They hurried on, the halt under the rocks having rested them a good
deal. Out on the prairie the trail grew a bit drier, for which they were
thankful. They got into their dog-trot once more, and thus covered all
of two miles in a short space of time. Then, of a sudden, both came to a
halt in dismay.

"Which one?" asked Phil, laconically.

"Don't know," was Dave's equally laconic answer.

Before them the trail branched out in three different directions, like
three spokes within the right angle of a wheel.

"This is a regular Chinese puzzle," said Dave, after an inspection of
the trails. "The one to the right looks to be the most traveled."

The two boys made every possible effort to pierce the darkness ahead of
them, and presently Phil fancied he saw a light in the distance. Dave
was not sure if it was a light or a star just showing above the clearing
horizon.

"Well, we may as well go ahead," said the shipowner's son. "No use in
staying here trying to figure it out."

They went on, taking the center one of the three trails. They had
covered less than quarter of a mile when Phil gave a shout.

"It is a light, I am sure of it--the light of a lamp or lantern! Hurrah!
we must be on the right trail after all!"

"Go slow, Phil," cried Dave, a sudden thought striking him. "That may
not be a ranch light."

"Yes, but----"

"It may be something much worse--for us."

"What do you mean?"

"It may be the light from the camp of the horse-thieves."

CHAPTER XIX

A FRUITLESS SEARCH

Phil stared at Dave in consternation.

"Do you really think that?" he cried.

"I don't say I think so, I only say it may be," returned the youth from
Crumville.

"If they are the horse-thieves, and we watch our chances, we may get the
animals back!"

"Not unless it is a single thief, Phil. We don't want to run the risk of
getting shot in the dark."

"That's true."

With great caution the two lads advanced along the muddy trail. As they
got closer to the light they saw that it came from a log house, low and
rambling. Not far away were several other buildings, and also a corral.

"We are on the right trail after all!" sang out the shipowner's son,
joyfully, and commenced to run at the best speed he could command.

"Hold on!" called Dave, but Phil was so eager to get to the house first
that he paid no attention to the words. Not until he had reached the
very piazza of the building did he pause to stare around him.