nts for the way in which his mother received the
news," said Maryann.

"It is a strange story," remarked Jemima.

"Uncommon," observed Richards.

Bunco said nothing, but he grinned from ear to ear.

At that moment, as if it were aware of the climax at which the party had
arrived, the baby, without a single note of warning, set up a hideous
howl, in the midst of which the bell rang, and Maryann rose to answer
it.

"Master Will wants to speak to you, Mr Hale, and to Mr Bunco, too,"
she said on returning.

"Come along, _Mister_ Bunco," said Larry, "that'll be the order to trip
our anchors."

"My friends," said Will Osten, when the two were seated on the corners
of their respective chairs in the drawing-room, "I sent for you to say
that circumstances have occurred which render it necessary that I should
visit California. Do you feel inclined to join me in this trip, or do
you prefer to remain in England?"

"I'm yer man," said Larry.

"So's me," added Bunco.

"I thought so," said Will, smiling; "we have been comrades together too
long to part yet. But I must start without delay, and mean to go by the
plains and across the Rocky Mountains. Are you ready to set off on
short notice?"

"In half an hour av ye plaze, sur," said Larry.

Bunco grinned and nodded his head.

"The end of the week will do," said Will, laughing; "so be off and make
your preparations for a long and rough trip."

In pursuance of this plan, Will Osten and his two staunch followers,
soon after the date of the above conversation, crossed the Atlantic,
traversed the great Lakes of Canada to the centre of North America,
purchased, at the town of Saint Pauls, horses, guns, provisions, powder,
shot, etcetera, for a long journey, and found themselves, one beautiful
summer evening, galloping gaily over those wide prairies that roll
beyond the last of the backwood settlements, away into the wild recesses
of the Western Wilderness.

CHAPTER TWO.

DESCRIBES A BURST OVER THE WESTERN PRAIRIE, AND INTRODUCES A NEW
CHARACTER, ALSO A HUNT, AND A GREAT FEAST.

Wandering Will and his companions laid the reins on the necks of their
half-tamed horses and galloped wildly away over the western prairie.
Perhaps it was the feeling of absolute freedom from human restraints
that excited them to the galloping and shouting condition of maniacs;
perhaps it was the idea of sweeping over unbounded space in these
interminable plains, or the influence of the