erty, he quietly got out of his window, and in a few minutes was
hurrying along the road towards the outskirts of the village in the
direction of the miners' camp.

[Illustration: 'HE GOT OUT OF HIS WINDOW.']

It was a starlight night, which enabled him before very long to make
out a big prairie schooner a little way ahead of him, with four horses
tethered near by long ropes. Close up under the waggons he saw the
figures of two men sleeping on the ground, and not wishing to disturb
them, he lay down near them to wait until they awoke. But his long
hours of wakefulness had tired him out and he fell asleep.

He was aroused by a stir in camp to find preparations going on for
breakfast. He felt chilly from lying on the ground, and was not sorry
to see a nice fire of sticks burning near him. A man was putting a
kettle of water on to boil, and as Jack rose up and approached him, he
welcomed him in a gruff but not unkindly way.

'How do, kid? I reckoned I'd leave you to sleep it out? Are you the
young un as Steve Byrne came to inquire about? You want to go along
with our outfit as far as the Range, don't you?'

'Yes, please,' answered Jack. 'I'm goin' to my father. He's way over
in the San Luis Valley, up on the Cochetopa Creek.'

'_Cochetopa Creek_!' ejaculated the man. 'Why, boy, that's over two
hundred an' fifty miles from here, an' you'll have to cross the
"Rockies," too. Say, Lem,' he called out, 'here's an enterprising
young un. He's startin' off alone for Cochetopa Creek. What d'you
think o' that?'

'He'll never get there,' returned his companion, who had been looking
after the horses and came up at that moment.

'You're right, Lem, I do believe,' said the first speaker. 'Just
listen to me, boy! A kid like you can never travel so far. Take my
advice an' go back to the folks as look after you here.'

'No, I won't,' answered Jack sturdily; 'I've started now, an' I ain't
going back for no one. If you won't take me I'll go on an' walk. My
father sent for me, but my uncle won't let me go. I guess he shan't
stop me now.'

'Well, you're a plucky kid, as sure as my name's Jeff Ralston,'
declared the miner.

'How soon is grub to be ready?' asked Lem impatiently. 'I'd better
harness up the team while I'm waitin', as we want to get away soon.'

'All right. I'll call you when I've made some oatmeal porridge. Here,
kid, go to the waggon an' get out the tin cups an' plates.'

Jack obeyed, and was