urely come back for me?"

"Surely, and I think it's mighty brave of you to stay behind. Now come
on, boys," he said.

Leaving Mary filled with pleasure at such praise, he put the two boys
carefully into the sled, stepped into his snow-shoes and dragged them
rapidly across the prairie. It was quite dark now, but the sky was clear
and the stars were bright. The storm had completely stopped. He
remembered the bearings he had taken by the stars, and reached the high
hill without difficulty. Below him lay the car.

Presently he drew up before the platform. He put the boys in the car,
told them to go up to the fire and warm themselves and not to touch
anything. Then he went back for the girl.

"Did you think I was not coming?" he asked as he re-entered the cabin.

"I knew you would come back," said the girl and it was Henry's turn to
tingle with pride.

He wrapped her up carefully, and fairly ran back to the car. They found
the boys warm and comfortable and greatly excited.

"If we just had a Christmas tree and Santa Claus and something to eat
and a drink of water and a place to sleep," said the youngest boy, "it
would be great fun."

"I am afraid we can't manage the Christmas tree," said Henry, "but we
can have everything else."

"Do you mean Santy?"

"Santy too," answered the boy. "First of all, we will get something to
eat."

"We haven't had anything since morning," said the girl. Henry divided
the sandwiches into three portions. As it happened, there were three
hard-boiled eggs. He gave one portion to each of his guests.

"You haven't left any for yourself," said Mary.

"I ate before I looked for you," answered Henry, although the one
sandwich had by no means satisfied his hunger.

"My, but this is good!" said George.

"Our mother is dead," said Mary Wright after a pause, "and our father is
awful poor. He has taken out a homestead and we are trying to live on it
until he gets it proved up. We have had a very hard time since mother
died."

"Yes, I know," said Henry, gravely; "my mother died, too."

"I wonder what time it is?" asked the girl at last.

Henry pulled out his watch. "It is after six o'clock," he said.

"Say," broke in George, "that's a funny kind of a uniform you've got
on."

"It is a Boy Scout uniform."

"Oh, is it?" exclaimed George. "I never saw one before. I wish I could
be a Scout!"

"Maybe you can," answered Henry. "I am going to organize a troop when I
get to Kiowa. But now