stallings charging through the adobe house,
peering here and there, asking questions in short, snappy sentences, going down
on his knees in search of footprints. Finally he rose from his task with a
puzzled look in his eyes.

"Tell me that story again," he demanded.

Tad did so.

The foreman went outside and surveyed the building from all sides.

"There's some secret room or passage in there somewhere. The gopher has
stumbled into it. We are going to discover the mystery of the church of San
Miguel before we have done herethat is, we are if we're lucky," he added.

Bob Stallings' words were prophetic, though he did not know it. The discovery
was to be one that would give the big foreman the surprise of his life, and that
would affect all his after life as well.

"We can't do much of anything more until daylight," announced the foreman
finally. "You see, it's getting dark now."

"Youyou are going to leave him here?" asked Tad hesitatingly.

"That's all we can do, so far as I see. But we'll put one of the men on guard
to watch the place. To-morrow morning we'll take it upon ourselves to tear down
that door that's sealed up. It may lead into the place where the boy fell in.
Yes; we'll bring down the whole miserable shack if necessary."

"Youyou think he is here, then?"

"Of course. Where else could he be? He walked away and disappeared right
before your eyes. He could not get away if he had gone outside. So where is he?
In the church, of course."

"Then I will remain here and watch the place," decided Tad firmly.

Stallings glanced at him hesitatingly.

"All right. I guess you have got the nerve to do it. I can't say as much for
the rest of the bunch. You come along with me, now, and get your supper. After
that you may return if you want to. Big-foot, you and Curley stay here until the
Pinto gets back. Better keep busy. You may stumble upon something before you
know it."

The two cowboys did not appear to be any too well pleased with the task
assigned to them, but they obeyed orders without protest.

The evening had grown quite dark by the time the cowmen had finished their
supper. All had been discussing the strange disappearance of Stacy Brown. It did
not seem to surprise them. They had expected trouble when they reached the
vicinity of the adobe church. They had had little else during the time they had
been in the camp.

"Send Curley and Big-foot in," directed the foreman after Tad had announced
his readiness to return to the church.

"We'll all go," spoke up Ned Rector.

"It's not at all necessary," answered Tad.

"No; I have decided to let Big-foot go back after he has eaten. He can remain
with you until ten-thirty, when he takes his trick on guard. Then the rest of
you may go out if you wish. It isn't fair to leave the Pinto there alone all
night. If I change my plans I'll send out Master Ned or Walter. Run along now,
Tad."

The lad mounted his pony and galloped slowly out for his long vigil. He was
greatly disturbed over the loss of Chunky. Yet he could not bring himself to
believe that great harm had come to the boy.

"Anything new?" he called as he rode up.

"Nary a thing. Plenty of funny noises inside the shack. Kinder gives a fellow
the creeps; that's all."

"You are to come back and remain with me until your watch, I believe,
Big-foot."

"Nice job you've cut out for me," answered the cowman.

"I had nothing to do with it. It's the foreman's order," answered Tad.

"Better bring a lantern with you. We may need it before the night is
over."

"All right," answered Big-foot, swinging into his saddle. After the cowmen
had left, Tad walked out a little way from the church and sat down in the sand.
He was within easy hearing of the place in case anyone should call out.

It was a lonely spot. Tad had not sat there long before the noises that the
cowmen had spoken of began again.

The lad listened intently for a moment.

"Bats," he said. "I can hear them flying about me. I hope none of them hit me
in the face. I've heard they do that sometimes."

The pony, which had been staked down well out on the plain, was now moving
about restlessly.

"I wonder if the noises are getting on the broncho's nerves, too? There's
nothing here to be afraid of. I'm not afraid," declared Tad firmly, rising and
pacing back and forth.

He was relieved, just the same, when the big cowman rode back, an hour later,
and took up the vigil with him. The two talked in subdued tones as they walked
back and forth, the lad expressing the opinion that they would find Stacy
unharmed when they once discovered the mysterious place into which he had
unwittingly stumbled.

"You see, those walls are so thick that we couldn't hear him even if he did
call out. He may even have gotten in where they buried those monks we've heard
about. I hope not, though."

"He wouldn't know it," said Big-foot.

"No, probably not in the darkness. Did you bring that lantern?"

"Pshaw! I forgot it. Mebby I'd better go back and get it."

"No; never mind, Big-foot. The moon will be up after a time. Then we shall
not need it. You are going in for the ten-thirty trick, are you not?"

"That's what the boss said," replied Big-foot.

The right section of the herd was now bedded within a short distance of the
church. They could hear the singing of the cowboys as they circled slowly around
the sleeping cattle.

"Guess we are not going to have any more trouble with them," said Tad,
nodding toward the herd.

"Don't be too sure. I feel it coming. I have a feeling that trouble ain't
more'n a million miles away at this very minute."

"I wish you wouldn't talk that way. You'll get me feeling creepy, first thing
you know. I've got to stay here all night," said Tad.

Big-foot laughed. They passed the time as best they could until the hour for
the departure of the cowboy arrived. Then Tad was left alone once more. He
circled about the church, listening. Once he thought he heard the hoof-beats of
a pony. But the sound died away instantly, and he believed he must have been
wrong.

After half an hour Big-foot returned. The foreman had decided, so long as the
cattle were quiet, to have him remain with Tad. If the cowboy should be needed
in a hurry the foreman was to fire a shot in the air as a signal.

Tad was intensely pleased at this arrangement. After chatting a while they
lay down on the ground, speaking only occasionally, and then in low tones. The
mystery of the night seemed to have awed them into silent thought. They had lain
there for some time, when Tad suddenly rose on one elbow.

"Did you hear that?" he whispered.

"Yes," breathed the cowman.

"Whatwhat do you think it was?"

"Sounded as if some one had jumped to the ground. We'd better crawl up there.
It was by the church. I told you it was coming."

"Do you suppose it was Chunky?"

"No. He'd be afraid of the dark. You'd hear him yelling for help."

Tad had his doubts of that; but, just the same, he, too, felt that the noise
they had heard had not been made by Stacy Brown. A silence of several minutes
followed. The two had crawled only a few feet toward the church, when, with one
common impulse, they flattened themselves on the ground and listened.

Now they could distinctly hear some one cautiously moving about in front of
the church. It seemed to Tad as if the mysterious intruder were standing on the
broad stone flagging at the top of the steps leading into the adobe church.

Tad slowly rose to his feet.

"Who's there?" he cried in a voice that trembled a little.

A sudden commotion followed the question, and the listeners distinctly caught
the sound of footsteps on the flagging.

A flash lighted the scene momentarily.

Big-foot had fired a shot toward the church. A slight scream followed almost
instantly.