won't get inter their Hills any too soon, as it ar'."

"You're an old fool!" retorted Frank, contemptuously. "I wouldn't be
as mean as you for all the gold in the Black Hills country, say
nothin' about that in California and Colorado."

He turned his horse's head toward the north, and rode away, followed,
to the wonder of all, by the "General."

"Ha! ha!" laughed Charity Joe, grimly, "I wish you success."

"You needn't; I do not want any of your wishes. I'm going to search
for the person who makes them cries, an' ef you don't want to wait,
why go to the deuce with your old train!"

"There ye err," shouted the guide: "I'm goin' ter Deadwood, instead uv
ter the deuce."

"_Maybe_ you will go to Deadwood, and then, again, maybe ye won't,"
answered back Fearless Frank.

"More or less!" chimed in the general--"consider'bly more of less than
less of more. Look out thet ther allies uv Sittin' Bull don't git ther
_dead wood_ on ye."

On marched the train--steadily on over the level, sandy plain, and
Fearless Frank and his strange companion turned their attention to the
cries that had been the means of separating them from the train. They
had ceased now, altogether, and the two men were at a loss what to do.

"Guv a whoop, like a Government Injun," suggested "General" Nix; "an'
thet'll let ther critter know thet we be friends a-comin'. Par'ps
she'm g'in out ontirely, a-thinkin' as no one war a-comin' ter her
resky!"

"She, you say?"

"Yas, she; fer I calkylate 'twern't no _he_ as made them squawks. Sing
out like a bellerin' bull, now, an' et ar' more or less
likely--consider'bly more of less 'n less of more--that she will
respond!"

Fearless Frank laughed, and forming his hands into a trumpet he gave
vent to a loud, ear-splitting "hello!" that made the prairies ring.

"Great whale uv Joner!" gasped the "General," holding his hands toward
the region of his organs of hearing. "Holy Mother o' Mercy! don't do
et ag'in, b'yee--don' do et; ye've smashed my tinpanum all inter
flinders! Good heaven! ye hev got a bugle wus nor enny steam tooter
frum heer tew Lowell."

"Hark!" said the youth, bending forward in a listening attitude.

The next instant silence prevailed, and the twain anxiously listened.
Wafted down across the plain came in faint piteous accents the
repetition of the cry they had first heard, only it was now much
fainter. Evidently whoever was in distress, was weakening rapidly.
Soon the cries would be in