r nearer him
was a short man mounted on a dark horse, and that the other was a
larger man riding a lighter-colored horse having a white spot in its
forehead. David did not recognize either the men or horses, but the
suspicion flashed across his mind that the lighter-colored horse was
Judge LeMonde's Dolly. However, he was not sure, and in a moment the
men had ridden by.

Honest David returned to his house and bed. It proved, however, to be a
night of interruptions, for he had hardly gotten between the sheets and
fallen into a sound slumber before there came a loud knocking at the
front door. David--and in fact his whole household--was aroused
thereby, and hastening to the window, he tried to learn what was the
matter. He saw in the yard below three men standing by three horses and
heard the quick and eager words of Judge LeMonde: "Hurry, Friend David,
and come to our help. My barn was broken into about midnight and my
horses Velox and Dolly stolen from it. We are almost sure the thieves
headed this way down the river, for where the county road meets the
river road we examined the hoofprints as best we could, and decided the
horses turned this way."

"Yes, Judge, I'll help you all I can, and will be down in a hurry."
Honest Hester left the window and was soon down in the yard, followed
presently by his sons, wife and daughter Henrietta, all greatly excited
by the news.

Judge LeMonde continued: "We three have ridden our horses very hard,
and cannot hope to overtake the thieves without fresh animals. They
were careful to take my best blooded stock, and had considerable start
of us. Will you kindly favor us with the loan of some of your horses?
With them I think we may overtake the rascals."

"That I will, Judge," said Hester, "and my boys and I will go along to
help capture the rogues. I am sure you are on the right track, for half
an hour ago I saw two men riding past on horseback, and I suspicioned
one horse was your Dolly, for it had a white star in its forehead, but
I was not dead sure."

The men now hurried to the barn, and Jim was taken out to do something
besides pawing in his stall. Other horses were brought out and soon
seven men vaulted into saddles,--Judge LeMonde, his son George, his
servant Mose, David Hester and three of his stalwart sons. One son
remained behind to care for the three horses, which were covered with
mud, foam, sweat, and were badly winded.

Though in such haste, Judge LeMonde could n