ss
but the tune of the tumbling stream and the monotone of the pine-clad
slopes rising blackly on either side of the valley. The light of the
campfire upon the hill sent up its distant glow.

CHAPTER XX

A SURPRISE

Let us now return to Jo to keep him company during the absence of his
brethren and companion-in-arms. He sat down by the fire on a rock with
his legs stretched out before him, for he was rather tired, and his
hands clasped back of his head. All about him were the shadows of the
trees, but he was perfectly at his ease, though it would have been
lonesome enough if he had not known that the rest of the gang was
near.

Still it would have been better if he had kept closer watch, for
already the Frontier Boys had received warning that they were being
trailed, and Jo should have seated himself in the door of the tent so
that his back would have been protected, and he would have had the
benefit of the fire just the same. He likewise naturally trusted to
Jeems' shepherd dog to give him warning. The dog lay near the front
of the tent with his nose over his paws and his brown eyes blinking
toward the blaze.

It was his presence that saved Jo at this time, nothing else. Shep
jumped to his feet with a growl that grated along his back teeth, a
growl that meant business and serious business, too.

Let us see what was the cause of Shep's alarm. Just a little after the
boys had left the hill to take the horses to water, the figure of a
man could be seen coming stealthily out of the shadow of the pines
upon the slope.

He maneuvered so that the hill was between him and Skipper Jim's
party, then he stood straight up and walked stealthily and carefully,
but nevertheless swiftly, towards the camp. The man had made a slight
miscalculation, for he supposed that the camp was deserted and that he
could take what he wanted and destroy the rest before the boys could
return. A crooked smile came over his face as he made his evil plans.
He would go through the camp, take what was valuable, throw what he
could not use on the campfire and as a last touch he would set fire to
the tent.

Then as the tenderfeet came rushing back filled with anger and fear at
the sight of the burning tent, he would easily make his escape through
the darkness to the protection of the mountains, where these boys
would never get him. He would have, too, his booty, which he would
hide in a cave he knew of, so that he would not have to divide