ogether.

"Yes, the doctor's right," said Dean, as soon as they were out of
hearing. "You will remember it all by-and-by."

"That I shan't," was the angry retort. "I feel as sure as can be that
it has been stolen. Oh, here's Dan."

They came in sight of that sturdy little individual, in company with
Buck.

"Here, Dan," cried Mark, "you know when I was talking with you a little
while ago?"

"Yes, sir, of course."

"Had I got my rifle with me?"

"No, sir. A'n't lost it, have you, sir?"

"Yes, it's gone. You can't help me, can you, Buck?"

"No, sir.--Here, stop a minute."

"Ah! Now it's coming," cried Dean, laughing. "I told you so."

"You told me!" cried his cousin scornfully. "You only said what father
and the doctor had told me before. Now, Buck, what were you going to
say? When did you see it last?"

"Well, I saw it with you last, sir, when you relieved me on sentry."

"That's two or three nights ago," said Mark impatiently.

"Yes, sir; that must have been last Tuesday, and since then when you was
on duty old Dan relieved you."

"Oh, don't go on prosing about that," cried Mark angrily. "I know as
well as you can tell me. I want to find my gun."

"Well, sir, that's what I was going to tell you of, only you pretty well
jumped down my throat."

"Well, tell me, then, and put me out of my misery. Where is it?"

"Oh, I don't know, sir."

"Then why did you begin talking as if you did?"

"Oh, come, Mr Mark, sir, don't get in a huff with a poor fellow. I
warn't a-goin' to tell you where it was; I was a-goin' to tell you where
it warn't."

"Oh," cried Mark, stamping his foot, "isn't it enough to aggravate a
saint? These two are just alike, going on telling you a thing over and
over again, especially if it is something you don't want to know. Look
here, Buck; I have lost my gun."

"Yes, sir; you said so afore."

"And I know as well as you do where it is not."

"Exactly so, sir. You mean, in the arms rack as we made by driving them
hard pegs into the courses of the wall."

"Yes," said Mark. "Well?"

"Well, sir, I was going to tell you--"

"What were you going to tell me?" raged out Mark.

"That when I went there this morning to get the ile bottle--"

"Yes, yes?" cried Mark.

"I run my eyes over the guns, and it struck me like as there was one
short."

"The third one?" cried Mark eagerly.

"Yes, sir; that's right."

"Well, of course that was mine. Well, where is it?"