each man's
face, as on a mirror. At the sight of the young stranger they all sprang
up with the same gesture,--each instinctively laid his hand upon the
pistol that he wore.

Poor Rick understood it all at last. He had stumbled upon a nest of
distillers, only too common among these mountains, who were hiding from
the officers of the Government, running their still in defiance of the
law and eluding the whiskey-tax. He realized that in discovering their
stronghold he had learned a secret that was by no means a safe one for
him to know. And he was in their power; at their mercy!

"Don't shoot!" he faltered. "I jes' want ter ax the folkses ter tell me
the way ter Birk's Mill."

What would he have given to be on the bleak mountain outside!

One of the men caught him as if anticipating an attempt to run. Two or
three, after a low-toned colloquy, took their rifles, and crept
cautiously outside to reconnoitre the situation. Rick comprehended their
suspicion with new quakings. They imagined that he was a spy, and had
been sent among them to discover them plying their forbidden vocation.
This threatened a long imprisonment for them. His heart sank as he
thought of it; they would never let him go.

After a time the reconnoitring party came back.

"Nothin' stirrin'," said the leader tersely.

"I misdoubts," muttered another, casting a look of deep suspicion on
Rick. "Thar air men out thar, I'm a-thinkin', hid somewhar."

"They air furder 'n a mile off, ennyhow," returned the first speaker.
"We never lef' so much ez a bush 'thout sarchin' of it."

"The off'cers can't find this place no-ways 'thout that thar chap fur a
guide," said a third, with a surly nod of his head at Rick.

"We're safe enough, boys, safe enough!" cried a stout-built, red-faced,
red-bearded man, evidently very drunk, and with a voice that rose into
quavering falsetto as he spoke. "This chap can't do nothin'. We hev got
him bound hand an' foot. Hyar air the captive of our bow an' spear,
boys! Mighty little captive, though! hi!" He tried to point jeeringly at
Rick, and forgot what he had intended to do before he could fairly
extend his hand. Then his rollicking head sank on his breast, and he
began to sing sleepily again.

One of the more sober of the men had extinguished the fire in order that
they should not be betrayed by the smoke outside to the revenue officers
who might be seeking them. The place, chilly enough at best, was growing
bitter cold.