hat way. Now, we'll divide the time atween us, each taking a
part, so that it won't come heavy on any one."

"That will suit us," Fred hastened to say, while Jack nodded his head.

"All right. You, Jack, will keep watch till twelve--that is midnight;
then you'll rouse t'other younker, and he'll stand guard till two; then
he'll give me a kick, and I'll run things till daylight."

"What are we likely to see?" asked Jack, who naturally desired to learn
all the points concerning his new duties.

"How should I know?" asked Hank, with a grin. "There may be wild
animals, sich as grizzlies, cinnamon or black bears; there may be
wolves, or dog Injins looking for a chance to steal our ponies."

"Why do you call them 'dog Indians?'"

"A dog Injin is a tramp 'mong the other tribes; he don't live much with
any of 'em, but sneaks round the country, looking for a chance to steal
something, and it don't matter what it is."

"Suppose I catch sight of one of the animals you name, or a dog
Indian--what shall I do?"

"Shoot him quicker'n lightning."

This was a startling order, but the guide was in earnest.

"Are you afeard to do it?" he asked, half contemptuously.

"No; I'll shoot the instant it is necessary, but I don't fancy the idea
of picking off an Indian without warning."

"If you give him warning you won't pick him off. If you're so squeamish,
you might argufy the matter with him."

"Leave that to me; I'm on duty now; go to sleep."

Without another word the guide wrapped his blanket about him and
stretched out in front of the fire, with his feet toward it. Judging
from his heavy breathing, it was barely five minutes before he became
unconscious.

"It strikes me this is rushing things," remarked Jack to Fred, as the
two sat beside each other. "Last night the 'V. W. W.' were in the
sleeper of the Union Pacific; to-night they are looking out for a chance
to shoot Indians."

"I don't believe there's any likelihood of finding it. I suspect that
Hank is having some sport at our expense. If there was any danger he
would stay awake himself, instead of trusting two tenderfeet like us."

"It may be, but we are in a wild country, where danger is likely to come
at any time, and we may have our hands full. It seems to me that it
would have been better to let the fire go out, and not attract
attention."

"He's running this affair; he wouldn't have had so much wood gathered if
he didn't mean to keep the blaze going."

With