sked Will.
"I haven't seen anything that looks like Chicago about him!"

"Why," answered Tommy, "he's mentioned Harrison street and Desplaines
street and Chicago avenue half a dozen times when talking about the
police department of Denver! And he's been telling about police boats on
the lake and on the North and South branches and giving himself away
generally. Of course, he doesn't know we're from Chicago and so he
doesn't think it necessary to be careful in his speech."

"All right, time will tell!" exclaimed Sandy.

It was arranged that Will, Tommy and George were to sleep together in
one of the tents until midnight while Tommy stood watch, and from that
time on, the other boys were to watch two hours apiece. Katz was to have
the second tent all to himself.

For sometime after the lads and Katz went to their tents, Tommy sat by
the fire listening to coyotes and grey wolves howling off in the
mountains. Occasionally a coyote came within a few paces of the fire and
set up a howl which must have been heard in the dreams of the sleepers.

Along near midnight the boy heard, very indistinctly, shouts to the west
of the ridge which lay to the south of the valley. Still more faintly,
return shouts were heard. The men, whoever they were, seemed to be
advancing toward the camp. While the boy listened a volley of shots came
from the west, followed by hoarse shouts and imprecations.

It now became plain that two horsemen were speeding toward the valley
and that the shots which were being fired were directed at them. There
was no moon as yet although there would be one later on, and little
could be seen of the horsemen who were doubtless seeking refuge in the
canons farther to the north, but the heavy breathing of the horses and
the creaking of the saddles could be distinctly heard.

"I just went to the tent to wake Katz!" Tommy chuckled, "and saw him
sneaking away making flat-footed for the hills!"

CHAPTER II

THE RUNAWAY

The horses came on at a swift gallop, to an accompaniment of rifle shots
and the jingling of spurs. Directly they were in the circle of light
about the fire, their frightened eyes showing red as they ran. The faces
of the riders glared viciously down at the boys, but the weapons
swinging threateningly from their hands were not discharged as they
dashed through the lighted space and were gone.

"Now what do you know about that?" demanded Tommy, as the horses
disappeared in the darkness and