care his new friends had given him and
his interest in the girl filled his heart with the happiness which is the
rain of youth and without which it becomes an arid desert.

He had helped Alexander Ferguson with the making of the fireplace and
knew how to mix the mortar. He worked with a will for his heart was in
the new home. It was a fine September morning. The warm sunlight had set
the meadow cocks a crowing. The far reaches of the great, grassy plain
were dimmed with haze. It was a vast, flowery wilderness, waving and
murmuring in the breeze like an ocean. How long those acres, sown by the
winds of heaven, had waited for the plowman now arrived!

Harry felt the beauty of the scene but saw and enjoyed more the face of
Bim Kelso as he worked and planned his own house--no cabin but a mansion
like that of Judge Harper in the village near his old home. He had filled
every crevice in the rear wall and was working on the front when he heard
the thunder of running horses and saw those figures, dim in a cloud of
dust, flying up the road again. He thought of the threat of Bap McNoll.
It occurred to him that he would be in a bad way alone with those
ruffians if they were coming for revenge. He stepped into the door of the
house and stood a moment debating what he would best do. He thought of
running toward the grove, which was a few rods from the rear door of the
house, and hiding there. He couldn't bear to run. Bim and all the rest of
them would hear of it. So with the sickle in his right hand he stood
waiting inside the house and hoping they wouldn't stop. They rode up to
the door and dismounted quietly and hobbled their horses. There were five
of them who crowded into the cabin with McNoll in the lead.

"Now, you young rooster, you're goin' to git what's comin' to you," he
growled.

The boy faced them bravely and warned them away with his sickle. They
were prepared for such emergencies. One of them drew a bag of bird shot
from his pocket and hurled it at Harry's head. It hit him full in the
face and he staggered against the wall stunned by the blow. They rushed
upon the boy and disarmed and bore him to the floor. For a little time
he knew not what was passing. When he came to, his hands and feet were
tied and the men stood near, cursing and laughing, while their leader,
McNoll, was draining a bottle. Suddenly he heard a voice trembling with
excitement and wet with tears saying:

"You go 'way from here or I'll kill you de