ee Henry Parker first," said Dan, and received
permission to take a run to Henry's house, while his father did some
necessary trading.

Dan found Henry Parker as well as ever, and hard at work preparing for
the winter, for his father could do but little. Henry was deeply
interested in the particulars of the attack on San Antonio.

"I wish I had been there," he cried. "But I am going when the army
reorganises; mother and father have promised it."

"There wasn't much fun in it," said Dan, soberly. "It was real hard
fighting from start to finish. The fellows who went in for a mere
dust-up got left."

"Oh, I know war is no play, Dan. But I mean to do my duty by Texas, and
that is all there is to it," concluded Henry Parker.

Early the next morning the party of four began the journey up the river
to the ranch home. It was still cloudy, and Ralph declared that he saw
a number of snowflakes come down, but the others were not so sure of
this. Yet the weather was dismal enough.

"We are going to have a pretty heavy winter for this section," said
Amos Radbury,--and the prediction proved a true one.

As they journeyed along, the wind swept mournfully through the pines
and pecans, but not once did they catch sight of any wild animal,
outside of a few squirrels and hares. Some of these Poke Stover brought
down, "jest to keep his hand in," as he declared.

While yet they were a long distance off, Pompey saw them coming and ran
forward to meet them.

"Bless de Lawd yo' is all safe!" he cried. "I dun fink one or de udder
of yo' been shot suah!" And he shook hands with his master and fairly
embraced the boys.

"And how have you been, Pompey?" asked Amos Radbury.

"I'se been all right, Mars' Radbury. Had quite a job 'tendin' to fings
alone, but I'se dun gwine an' done it, neberdeless, sah. But las' night
I'se dun got scared, mars'," and Pompey rolled his eyes mysteriously.

"Got scared? At what?"

"A man, sah, wot was a-creepin' around de ranch, sah, peepin' in de
doah an' de winders, sah."

"A man?"

"Hank Stiger, I'll wager a dollar!" cried Dan.

"It must have been that fellow," added Ralph.

"What became of the man, Pompey?" went on Mr. Radbury.

"I can't say as to dat, sah. As soon as I dun spot him, sah, I got de
gun, an' he run away like de Old Boy was after him, sah."

Asked to describe the stranger, Pompey gave a fairly good description
of him, and this fitted Hank Stiger exactly.

"He is around for no g