Chapter XXIII: A Holiday

"It's going to be a fine day," said Jim. He was standing in front of the tent on the hill and taking a preliminary look at the sky. It certainly had the appearance of being just as he said. The sun was sweeping the shining length of the valley with his fresh and early beams and there were a few fair, faint clouds drawn across the broad blue brow of morning.

"There's nothing like the first break of day in the mountains," said Jeems. "I've seen it a hundred times and I never get tired of it."

"It certainly makes you feel fine and fit, this air after a night's sleep," said Jo, who stood poised on the edge of the hill, with his hands resting lightly on his hips. He did look fit as he said, and the rest of the boys, too, with their sunbrowned faces and sinewy figures, every pound of which was bone and muscle. It gave one more confidence in their ability to stand off the outlaws. One look into their keen, alert eyes showed that they were not to be caught napping, either.

"What's the program for to-day, Skipper?" asked Jeems.

"Juarez and I are going after deer or any other game we can get," said Jim. "The rest of you can do what you feel like, only don't overexert yourselves."

"I'm going fishing," declared Tom.

"Me too," chimed in Jo.

"I shall stay at home then," said Jeems, "and look after things until you children get back. I shan't mind a quiet day with no callers."

"Don't be too sure about there being no callers, Jeems," warned Juarez. "Remember what happened to Jo last evening and be careful or you will be among the missing."

"I don't know why the other party shouldn't be among the missing," declared Jeems. "I'm a terrible fighter when I get started."

"You would stop when the other fellow said 'ouch,'" remarked Tom, "and get a drink of water."

"I'm not much of a mule when it comes to holding a grudge, and certain that's a fact," admitted Jeems.

"You're all right," declared Jim with earnestness.

"Sure you are," said the chorus, and Jeems in acknowledgment bowed low.

"I thank your Royal Highnesses for your appreciation of your humble servant," he said.

"You're welcome," replied Jim briefly.

Jim and Juarez were soon on their chargers, and they made a fine appearance; Jim on his powerful animal, Caliente, with his strong, arched neck, body and hindquarters built for speed, and shoulders to crash through all barriers of an enemy; his gray mottled coat fairly glistened in the sun.

Juarez's roan was a smaller horse than Caliente, but he, too, was fleet and of tireless endurance. He was somewhat wall-eyed and vicious at times, but Juarez was the master. The story of the capture of the horses is told in "Frontier Boys in Mexico," so I will not rehearse it here.

No sooner had the two horsemen left the hill than they whirled their rifles over their heads and gave their horses the rein. Away they dashed at full speed over the level meadows, near the edge of the dark tree-clad slopes, as though they were reviewing the vast army of the pines.

"There they go like wild Indians," said Tom. "We will have a quiet day now."

In a few minutes Tom and Jo were going across the level meadow with the slender poles they had cut and the lines and hooks ready. As for Jeems, he proceeded to make himself comfortable, taking his blankets and spreading them out under the shade of a tree, stretching himself out upon them with his hands clasped under his head, and gazing at the distant clouds, drifting dreamily over the depths of blue, while there came through the sun-warmed air the continual murmur of insects.

Near Jeems' side his faithful shepherd dog was curled up in lazy contentment, with his eyes peacefully closed, opening with an occasional blink, then closing again. It was a happy interval for Jeems, and he thoroughly enjoyed the quietness of the scene, for he was a philosopher by nature as well as by name, and he liked to have time for his own mind. "You can't hatch thoughts unless you sit on 'em a while," was one of his quaint phrases.

Meanwhile, Tom and Jo were walking across the sunny meadows with their minds filled with great expectations of the trout they were about to catch. It was a sort of a holiday for them, and they did not envy Jim and Juarez in the least, and were actually sorry for Jeems, since they were born fishermen. When they reached the stream they separated, Jo going up where there were some willow bushes overhanging the water, and Tom going down where he hoped to find some quiet pools.

The whole valley was a scene of utmost peace, and no one would dream that there was war gathering, as it were, in the near future, but there undoubtedly was. The only bit of tactics that Jo had in his mind at present was how to get the big trout who lurked in the shadow of the limpid pool. He cast carefully and watched the float on his line with intense interest. Five minutes passed, then came the heart-throbbing second when the float went under and there was a strong, tense pull on the line. Steadily Jo pulled until there shone in the air a gleaming trout.

It was a beauty with olive-green back, shading down the sides to white with spots of black and red. It was thirteen inches in length, and Jo promised himself quite a triumph over Tom when he should show him this prize. By noon Jo had caught ten fish varying from seven inches to a foot in length. He and Tom met down stream several miles, at noon.

"What luck?" inquired Tom.

"Better than yours," declared Jo proudly. "I've got the biggest fish."

"You have not," said Tom, and to prove it he pulled out of his bag a good big trout.

"There!"

"Huh! You just wait," retorted Jo, fishing into his sack. "How does that strike you?" and he pulled out his champion.

"Let's measure," said Tom. Jo's fish was a half inch longer, and he also had two more than his brother, for Tom had caught only eight.

They ate their lunch on a little gravelly knoll where there were some pine trees not far from the stream.

What with a couple of trout, backed by what they had brought, and the cold water from the stream, they fared very well, indeed.

"I reckon we will do better than Jim and Juarez," said Tom. "I don't believe that they will get anything."

"We ought to do well this afternoon," said Jo.

And they did. By four o'clock they had a joint catch of thirty-five trout, and decided that was enough for the present. At Jo's suggestion they decided to give Jeems a surprise. So they approached the hill with due care, making their attack on the side towards the slope of the mountain which was best protected. They began their stealthy crawl up through the pine trees, until they came in sight of the camp.

The first evidence they saw of Jeems was his feet sticking out, being quite prominent in their blue socks with white tips, he having removed his boots for comfort. His back was against a big pine, and he was peacefully asleep. Before he could move a rope was passed quickly around his chest and he was bound firmly to the tree by unseen hands.

"Help!" he yelled. "Tom, Jo, come here quick, they've got me!"