puzzled guide.

"Under ordinary circumstances, I would have stood by and watched the
flurry, only wishing that the best man might win. That means, of
course, that you would have been the loser. But we need some one to
guide us through the mountains; you haven't done it yet; when your
work is over you may go and live on wild Indians for all I care."

Vose quickly regained his good nature. He returned his knife to its
resting place, picked up his rifle, grasped the bridle rein and gently
pulled.

"Come, Hercules; I don't know whether they appreciate us or not;
steady now!"

"What are you going to do with that horse in front of you?" asked the
captain.

"Hang it! if I didn't forget about him; back with you!" he commanded
with a gesture, moving toward the animal, who showed the intelligence
of his kind, by retrograding carefully until he reached the broad safe
place so anxiously sought by the others. There he wheeled and trotted
off, speedily disappearing from sight.

"Vose, you might have traded Hercules for him."

"Not much! I wouldn't give that mule for a drove of horses that have
belonged to these mountain Injins."

"What's the matter with them? Aren't they as good as ours?"

"They're too good; you can't tell what trick they'll sarve you; I was
once riding through these very mountains, on the back of a horse that
I picked up--it isn't necessary to say how--when his owner gave a
signal and the critter was off like a thunderbolt. If I hadn't slipped
from his back at the risk of breaking my neck, he would have carried
me right into a camp of hostiles and you would have been without your
invaluable guide on this trip."

"That is important information--if true--helloa! it is growing light
off there in the east!"

"Yes,--day is breaking," added Vose.

The captain looked at his watch and found the time considerably past
five o'clock. They had been longer on the road than any one supposed,
and the coming of morning was a vast relief to all.

The party were now grouped together, for the trail was broad and safe.
Parson Brush asked, as he pointed almost directly ahead:

"Isn't that a light off yonder?"

The guide gazed in that direction and replied:

"Yes, but it comes from a camp fire, which isn't more than a half mile
away."

The men looked in one another's faces and the captain asked in a
guarded voice, as if afraid of being overheard:

"Whose fire is it?"

"There's no saying with any sartinty, till w