be a proud moment for him when he put it in the
hands of the colonel. He did not wish that moment to be delayed. Several
times he patted the pocket in which the paper lay.

As they ascended, the wind increased in strength, but being on their
backs now it seemed to help them along. They were soon high up on the
slopes and then they naturally turned for a parting look at Hubbard in
its valley, a twin to that of Townsville. It looked from afar neat and
given up to peace, but Dick knew that it had been stirred deeply by the
visit of his comrades and himself.

"It seems," he said, "that the war would pass by these little mountain
nests."

"But it don't," said Red Blaze. "War, I guess, is like a mad an' kickin'
mule, hoofs lashin' out everywhar, an' you can't tell what they're goin'
to hit. Boys, we're makin' good time. That wind on our backs fairly
lifts us up the mountain side."

Petty had all the easy familiarity of the backwoods. He treated the boy
and man who rode with him as comrades of at least a year's standing, and
they felt in return that he was one of them, a man to be trusted. They
retained all the buoyancy which the receipt of the dispatch had given
them, and Dick, his heart beating high, scarcely felt the wind and cold.

"In another quarter of an hour we'll be at the top," said Petty. Then he
added after a moment's pause: "If I'm not mistook, we'll have company.
See that path, leadin' out of the west, an' runnin' along the slope. It
comes into the main road, two or three hundred yards further on, an' I
think I can see the top of a horseman's head ridin' in it. What do you
say, sergeant?"

"I say that you are right, Red Blaze. I plainly see the head of a big
man, wearing a fur cap, an' there are others behind him, ridin' in
single file. What's your opinion, Mr. Mason?"

"The same as yours and Red Blaze's. I, too, can see the big man with the
fur cap on his head and at least a dozen following behind. Do you think
it likely, Red Blaze, that they'll reach the main road before we pass
the mouth of the path?"

A sudden thought had leaped up in Dick's mind and it set his pulses to
beating hard. He remembered some earlier words of Red Blaze's.

"We'll go by before they reach the main road," replied Red Blaze,
"unless they make their hosses travel a lot faster than they're
travelin' now."

"Then suppose we whip up a little," said Dick.

Both Red Blaze and the sergeant gave him searching glances.

"Do you m