rn is gone, you can't get it back by looking at
the place where it was."

They laughed at this cool and practical way of looking at things, and
Uncle Aleck was half ashamed to admit he wanted to be rid of his
present suspense, and could not be satisfied until he had settled in
his mind all that he dreaded and feared.

It was a long and wearisome tramp homeward. But they had been more
successful than they had hoped or expected, and the way did not
seem so long as it would if they had been empty-handed. The choicest
parts of their game had been carefully cooled by hanging in the dry
Kansas wind, over night, and were now loaded upon the pack-animals.
There was enough and more than enough for each of the three families
represented in the party; and they had enjoyed many a savory
repast of buffalo-meat cooked hunter-fashion before an open camp-fire,
while their expedition lasted. So they hailed with pleasure the
crooked line of bluffs that marks the big bend of the Republican
Fork near which the Whittier cabin was built. Here and there they
had crossed the trail, broad and well pounded, of the great herd that
had been stampeded on the first day of their hunt. But for the most
part the track of the animal multitude bore off more to the south, and
the hunters soon forgot their apprehensions of danger to the
corn-fields left unfenced on their claim.

It was sunset when the weary pilgrims reached the bluff that
overlooked the Younkins cabin where the Dixon party temporarily
dwelt. The red light of the sun deluged with splendor the waving grass
of the prairie below them, and jack-rabbits scurrying hither and yon
were the only signs of life in the peaceful picture. Tired as he was,
Oscar could not resist taking a shot at one of the flying creatures;
but before he could raise his gun to his shoulder, the long-legged,
long-eared rabbit was out of range. Running briskly for a little
distance, it squatted in the tall grass. Piqued at this, Oscar
stealthily followed on the creature's trail. "It will make a nice
change from so much buffalo-meat," said the lad to himself, "and if I
get him into the corn-field, he can't hide so easily."

He saw Jack's long ears waving against the sky on the next rise of
ground, as he muttered this to himself, and he pressed forward,
resolved on one parting shot. He mounted the roll of the prairie, and
before him lay the corn-field. It was what had been a corn-field!
Where had stood, on the morning of