ches for their
attack, I couldn't help feeling an admiration for this fellow, who got
the better of me in the neatest style I ever had it done in all my
life."

"Is it not time we heard something from Avon?" asked the wife; "he
certainly has been gone more than an hour----"

"Hark!"

The shouts, whoops, and the reports of guns and pistols suddenly broke
the stillness on the outside.

Most of the voices bore a familiar sound, and there were a dash and vim
about the whole business which left no doubt of its meaning.

In the firelight of the room, husband and wife looked in each other's
glowing faces, and instinctively the two uttered the same expression:

"The boys have arrived!"

CHAPTER XXI.

THROUGH THE BUSH.

Oscar Gleeson the cowboy, who appeared at such a timely juncture for
Avon Burnet, when he was hard pressed by his Comanche pursuer, took the
young man on his mustang behind him, as the reader will recall, and set
out for the camp, several miles distant.

Despite the fears of the youth for the safety of his friends in the
cabin, the veteran ranchman was more concerned for the fifty-odd cattle
that had chosen to stampede themselves, and were at that moment dashing
over the prairie for no one could tell where.

But inasmuch as the captain had sent for help, it must be given,
regardless of other matters, and the easy swing of the mustang continued
until the two arrived at the fire that had been kindled in a small
valley, where the provision wagon was stationed with the other animals
tethered near, ready for the start that was set for an early hour the
next morning.

Most of the men had stretched themselves out in the wagon to sleep, for
a hard and arduous campaign was before them, in which they were likely
to be compelled to keep their horses for fifteen or twenty hours at a
stretch, changing them when necessary and catching snatches of slumber
as chance presented.

But the unaccountable stampede of a portion of the herd had roused all,
and, at the moment "Ballyhoo," as he was known to his friends, reined
up, preparations were under way for a general start after the absent
ones.

"Where's Madstone and Shackaye?" asked Gleeson, looking down in the
faces of the group, dimly shown in the firelight, and noticing that two
of their number were missing.

"They started out for the cattle a little while ago," replied one of the
ranchmen, "thinking as how you might not be able to manage them."

"