Red Blaze's mellow and pleased laugh rose once more above the whistling
of the wind.

"You kin ride ag'in now, boys," he said. "The hosses are pretty well
rested."

They resumed the saddle gladly and now mounted toward the crest of the
pass. The sleet turned to snow, which was a relief to their faces,
and Dick, with the constant beating of wind and snow, began to feel
a certain physical exhilaration. He realized the truth of Red Blaze's
assertion that if you stiffen your back and push your way through
troubles you leave troubles behind.

They rode now in silence for quite a while, and then Red Blaze suddenly
announced:

"We're at the top, boys."

CHAPTER IV. THE FIGHT IN THE PASS

The three halted their horses and stood for a minute or two on the very
crest of the pass. The fierce wind out of the northwest blew directly in
their faces and both riders and horses alike were covered with snow. But
Dick felt a wonderful thrill as he gazed upon the vast white wilderness.
East and west, north and south he saw the driving snow and the lofty
peaks and ridges showing through it, white themselves. The towns below
and the cabins that snuggled in the coves were completely hidden. They
could see no sign of human life on slope or in valley.

"Looks as wild as the Rockies," said the sergeant tersely.

"But you won't find any Injuns here to ambush you," said Red Blaze,
"though I don't make any guarantee against bushwhackers and guerillas,
who'll change sides as often as two or three times a day, if it will
suit their convenience. They could hide in the woods along the road an'
pick us off as easy as I'd shoot a squirrel out of a tree. They'd like
to have our arms an' our big coats. I tell you what, friends, a mighty
civil war like ours gives a tremenjeous opportunity to bad men.
They're all comin' to the top. Every rascal in the mountains an' in the
lowlands, too, I guess, is out lookin' for plunder an' wuss."

"You're right, Red Blaze," said the sergeant with emphasis, "an' it
won't be stopped until the generals on both sides begin to hang an'
shoot the plunderers an' murderers."

"But they can't ketch 'em all," said Red Blaze. "A Yankee general with
a hundred thousand men will be out lookin' for what? Not for a gang
of robbers, not by a jugful. He'll be lookin' for a rebel general with
another hundred thousand men, an' the rebel general with a hundred
thousand men will be lookin' for that Yankee general with his