here, 'cause-- Why, just look a-here, Joey," added Silas, moving up
to the door, and pointing to some object inside the cabin. "See them
tools I took away from him?"

The boys stepped to their father's side, and saw lying upon the table,
where Silas had placed it, a belt containing a brace of heavy revolvers
and a murderous-looking knife.

"Now, them's dangerous," continued Silas, "and if this feller's pardner
should happen along--"

"But he won't happen along," interrupted Dan. "Brierly's squad gobbled
him."

The ferryman looked surprised, then disgusted, and finally he turned an
inquiring glance upon Joe, who said that Dan told the truth.

"You don't like it, do you?" said the latter, to himself. "It sorter
hurts you to know that there is them in the world that are just as lucky
and smart as you be, don't it? Yes, that's what's the matter with pap.
He don't want no one else to be as well off as he is."

And when Dan said that, he hit the nail fairly on the head.

"The other robber is not in a condition to attempt a rescue," said Joe;
"but, all the same, I don't think you ought to keep this man here all
night. The sheriff is now at Mr. Warren's house, and it is your duty to
hand the prisoner over to him at once. Be careful how you point those
guns this way."

This last remark was called forth by an action on the part of Silas and
Dan that made Joe feel the least bit uncomfortable.

While the latter was talking, his hands were busy with the rope; and
when the prisoner arose from the bench and stamped his feet to set the
blood in circulation again, his excited and watchful guards at once
covered his head and Joe's with the muzzles of their guns.

"Turn those weapons the other way," repeated Joe, angrily. "You don't
think this man is foolish enough to try to run off while his hands are
tied, do you? Now, father, how did you happen to catch him?"

"It was just as easy as falling off a log," replied Silas, resuming his
seat and resting his double-barrel across his knees. "When you and Dan
went away this morning, I just naturally shouldered my gun, walked up
the road to the foot of the mounting, and set down on a log to wait for
game to come a-running past me, just the same as if I was watching for
deer, you know."

This was all true; but there was one thing he did that he forgot to
mention. The only "game" Silas expected to see was Dan Morgan, when he
returned from the mountain at night, and the ferryman was