assion. "First of all, keep your hands off me. As for your comrade and
partner in crime, I fear him no more than I would a dog and like a dog
I shall treat him if he dares to attack me again. As for you, you are a
coward and a cad. You have me at a disadvantage. But put down your guns
and fight me on equal terms, and I will make you beg for your life!"

There was a gleam of amused admiration in Raven's eyes.

"By Jove! It would be a pretty fight, I do believe, and one I should
greatly enjoy. At present, however, time is pressing and therefore that
pleasure we must postpone. Meantime I promise you that when it comes it
will be on equal terms."

"I ask no more," said Cameron.

There was no further conversation, for Raven appeared intent on putting
as large a space as possible between himself and the camp of the
Stonies. The discovery of the fraud he knew would be inevitable and he
knew, too, that George Macdougall was not the man to allow his flock to
be fleeced with impunity.

So before the grey light of morning began to steal over the mountaintops
Raven, with his bunch of ponies and his loot, was many miles forward
on his journey. But the endurance even of bronchos and cayuses has its
limit, and their desperate condition from hunger and fatigue rendered
food and rest imperative.

The sun was fully up when Raven ordered a halt, and in a sunny valley,
deep with grass, unsaddling the wearied animals, he turned them loose to
feed and rest. Apparently careless of danger and highly contented
with their night's achievement, he and his Indian partner abandoned
themselves to sleep. Cameron, too, though his indignation and chagrin
prevented sleep for a time, was finally forced to yield to the genial
influences of the warm sun and the languid airs of the spring day, and,
firmly resolving to keep awake, he fell into dreamless slumber.

The sun was riding high noon when he was awakened by a hand upon his
arm. It was Raven.

"Hush!" he said. "Not a word. Mount and quick!"

Looking about Cameron observed that the pack horses were ready loaded
and Raven standing by his broncho ready to mount. Little Thunder was
nowhere to be seen.

"What's up?" said Cameron.

For answer Raven pointed up the long sloping trail down which they had
come. There three horsemen could be seen riding hard, but still distant
more than half a mile.

"Saw them three miles away, luckily enough," said Raven.

"Where's Little Thunder?" enquired Camer