tter map nor yours?"

"They may have."

"Supposing that brother comes up, with John Barrow? They may make it hot
for us."

"That's what I want to ask you about, Harney. Isn't there some place
around here where we might hide the prisoners? A cave, or something like
that?"

The big guide scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"There's a tolerable place about quarter of a mile from here--the old
B'ars' Hole, we use ter call it."

"Of course we don't want to run up against any bears," said Baxter,
with a show of nervousness.

At this the big guide let out a rough laugh.

"Aint got no use fer them critters, eh?"

"I have not."

"'Taint likely there are any b'ars around. Me an Jim Wister cleaned out
the hole last spring--got three on 'em. No new b'ars will take that hole
yet awhile."

"Then we had better make tracks for it at once--before Dick Rover and
the man who is with him get on our trail."

They walked back to the camp-fire and, calling Jasper Grinder and Lemuel
Husty aside, Baxter explained the situation. A talk, lasting several
minutes, followed.

"Now then, you come with us," said Dan Baxter to the Rovers. "And see to
it that you don't try to get away."

"Where do you want us to go?" asked Tom.

"We are going to try to find your brother," was the bully's smooth
reply.

"Humph! Do you expect us to believe that?"

"You can suit yourself, Tom Rover. But, just the same, you'll come
along."

"And if we refuse?" put in Sam.

"I'll hammer you into submission."

"By jinks! but you always were a cheerful brute, Baxter," cried Sam.

"Shut up and come along," growled the bully.

Feeling it would be folly to resist, the two Rovers moved off with the
party. The big guide led the way and the others followed.

"You may as well earn your salt," observed Baxter. "Here, take hold and
pull one of the sleds."

He placed the rope in their hands and compelled them to haul the load,
which they did unwillingly enough.

Curious as it may seem, none of the Baxter party had given a thought to
the sled which Sam and Tom had had with them, and this had been left
under the bushes at the spot where Husty had discovered the Rovers.

At first Tom and Sam had thought to speak about the matter, but they
finally decided it would be better to run the risk of losing that
portion of the outfit entirely than to place it in the hands of their
enemy.

The way was rough, and it was only with the greatest of difficulty that
th