the arrival at the hills the serious work began and the ranchmen
were busy issuing instructions.

CHAPTER XXIV

CAPTURING THE CATTLE THIEVES

As they wound in and out among the hills and rocks, now ascending,
now going down steep pitches, the silence of their surroundings and
the realization that they were bent on a dangerous mission sobered
the boys and few words did they speak.

Once or twice the line halted as the leaders heard some sound that
roused their suspicions, and several times Sandy and Nails dropped
back. But nothing untoward occurred, and late in the afternoon
they descended into the valley that was the headquarters of the
raiders.

"We're in time; there's no one here," announced Lawrence after an
examination of the ground for fresh horse or cattle tracks.

Remembering their guide's statement about the cliff on which the
lookout was posted when the raiders were at the mine, die boys
sought it with their eyes. But though they scanned both sides of
the mountains, all they could see was trees.

Horace was on the point of mentioning the fact when the word was
passed back to dismount, and, leading their horses, they were soon
within the protection of the woods.

"Any of the ponies likely to whinny?" asked Lawrence as they halted
in a glen.

"Yes, Blackhawk," answered Horace. "It was he that gave warning of
Jeffreys' approach."

"Then we'll take them all pretty well up into the woods. He won't
be able to scent when he's above where Megget and the others will
enter the valley."

"Which way will they come?" asked Mr. Wilder.

"The opposite end from the way we did," responded the former
raider. "That's why I'm taking our ponies to a place on this side."

"Seems to me we're leaving too much to this fellow who's gone back
on his former pals," whispered the owner of the Three Stars to Mr.
Wilder. "It's all right if he plays fair, but if he doesn't we'll
be in a pretty mess."

"I believe he is acting square with us. Still it won't do to take
chances," returned the other ranchman, and calling to Lawrence, he
asked where the mine was.

"It's about two hundred yards to the right, Mr. Wilder. I'll show
you when we get up on top of the cliff. There's a big dead tree in
front of it, so you can't miss it, even in the night, for the bark
has been peeled off it by lightning and the wind, so that it stands
out like a white specter in the darkness."

Deeming it inadvisable to unsaddle the hor