The Quest of the Four: A Story of the Comanches and Buena Vista

"But, Bill," persisted Phil, "it's your find."

"I know it, but you needn't think that ends everything.It's only the beginning. We've got to get backto that dead river of mine, and for that I need comrades.We've got to do weeks and weeks of work, and for that Ineed comrades. We've got to fight off danger, Indiansperhaps, Mexicans perhaps, outlaws perhaps, and for thatI need comrades. After we get the gold we've got tobring it safely to civilization, and for that I needcomrades. Also, there is so much of the gold in the bed ofthe dead river that I could not spend it all alone, and forthat I need comrades. Now will you come willingly andshare and share alike with me, or shall I have to yokeup together and drive you unwillingly?"

"We'll come," said Phil, and John and Arenbergadded their assent.

"I wish the Captain was with us, too," said BillBreakstone. "He belongs in this crowd, and he ought tohave some of the gold."

Phil and Arenberg echoed his regret at the absence ofMiddleton.

"Now that it is all settled," said Bill Breakstone,"I'm going to sleep."

In five minutes he was sound in slumber, and theothers soon followed him to that pleasant land.

They resumed their journey the next morning, butthey advanced in leisurely fashion. Breakstone warnedthem that there were other high ranges ahead, and theyagreed that it would not be wise to attempt their passagein winter. Hence, they must find a winter home in somesheltered spot, where the three requisites of wild life, wood, water, and game, could be found. It did not takethem long to find such a place, and they built a rudecabin, using it as their base during the remainder of thewinter, which was mild, as they were not at a greatelevation. Although they made an occasional scout, theynever found any Indian sign, and the cold weatherpassed in comparative ease and safety. Little Billydeveloped at a remarkable rate, and here he sloughed offthe last vestige of the Indian. But he had learned manycunning arts in hunting, trapping, and fishing which henever forgot, and there were some things pertaining tothese in which he could instruct his elders.

Not a single hunter, trapper, or rover of any kindpassed through during the winter months, and they oftenwondered what was going on in the world without.

"I'd surely like to see the Captain again," said BillBreakstone one cold evening as they sat by their fire."Just to think of all that he went through with us, andnow he's vanished into thin air. Maybe he's dead, killed in some battle a thousand miles down in Mexico."

"I don't believe the Captain is killed," spoke up Philpromptly. "I don't believe that he's the kind of manwho would be killed. But a lot of things must havehappened since we left. There must have been some bigfighting away down there by the City of Mexico. Do youthink we could have been whipped, Bill?"

"Phil, I've half a mind to take away all your titleswithout another word," replied Breakstone reprovingly."How could you think of our being whipped, after whatyou saw at Buena Vista?"

"That's so," said Phil, his cheerfulness coming backat once.

Late in the spring they began the passage of theranges, and although it was a long, hard, and sometimesdangerous task, they got safely across with all theirhorses, coming again into a plains country, whichmerged farther west into a desert. Here they were aboutto make a great loop northward, around the Mexicansettlements, when they met an American soldier carryingdispatches. They hailed him, and, when he stopped, they rode forward, all eagerness. It was deputed to BillBreakstone to ask the momentous question, and heasked it:

"How is the war going on?"

The soldier looked at them, amused little crinkles atthe corners of his mouth. He knew by their appearancethat these were people who had been long in the wilderness.

"It isn't getting on at all," he replied.

"What!" cried Bill Breakstone appalled.

"It isn't going on, because it's all over. GeneralScott marched straight to the City of Mexico. He foughta half dozen terrible battles, but he won every one ofthem, and then took the City of Mexico itself. A treatyof peace was signed February 2 last. You are riding nowon American soil. New Mexico, Arizona, California, and vast regions to the north of us have been ceded to theUnited States."

"Hurrah!" they cried together, Billy joining in withas much enthusiasm as the others.

"What about Santa Fé?" asked Bill Breakstone.

"It's occupied by an American garrison, and there iscomplete peace everywhere. The only danger is fromwandering Indians."

"We know how to fight them," said Bill Breakstone."Boys, we ride for Santa Fé."

The soldier continued northward, and they turned theheads of their horses toward the New Mexico capital, reaching, in good time and without loss, the queer littleold Spanish and Indian town from which the flags ofSpain and then of Mexico had disappeared forever.They intended to remain only two or three days in orderto obtain more horses and fresh supplies. Then theywould slip quietly out of the town, because they wishedtheir errand to be known to nobody. On the second dayBill Breakstone and Phil were walking together, when aman in sober civilian dress suddenly seized a hand ofeach in a firm grasp, and exclaimed in joy:

"Why, boys, when did you come here?"

"The Captain!" exclaimed Bill Breakstone. "Howthings do come around!"

It was Middleton, his very self, thinner and browner, but with the same fine open countenance and alert look.Bill and his comrade explained rapidly about the rescueof John Bedford, the recovery of little Billy Arenberg, and their passage through the mountains.

"And now," said Breakstone, "you tell us, Captain, how you happen to be up here in Santa Fé in civiliandress."

Middleton smiled a little sadly as he replied:

"The war is over. We won many brilliant victories.We were never beaten once. And I'm glad it's over, butthere is nothing left for the majority of the youngerofficers. I should probably remain a captain all the rest ofmy life at some obscure frontier station, and so I'veresigned from the army."

A light leaped up in Bill Breakstone's eyes, but heasked very quietly:

"And what are you meaning to do now, Captain?"

"I don't know, but I've been hearing talk about goldin California, and perhaps I'll go there to hunt it."

"Of course you will!" exclaimed Bill Breakstone, letting himself go. "You're going to start to-morrow, andyou're going with us. I know right where that gold is, and I'm going to lead you and the rest of the boys to it.You remember that every one of us had a quest that drewus into the West. The secret of the gold is mine. Weneed you and we share alike. As I've told the others, there's enough for all."

Middleton was easily persuaded, and they left SantaFé the next morning before daylight, taking little BillyArenberg with them. They traveled a long time towardthe northwest, crossing mountains and deserts, until theyreached the mighty range of the Sierra Nevada. This, too, they crossed without accident or loss, and then BillBreakstone led them straight to the dead river and up itschannel to the hidden gold. Here he dug in the bankand showed them the result.

"Am I right or am I wrong?" he asked exultantly.

"Right!" they replied with one voice.

At first they washed out the gold, but afterward theyused both the cradle and the sluice methods. Thedeposits were uncommonly rich, and they worked thereall through the summer and winter. The next spring,Middleton and Arenberg carried a great treasure of goldon horses to San Francisco. They also took BillyArenberg with them, but on their way back they left him, tohis huge regret, at a good school in Sacramento, whilethey rejoined their comrades on the great Breakstoneclaim. They exhausted it in another year, but they wereall now as rich as they wished to be, and they descendedinto the beautiful valley of California, where theyexpected to make their homes.