t the
dear girl is anxious about her brother Frank, and wants information from
a thoroughly reliable quarter."

Bluff sought out a lonesome corner of the big piazza in front of the
ranch house, and presently all hands were absorbed in their letters.
Suddenly the others heard Bluff utter an exclamation, and looked up just
in time to see him sprint into the building.

"What d'ye suppose ails the fellow?" asked Will.

"Give it up. He seemed to have a broad grin on his face, as though
Nellie must have written something especially sweet. But here he comes
out again, dancing like a wild Indian. What's he waving above his head,
fellows?" said Frank.

"It's his lost hunting-knife, as sure as you live!" echoed Will.

"Just to think of it, boys! The beauty was in my clothes bag all the
time, and I didn't know it! Nellie did it. She mentions the fact in this
letter, and says she was so afraid I'd hurt myself with that knife, by
accident, that she rolled it up in this new flannel shirt, which I've
never thought to put on as yet, and thrust it down at the bottom of my
clothes bag. I never thought to pull it out; and now that the big-game
hunt is over I get my trusty blade."

"Tell me about that, will you! And you thought I was to blame," remarked
Jerry.

"For which I beg your pardon. After all, perhaps no harm was done, and
since Nellie only did it from the best of motives, why, I would be
foolish to be angry."

"Sensible for once," observed Frank, winking at the others.

"And so we will leave the ranch without the slightest cloud on the
horizon. Fellows, all I can say is we're a lucky lot of boys," observed
Will positively.

CHAPTER XXV

HOME AGAIN--CONCLUSION

Saying good-by was harder than the boys had anticipated. They had really
enjoyed themselves so immensely up there at the ranch in the wilderness
that the thought of never seeing it more brought gloom upon their
spirits.

Of course, the fact that they were heading toward home, and the dear
ones awaiting their coming, made their sorrow lighter.

They had sent their trunk away on the previous evening, so that it would
be at the far distant station awaiting their coming. On horseback, then,
they were to cover the route that on their arrival they had done on a
buckboard.

Mr. Mabie, Reddy and Billy accompanied them, the stockman and Billy to
bring back the mounts after the train had borne their young friends
away. Reddy, of course, expected to accompa