n they set
off at a steady trot, discussing in a more serious vein the probability
of such an uprising as Mr. Melton feared.

"I don't want it to happen," summed up Bert at last, "but if it's got to
happen anyway, I hope it does while we're out here. I feel like a small
boy going to a fire. As long as the house has to burn anyway, he wants to
be Johnny-on-the-spot."

In this manner the time passed quickly, and before eleven o'clock they
were nearing the town. A few minutes later they were riding through its
streets, alertly on the lookout for any signs of impending trouble. All
seemed much the same as usual, though, except that about the telegraph
and newspaper offices there seemed to be unwonted bustle and excitement.
Here and there knots of men had congregated also, who appeared to be
discussing some important matter.

The three boys rode until they reached the post office, and then,
dismounting and hitching their horses, went inside. The post office also
served as a telegraph station, and there were various news bulletins
posted about the room.

They hastened to one of these, and their faces grew grave as they read.
It appeared from the bulletin that the Indians were on the very eve of an
outbreak, although they had made no actual hostile moves as yet. Troops
had been summoned to the reservation, however, and were expected to reach
Helena that evening. They were ordered to stay in the town overnight, and
press on for the reservation the following morning.

"It begins to look like business now, all right," said Bert, after he and
his friends had digested this information.

"It sure does," agreed Dick, "but likely as not it will all blow over
before anything really serious happens."

"Oh, of course, there's always that chance," said Bert, "but let's go
outside and find out what the opinion of the townspeople is. They must
understand the situation pretty thoroughly, and we can soon find out
whether or not they regard this as a false alarm. But it looks to me as
though real trouble were brewing."

Bert's opinion seemed to be shared almost unanimously by the citizens.
Everywhere men were getting out and overhauling their firearms, and there
was a run on the ammunition stores.

"I'm glad we brought our revolvers," remarked Tom; "there seems to be a
chance of our having use for them by and by."

"I'm mighty glad we did," acquiesced Bert, "and I brought something
beside my revolver, too. Just before we left the r