e to start northward on the
morrow over the Great Cattle Trail.

"Baby" was the name by which Avon Burnet was known among the rest,
because of his youth.

Leaning over his horse, the tall Texan reached down and grasped the hand
of his young friend.

"It sort of looks, Baby, as though I had arrived in time to do you a
little turn."

"There's no doubt of that, for I couldn't have run much further."

"But why did you run at all? I observed but one Injin, and he's of no
further account now."

"When I started there were four after me, but I threw all out of sight
except one. I was on the point of turning to fight him, when I heard the
cattle, and thought they were other Comanches coming to the help of this
fellow."

"But things seem to be in a queer shape at the house; tell me the
trouble."

"Why, how did you know anything about it at all?" asked the surprised
Avon.

"I've been down there and seen things for myself."

"Let me hear about that first, then I'll let you know what I have to
tell, and it is important indeed."

The Texan, in obedience to his training, cast a look after the vanishing
herd and sighed.

"It'll be a big job to round them up, but I guess we'll have to leave
'em alone for a time. Wal, you know we went into camp a few miles to the
north, to wait for you and the captain that was to jine us in the
morning. We were looking after things, when I remembered that I had left
my package of tobacco at the house. Things were so quiet, and I was so
afeared that you and the captain would forgit to bring it with you, that
I concluded to ride over after it myself. I never dreamed of any of the
varmints being there, and was going along at a swinging gait, when I
heard the sound of a gun and I fetched up my horse to learn what it
meant. I didn't see an Injin, but while I was looking somebody made a
rush from the front of the house for the bush."

"It was myself," interrupted Avon excitedly, "and the captain fired to
save me and did it."

"I reckon that was Ballyhoo Gleeson that let loose that partic'lar
shot," said the cowboy with a chuckle; "I didn't know who it was
running, but thought it was one of the varmints. Just afore that I was
sure that I seed one of 'em and I let fly, shootin' on gineral
principles as you might say. I might have investigated things, but the
Comanches were too numerous for comfort, and I wheeled about and made
off."

"So it was you who fired the shot that really cleared the