l
relieve your minds of anxiety by saying that we met John Johnson half
way to Green River and he sent us in to tell you that he would arrange
for reinforcements for you as soon as he reached Green River. He said he
mentioned the fact to you when he was here, but you didn't seem to like
it, and so he said nothing more about it to you."

"He sent you in here just to tell us that?" demanded Will.

"Aw, tell him the truth," laughed the other.

"Well, then, I'll tell him the truth," replied the intruder, his mouth
full of bread and meat.

"We met Johnson while he was on his way out, and he told us to look in
on you boys as we passed and see if you were all right. He seemed to
have a notion in his head that you'd be apt to get into trouble of some
kind."

"Glad you came in," Will said, extending his hand, "I don't know how Mr.
Johnson came to think of it, but your coming here just now is something
in the nature of a miracle."

"Glad to be of any service!"

Then without explaining the purpose of their night mission into the
mountains, the boys explained the situation to the two strangers,
dwelling particularly on the fact that the sheriff's cowboys now had
good cause for believing that the lads really were associating with the
train robbers.

"I think the train robbers held the officers up more because they've got
a grouch against all policemen than for any other reason," Will said. "I
don't see why they should cut in order to save our lives. The sheriff
will get good and even with them for that!"

"Just a grouch against all the officers in the world!" laughed one of
the strangers. "All brigands feel that way."

"But you can see where it leaves us!" exclaimed George. "We can't have
any fun in the mountains with those fellows chasing us all the time, and
one of our friends is wandering around in the mountains nutty, with a
broken head, and we can't even go out and find him if this hostile
attitude of the cowboys continues."

"You think they'll follow you down to camp, do you?" asked one of the
men. "Of course the outlaws wouldn't hold them very long."

"Yes, I think they'll follow us down to camp and they won't lose any
time getting here, either," Will answered.

"Did you ever seen anything like it?" asked Tommy as, accompanied by
George, he started toward the provision box.

"Like what?" demanded the other.

"Why, this lone mountain valley becoming the center of population of the
United States!" exclaimed