alf-Moon
and Three Stars ranches had set out to run them to cover was so
startling that for several minutes after Tom had suggested it no
one spoke.

Larry was the first one to recover from the shock of surprise.

"There's no use in trying to guess," he declared. "We must find
out. The only way to do that, so far as I can see, is to follow
the trail and discover where it leads."

This proposition received the excited endorsement of the other two
boys, and Horace added:

"Wouldn't it be dandy if we could round up Megget and his men
before father and the others? Come on!"

"Don't be in too much of a hurry," urged Tom.

"Oh, if you are afraid to go, you needn't. I'll go alone," sneered
Horace.

Flushing at the taunt of cowardice, Tom bit his lips that he might
not say anything he should regret.

"You ought to know, Horace, that neither Larry nor I are afraid,"
he responded. "I was only thinking about your mother. We promised
her we would be back by to-morrow night. The idea of our going in
pursuit of Megget by ourselves is foolish. The thing to do is to
make sure this trail leads into the mountains and then go and try
to find your father and his men."

"Now you're talking sense," interrupted Ned.

"To find them will certainly take us longer than until to-morrow
night. In order that Mrs. Wilder need not worry, we must let her
know of the change in our plans."

"That's so," agreed Larry. "Still there is no reason for our all
going back; one is enough. Let's draw lots to see who it shall be."

"Not much," returned Horace. "So long as father and Bill are away,
I am in charge of the Half-Moon. The rest of you must do as I say.
Ned is the one to go back!"

"But you boys don't know anything about the trails," protested the
man. "You will get lost."

"We certainly can follow this one," retorted Horace hotly. "And we
can always find our way back. Just tell mother we shall join
father."

In vain the driver of the grub wagon endeavored to dissuade the
lads, but the thought of taking part in the pursuit of the raiders,
after all, made them deaf to all his arguments, and at last Horace
exclaimed impatiently:

"You are only delaying us, Ned. I say you are to return to the
ranch. That settles it. Larry and Tom and I are going to take the
trail." And, without further ado, he shook out his pony and headed
for the mountains, the two brothers at his side.

The pace at which Horace rode was terrifi