front of the
cabin door.

"Helloa, uncle, is that you?"

"Yes, Avon; I see you have arrived; I hope you suffered no harm."

"Matters were stirring for a time, but I am safe."

At this moment, Mrs. Shirril and Dinah, recognizing the voice, opened
the door, the captain inviting them to come outside.

The fire was now burning so briskly on the hearth that the interior was
well illuminated, so that their figures were plainly stamped against
the yellow background.

"There isn't anything left for you to do," said the captain, "so you may
as well dismount."

The firing, shouts, and yells came from a remote point in the bush, and
were rapidly receding.

Avon came down from his saddle, kissed his aunt, shook hands with his
uncle, and spoke kindly to Dinah, who was proud of the handsome fellow.

"Uncle," said he briskly, "what do you suppose, has become of your horse
Jack and Thunderbolt?"

"Taken off by the Comanches, or killed."

"I suppose that is probable, but I shall make a search for them."

Believing this could be done better on foot, he left the pony in charge
of his relative and walked hastily into the bush.

"I don't suppose there is much hope, but I have an idea that maybe
Thunderbolt has been wounded and needs looking after. The bullets have
been flying pretty thickly during the last few minutes, and for that
matter," he added, pausing a few seconds to listen, "they are not
through yet."

On the edge of the bush he encountered a horseman, whose voice, when
hailed, showed that he was "Jersey."

"What's the trouble?" asked Avon, pausing to exchange words with his
friend.

"Aint nothing more to do," was the response; "the varmints are
travelling faster than this horse can go, though he was one of their
animals."

"How was that?"

"I got it in the neck--that is my critter did. I had one of them pretty
well pinned, when he fired from under his horse's belly and my pony went
down, as dead as a doornail. I came mighty nigh being mashed under him,
but I dropped the other chap, for all I couldn't see him when I drew
bead. I 'spose it was a chance shot, but the minute he went off his
horse got so bewildered he didn't know what to do with himself. While he
was trotting about, I catched him, put my bridle on him without trouble,
and here I am, Baby."

"Sure he isn't one of ours?" asked Avon, approaching still nearer and
looking him over as well as he could in the darkness.

"He is now, but he wasn't f