r coyote, but
as I drove the pony into it a shot was fired, and it got me in the leg.
I didn't wait for any more, as I did not know how many men there might
be, and I deemed it wise to get to camp alive with the news."

"The poisoners!" was Ted's brief comment.

"They've got us pretty well hemmed in," said Ben. "They mean business."

"Yes, but we'll break through, and beat them yet," said Ted, with
conviction.

But they were a long ways from being out of danger yet as they were soon
to know.

That evening Ted, accompanied by Stella and Hallie, rode out of camp.
Ted wanted to spy out the land in advance to see if there were any signs
of the troops and the poisoners.

They were riding along out of sight of the camp, talking cheerfully and
feeling perfectly safe, when they were brought to a sudden stop by a
command, "Halt!" given in a gruff tone.

They stared in amazement when they saw that they were surrounded by a
detachment of soldiers, and that the command had been given by a
sergeant. A dozen carbines were leveled at them.

"What's the meaning of this?" asked Ted, with a smile.

"Orders for your arrest," answered the sergeant gruffly. "Disarm the
man."

Several soldiers stepped to Ted's side, and the one who attempted to
take Ted's rifle from its boot on the saddle received a kick on the
chest that sent him sprawling on his back.

But as the kick was delivered, and before he could do anything further
in his defense, Ted was struck a ringing blow on the head with the butt
of a carbine, and was dragged from the saddle.

As he went down he heard a shout of alarm.

"Don't shoot!" he heard the sergeant cry. "Let her go. We don't want
her, anyway."

Then Ted knew that Stella had escaped, to carry the news back to the
boys, and to bring assistance.

"I wish the Indian girl had been along," the sergeant said to one of the
men. "We'd have all we wanted, then."

"Oh, we'll get her later," was the reply.

Ted was hoisted to his feet in no gentle manner, and then he discovered
that his arms had been bound. Sitting on her pony was Hallie Croffut,
pale but calm, regarding the scene with an expression of contempt.

"What is the meaning of this, Brown?" she asked, addressing the sergeant

"Orders from a s'perior officer, miss," said the sergeant
apologetically, saluting respectfully.

"Well, you and your superior officer will be sorry for this day's work
when the colonel hears of it," was all she said.

Th