roots
of the tree, and putty soon Mr. B'ar squatted on this rock. Then I let
drive fer the rock, an' the powder an' matches landed good an' hard, I
can tell ye."

"And exploded?" put in Joe eagerly.

"Yes, exploded with a noise ye could hear 'most a mile, I calkerlate.
The powder flashed straight up into thet ba'r's face, blindin' him and
tearing his jaw half off, and the way he ran to save himself was a
caution. As soon as he was gone I dropped down and ran for my gun. Then
I made after the b'ar and caught him between the rocks and finished
him."

This was the last story told that night, and soon after the tale was
concluded Leeson showed the boys into the inner room of the cabin, where
there was something of a rough bed with a straw mattress.

"Make yerselves ter hum," he said. "It aint no hotel, but it's the best
I've got to offer ye."

"But we don't want to turn you out," said Darry.

"I'll make myself comfortable near the door," answered Leeson. "I want
to sleep with one eye open--in case those rascals should take a notion
to come this way."

The boys were glad enough to rest indoors again and take off the
clothing they had worn during the storm.

"Camping out is well enough," declared Joe; "but I don't want too much
of it."

"Oh, we've seen the worst side of it," returned Darry. "I expect lots
of good times when we get to the fort."

"Oh, so do I, for the matter of that."

After turning in it did not take long for the cousins to get to sleep,
and a little while later Hank Leeson also threw himself down to rest.
But the old trapper remained close to the doorstep, and slept with his
rifle near at hand.

An hour went by, and the darkness and silence continued. There was no
moon, and only a few stars were visible. At a distance a few night birds
were calling, and occasionally the howl of some lonely wolf could be
heard, but that was all.

At last from out of the darkness of the trail came three men on foot.
They were Matt Gilroy and his companions. They had tethered their horses
in the bushes some distance away. They stole toward the cabin like so
many grim and silent shadows.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE STEALING OF THE HORSES.

"Go slow, men," came softly from Gilroy. "You know what kind of a man
Leeson is."

"Reckon I do know," came in a growl from Fetter. "And I've got an
account to settle with him, too."

"I'm pretty certain the boy is here," went on the leader. "But we must
make sure i