I've got a mouthful I can lay here a few hours longer. Go on,
I'll keep till you get back."

"If there was some water near by I could tie you up more comfortable
like."

"Never mind that, but leave at once, so to be the sooner here."

Joe hesitated no longer, but set off across the mountain at a speed
which brought him to Farley's in less than half an hour.

Here it was only necessary to state what had happened in order to find
plenty of volunteers for the task of bringing Bill home, and as the
party set out Mrs. Byram followed a short distance by Joe's side, in
order to say:

"I've seen Mr. Wright, and he evidently believes both Sam and Fred are
guilty."

"Won't he let up till we can run down them fellers what Bill was
follerin'?"

"He says to me, as he did to you, that the law must take its course, and
will not even do anything to prevent Bill's arrest."

"We're goin' to bring the poor feller home, an' this company what think
they own Farley's an' every soul in it had better let him alone."

"Take him to my house, where he can have more care than at a
boarding-place."

"All right, an' thank ye, ma'am."

"But what about Fred? Where is he?"

"There's no call to worry because of him. As soon as Bill is off my
hands I'll hunt the boy up, an' p'rhaps the two of us will bring home
the real thieves."

The widow could go no farther, and Joe took his place at the head of the
party, walking at his best pace.

Bill was suffering a great deal of pain when his friends arrived, but
not a word of complaint escaped his lips, and some pleasant word was
exchanged for every greeting.

"It'll be a hard pull to get me over the mountain, but I'll not see
Farley's for many a long day if you can't hold out."

"We'll have you there, old man, an' not spend any too much breath over
the job," Joe said cheerily, as he began to build a litter.

Several of the party were curious to learn why Bill had come into that
out-of-the-way place, but he refused to make any explanations, and Joe
pretended not to hear the many questions.

It was nearly dark before the injured man arrived at Mrs. Byram's home,
and then nature had so far asserted her rights that he lay unconscious
until after the physician arrived.

"I reckon I've done all that's possible," Joe said to the widow, "an'
now I'll start back."

"You won't think of searching through the woods in the night."

"No; but I'll trudge over to where I found Bill, so's the hunt ca