hundred
thousand. So there you are, an' while they're lookin' for each other an'
then fightin' each other to a standstill, the robbers will be plunderin'
an' murderin'. But don't you worry about bein' ambushed. I was jest
tellin' you what might happen, but wouldn't happen. We kin go down hill
fast now, and we'll soon be in Hubbard, which is the other side of all
that fallin' snow."

The road down the mountain was also better than the one by which they
had ascended, and as the horses with their calked shoes were swift of
foot they made rapid progress. As they descended, the wind lowered fast
and there was much less snow. Red Blaze said it was probably not snowing
in the valley at all.

"See that shinin' in the sun," he said. "That's the tin coverin' on the
steeple of the new church in Hubbard. The sun strikes squar'ly on it,
an' now I know I'm right 'bout it not snowin' down thar. Wait 'til we
turn 'roun' this big rock. Yes, thar's Hubbard, layin' out in the valley
without a drop of snow on her. It looks good, don't it, friends, with
the smoke comin' out of the chimneys. That little red house over thar is
the railroad an' telegraph station, an' we'll go straight for it, 'cause
we ain't got no time to waste."

They emerged into the valley and rode rapidly for the station. Farmers
on the outskirts and villagers looked wonderingly at them, but they did
not pause to answer questions. They galloped their tired mounts straight
for the little red building, which was the station. Dick sprang first
from his horse, and leaving it to stand at the door, ran inside. A
telegraph instrument was clicking mournfully in the corner. A hot stove
was in another corner, and sitting near it was a lad of about Dick's
age, clad in mountain jeans, and lounging in an old cane-bottomed chair.
But Dick's quick glance saw that the boy was bright of face and keen of
eye. He promptly drew out his papers and said:

"I'm an aide from the Northern regiment of Colonel Newcomb at
Townsville. Here are duplicate dispatches, one set for the President of
the United States and the other for the Secretary of War. They tell of a
successful fight that we had last night with Southern troops, presumably
the cavalrymen of Turner Ashby. I wish you to send them at once."

"He's speakin' the exact truth, Jim," said Red Blaze, who had come
in behind Dick, "an' I've brought him an' the sergeant here over the
mountains to tell about it."

The boy sprang to his instru