mes were boys together--and so he might just as well go there in
the first place, and save time and travelling. He sent his best wishes
to everybody, and hopes we will catch all the scoundrels who wiped out
the squatter."

"I wish we could," said Bob, facing about in his saddle and gazing in
the direction in which the thieves had retreated; "but we have five
prisoners to take care of, and so our hands are tied."

"You just ought to have seen him, corporal," continued Carey. "He had
thrown his three horses in a sort of triangle by tying their feet
together and tripping them up in some way, and there he lay with his
boys behind his living breastworks, all ready for a fight. Grit to the
last, wasn't he? When I asked him why he hadn't mounted and dug out as
soon as we left, he said that that wouldn't have been safe, for he might
have run right in among the Greasers before he knew it."

"Well, boys," said Bob, gazing sorrowfully at the glowing bed of coals
that covered the site of the squatter's cabin, "there is nothing more we
can do here, and so we will make a break for the fort."

"Look here, corporal," said one of the troopers: "if you are going to
make us carry double with those dirty Greasers, I am going to kick."

"Don't you worry," answered Bob. "I shouldn't do it myself, and of
course I sha'n't ask you to do it. They'll have to walk.--Springer, draw
these Mexican gentlemen up in line."

Springer gave the necessary order in Spanish, and it was sullenly
obeyed.

"Just remind them, Springer, that if they don't step faster than that
somebody may hasten their movements with a prod from the point of a
sabre," said Bob angrily. "We are in no humor to stand a great deal of
nonsense from them. Now, right-face them; that's better.--Fall in around
them, squad, four on each flank and four in the rear. Forward,
march!--Now, George, which way is the fort from here?"

"Off there," replied George, "but I am going to take you to the
river-trail."

"What for?"

"So that you can get something to eat."

If they had been a little farther down the river, say about twenty-five
miles, George would have taken them to his own house. It would have
given him no little pleasure to entertain these companions of a long,
toilsome and dangerous scout under his own roof; but of course he could
not think of leading them out of their way in order to do it. They found
plenty to eat after they reached the river-trail, but the ranchemen at