d his sturdy independence, as well
as his grim determination to once more locate the long hidden mine for
the benefit of his mother and sisters.

Come what might, Thad was not sorry the Silver Foxes had determined,
individually and collectively that they would back up Aleck to the
limit; and even give over some of the time they had expected to put in
hunting, in order to help him take possession of his father's silver
lode.

That meant then, sooner or later, a visit from the bully of the
mountains, this arrogant Colonel Kracker, whom so many men seemed to
fear as a terror; though Thad had already conceived the idea that the
other must be a coward at heart. He fancied that no really brave man
would war on a widow like he was doing; and torture a mere boy, in
order to force him to betray his mother's secret.

"Let him come, then, if he wants to," Thad had said to Allan, when
they discussed the subject for the tenth time, while breakfast was
being made ready. "We're able to take care of ourselves, I should
think--eight husky fellows, a brave man for a guide, who will stand up
for us; then Aleck, and the Fox besides. It would be mighty queer,
now, if we couldn't hold our own against three men, no matter if they
are tough characters."

"Oh! I guess we've seen just as bad before," replied Allan, with a
confident smile. "How about some of those moonshiners down in North
Carolina? And tell me about that Charlie Barnes and his crowd, the
hobo yeggs we ran across up in Maine. Then, remember Si Kedge and Ed
Harkness the game poachers we met later on; and how they were sorry
they'd ever bothered with the Silver Foxes? And to wind up the list,
Thad, there were Hank Dodge and his French Canadian half breed pard,
Pierre Laporte, the hard-shelled timber cruisers, who gave us all that
bother when Bumpus lost himself down in the big timber. How's that for
a crowd, tell me; and didn't we come out on top every time?"

Thad laughed.

"I see you've got it all down pretty pat, Allan," he remarked. "And
sure enough, just as you say, after getting the better of so many bad
men in all our travels, we hadn't ought to feel worried right now
because three more bob up, and think to throw a scare into us. On the
whole, this Kracker had better keep his hands off, or he'll be sorry."

"But how about our hunting?" Allan went on to say. "Some of the boys
are getting anxious to make a try for a big-horn. Why, there's Smithy,
a fellow we never exp