s an old
friend of both families, and promised to treat the lads well should they
make the trip.

"Hurrah! just the thing!" Joe had cried. "Of course you'll go, Darry. We
couldn't have a grander outing."

"I'll go if father and mother will let me," had been Darry's answer, and
he had at once written home concerning the affair. Two weeks later the
boys were off, the parents of each cautioning them to be careful, and
wishing them the best of luck.

The journey westward as far as the mining-town of Riverton had occurred
without special incident. They had been told to hire a guide at this
point, and while looking for a man had fallen in with Sam Benson. Benson
knew Captain William Moore well, and he at once promised to take the
boys along with him and do the best he could by them.

"You'll want good hosses," Benson had said, and had aided them in
selecting their animals and in getting together the necessary outfit.
The start was made one fine morning in August, and all three of the
party were in the best of spirits.

The four days in the mountains had opened the eyes of both lads. The
traveling had been rather hard, yet they had enjoyed every minute of the
journey. They had stopped once to do some fishing, and Benson had
brought down a small mountain deer. At night they had put up at the
cabins of hunters and trappers, and before retiring had listened to
thrilling tales of adventures with wild beasts and with the Indians.

But now Joe was anxious to get to the fort and see his brother, from
whom he had been separated for nearly two years. Darry was also anxious
to reach the outpost, to meet not only his cousin William, but likewise
Colonel Fairfield, who was an old friend not easily forgotten. Once at
the fort the two boys felt that a vacation full of fun and pleasure
would follow. Never once did they dream of the perils which awaited them
in that wild region, which was not as civilized as it was to become a
handful of years later.

"It seems to me it is growing hotter," remarked Darry, after riding a
quarter of a mile in silence.

"It is growing hotter," answered the old scout. "And that makes me more
certain than ever that a storm's at hand."

"We'll have to take what comes," said Joe. "But I did hope we'd reach
the fort by to-morrow."

On they went, around a bend of the trail and over some rough rocks,
where the horses had to step with care, for fear of slipping into a
gully on the left. Then they reached a