ood purpose," said Amos Radbury. "Are all of the
mustangs safe?"

"Yes, sah. I'se dun watch dem de whole night, sah."

"We must keep a watch to-night, too, and to-morrow we can go on a hunt
and see if he is hiding anywhere near."

In honour of the home-coming, Pompey, as tired as he was, spread a
generous table, and all sat around this for several hours, eating,
drinking, and discussing the situation. The Radburys were glad Poke
Stover had accompanied them, for now the frontiersman could help keep
guard against the half-breed, should the latter mean mischief.

The next day proved so stormy and cold that the boys were glad to
remain indoors. It did not snow, but the rain was a half hail and the
wind was of the kind that reaches one's marrow. Only Amos Radbury and
Poke Stover went out, to the cattle shed and the nearest range, and
they were glad enough to come in long before evening.

"Hank Stiger won't stir around much in this weather," observed Mr.
Radbury, as he shook the water from his greatcoat. "He's too much
afraid of himself."

"Yes, but he'll want shelter somewhere," said Ralph.

"Perhaps he has gone after the Comanches," said Dan. "He may have been
just on a journey when Pompey saw him."

So the talk ran on, but nothing came of it. That night, completely
tired out, all retired early. Just before he went to bed Dan looked out
of the window and saw that it was clearing off, and that the stars were
trying to break through the clouds.

Down in a corner of the cattle shed rested a small keg of powder which
Amos Radbury had brought home from Gonzales, for his stock of this
article had run low. As Dan lay in bed he could not get this keg of
powder out of his head.

"I hope it didn't get wet," he thought. "But surely father must have
covered it up with great care."

For thinking of the keg, Dan could not get to sleep, and at last he
arose and walked out into the living-apartment of the cabin. Here, in
the middle of the floor, he came to a sudden standstill, as a noise
outside reached his ears.

What the noise came from he could not determine. First there was a
slight bump, and then a rolling sound, and then he heard a scratching,
as of steel upon flint.

"I'm going to investigate this," he said to himself, and, catching up
his gun, he ran to the door and threw it open.

What he saw surprised him beyond measure. There, in the darkness, stood
Hank Stiger. The half-breed had a bit of lighted tinder in his