he caught up the reins and was off like a
flash.

Some of the party turned and fired a few shots in the air, but did not
pursue until they had waited for an order from their chief.

"He'll alarm the town, and the men will pour out after us," Hoyt cried.

"Let him," said the sheriff, contemptuously. "Alarm the town! You must
think they value boys at a high rate up here, mister. I thought, from
the way you talked, that a regiment wouldn't be too many. Why, he's a
lamb!" and the sheriff laughed, and so did his deputies.

Hoyt gnawed his lip and glanced ominously at Harry, as if he had a mind
to shoot him where he stood.

"I tell you," said Hoyt, "that the whole town will be after us."

"Well, I can't help it," replied the sheriff. "If the whole county
comes, they can't have my two-thousand-dollar prisoner. I think they
know me even in Buttercup, mister."

Hoyt was powerless to do anything, but Harry was certain that he saw a
desperate purpose written on his face, and he determined to be on his
guard if the men did come after him.

Bill meanwhile was flying back over the five miles that lay between him
and Buttercup with all the speed he could obtain from his horse.

He rode into the street at a full gallop, his hat lost and his hair
flying, and did not stop until he was at the door of the house where
Missoo lived.

He was known by this time as one of Harry's friends, and it was
generally known that the two went riding together. To see him coming
back in such a fashion was sufficient to make them all wonder, and in
the first fear that Harry had met with an accident, there was a rush
after Bill all adown the street.

"What's the matter?" "Where's Gent?" "Is he hurt?" were some of the most
prominent of the questions.

"Where's Missoo?" asked Bill, in a loud voice.

"Here he is," was the answer from the window of the house. "Whar's
Gent?"

"They're taking him to Virginia City on a charge of arson, Missoo.
Hoyt's there!"

Missoo understood in a moment, and lifted his hand to still the roar of
voices that rose on the announcement made by Bill. Silence came at once.
They all knew Missoo would waste no words then.

"I know all about it, boys," he said. "Gent mustn't go ter Virginny
City, nohow. Bill, how many on 'em?"

"Five."

"Ten men ter go with me after Gent," continued Missoo.

And Bill wondered at the stern, quiet way of the man. Every man there
was eager to go, and Missoo saw it.

"All right, boy