valley and look out for signals. He led the horse to the stream and
gave him a drink, and asked Farron to lay out a hatful of oats. "They
might come in handy if I have to make an early start."

However lightly Farron might estimate the danger, his men regarded it as
a serious matter. Having heard the particulars from Sergeant Wells,
their first care was to look over their rifles and see that they were in
perfect order and in readiness for use. When at last Farron had
completed a leisurely inspection of his corral and returned to the
house, he found Wells and Pete in quiet talk at the front, and the
sergeant's horse saddled close at hand.

"Oh, well!" he said, "if you're as much in earnest as all that, I'll
bring my pipe out here with you, and if any signal should come, it'll be
time enough then to wake Jessie, wrap her in a blanket, and you gallop
off to Phillips's with her."

And so the watchers went on duty. The light in the ranch was
extinguished, and all about the place was as quiet as the broad, rolling
prairie itself. Farron remained wakeful a little while, then said he was
sleepy and should go in and lie down without undressing. Pete, too,
speedily grew drowsy and sat down on the porch, where Wells soon caught
sight of his nodding head just as the moon came peeping up over the
distant crest of the "Buffalo Hill."

How long Farron slept he had no time to ask, for the next thing he knew
was that a rude hand was shaking his shoulder, and Pete's voice said,--

"Up with you, Farron! The signal's fired at Phillips's. Up quick!"

As Farron sprang to the floor, Pete struck a light, and the next minute
the kerosene lamp, flickering and sputtering at first, was shining in
the eastward window. Outside the door the ranchman found Wells
tightening his saddle-girths, while his horse, snorting with excitement,
pricked up his ears and gazed down the valley.

"Who fired?" asked Farron, barely awake.

"I don't know; Ralph probably. Better get Jessie for me at once. The
Indians are this side of the Platte sure, and they may be near at hand.
I don't like the way Spot's behaving,--see how excited he is. I don't
like to leave you short-handed if there's to be trouble. If there's time
I'll come back from Phillips's. Come, man! Wake Jessie."

"All right. There's plenty of time, though. They must be miles down the
valley yet. If they'd come from the north, the telegraph would have
given warning long ago. And Dick Warner--my bro