, fearing lest he
meditated an attack.

At noon the two halted, and while eating the last of the provisions,
knowing that after this they must go hungry until arriving at a
settlement, Fred fancied he heard a noise as of someone approaching.

His first thought was that Tim had succeeded in following their trail,
and he hurriedly made ready a gag to prevent an alarm from being given.

Gus heard the same noise, and before Fred could prevent him he began to
shout loudly for help.

It was several seconds before the outcries could be checked, and then
the mischief had been done.

The noise of a heavy body forcing its way through the underbrush sounded
more clearly, and Fred sprang to his feet, hatchet in hand, ready to
defend himself to the utmost.

Gus looked triumphant, and again shouted loudly; but the expression of
his eye was changed to despair as the stranger burst through the
foliage.

"Why Joe! Joe!" Fred cried, as he leaped forward and caught Brace by the
hands. "How did you happen to get here just when you were most needed?"

"I reckon I'd gone right past without knowin' you was anywhere near, if
it hadn't been for your wild yells."

"It was Gus who did that," Fred replied, glancing with a smile toward
the discomfited prisoner. "He thought as I did, that it was Tim."

"Do you mean his partner?"

"Yes."

"Have you got the best of both?"

In the fewest words possible Fred explained how the capture had been
made, and Joe actually leaped for joy when the stolen money was
displayed.

CHAPTER XXVII

AN UNLOOKED-FOR DENIAL

"You've done a big thing, my boy," Brace said, approvingly, when Fred's
story was concluded, "an' it won't be long before we can bring Sam back
to Farley's with not so much as a suspicion against him. Besides that,
we own the land that'll make all hands rich."

"How did you do it?"

Joe gave him all the details, and concluding with the interview between
himself and Mr. Wright, said:

"I didn't leave that night as I decided on; but went back to see poor
Bill, an' your mother insisted I stay till mornin'. The sun wasn't up
when I started out, an' a mighty blind hunt it proved to be till the
first camp was struck. That kinder livened me a bit; but I couldn't get
onto the trail, an' from then till Gus yelled I hadn't any idea which
way to go."

"How far do you suppose we are from Farley's?"

"I reckon it'll take smart walkin' for the rest of this day, an' the
best part