if you-uns travel along it for about five miles,
ye'll reach the town."

"And you won't tell us whose road this is?" came from Tom.

"It ain't none of you-uns' business, thet ain't. Better turn back
an' have done with it."

The old man showed plainly that he did not wish to converse further.
He stood in the center of the trail, with his gun ready for instant use.

"We made a mistake before and got into a sink-hole," said Dick. "We
don't want to make another mistake."

"Take tudder trail an' you-uns will be all right," answered the old
man, and thereupon they turned around and rode off.

"What a crusty old fellow!" said Sam.

"Yes, but he meant business," came from Fred. "He would have shot at
us sure, had we insisted upon moving forward."

"There is some mystery about this," said Dick.

"Perhaps he lives a hermit life down that trail," suggested Songbird.

"It looked more to me as if he was on guard," put in Sam. "He certainly
meant business."

"If we had time, I'd sneak around to one side and see what was beyond."

"Yes, and get shot," said Fred. "We had better take his advice and
go on to Caville."

It did not take them long to reach the fork in the road, and here
they turned into the other trail. They had proceeded less than fifty
yards, when Dick put up his hand.

"Somebody is coming behind us," he announced.

They halted at a turn in the road and looked back. Two persons soon
appeared, both on horse-back. They were riding at a good gait and
turned into the trail which was guarded by the old man.

"Well, I never!" cried Tom in amazement.

"I recognized the first man," said Sam. "It was that bushy-haired
fellow. I think somebody said his name was Sack Todd."

"That's the chap," replied Dick. "But didn't you recognize the other?"

"No."

"It was Dan Baxter."

CHAPTER XV

SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY

"Dan Baxter!"

The cry came simultaneously from several of the crowd.

"I think Dick is right," said Songbird. "I thought it must be Dan,
but I wasn't sure, for I didn't expect to see him here."

"He and that Sack Todd must have become friends," put in Tom. "I
would like to know what Dan is doing out here."

"He is certainly up to no good," answered Dick. "I must say this adds
to the mystery, doesn't it, boys?"

"That's what it does," chimed in Sam. "I wish we could catch Baxter
and bring him to justice."

"Or reform him," came from Dick.

"Reform him, Dick!" cried Tom. "That would be