elf that they would be safe along
the trail, then he started his horse up the steep side. His keen Indian
scout habits now stood him in good stead. He soon had the Sheriff's
party tracked and was riding after them. His young broncho galloped
along until the group of men bound for the Slide, were hailed by a
war-whoop.

Bill turned and saw the Indian close behind. He called a halt, and when
the party stopped, the messenger was already in their midst.

"Fire up lodge-pole pine side. Eatin' down--dat way!" cried Mike, waving
a hand at the side of the mountain away from them and the cave.

"Mike go see an' fin' tree miner. Dey hab big fight--two shoot one. Him
dead. Udders drunk--gone 'sleep. Hosses tie up."

"Mike, you lead! Men fall in--we-all fight the fire first, then find the
drunken miners and arrest them for manslaughter," ordered Bill, and thus
the posse rode away.

CHAPTER III

AT CHOKO'S FIND

After losing the trail many times only to stumble into it again and
again, and then slipping, sliding, or jolting down the steep side of the
mountain where the timber-line ended near the cliff, Eleanor finally
recognized the ravine where the cave was located.

"Oh, thank heavens! We're almost there," she cried, trying to find the
easiest way down to the ledge.

Polly and Anne were sitting before the entrance to the cave, when they
heard shouts and saw three weary riders coming along the rocky ledge
that led to their refuge.

"Why--it's Nolla and Bob and a man!" exclaimed Polly, jumping up to run
and meet the girls.

"What's wrong--any one hurt?" cried Anne, the moment she saw the faces
of the girls.

Eleanor then told about the forest-fire, and where the men were. The
more recent excitement had quite driven the story of Hank and his
claim-jumpers from her mind. But Polly anxiously asked for her mother.

"Oh, yes--Simms and the party hadn't arrived when we left Four Mile
Blaze. But they will be all right, as Mike is gone to meet them. Then
your mother and Jeb will ride back to warn the forest-rangers about the
fire," explained Barbara.

"Why, no, Bob. Don't you remember, Mike said he would have to tell
Polly's father about the drunken men and the fire, first," Eleanor
corrected her sister.

"Well, I'm not worrying about mother because she knows too much to run
into unnecessary danger; but father always wants to save everybody and
everything from disaster, and so takes his life in his hands, over an