s,
and if he told the true story of where he had been his foes would spread
the report that he was insane in his hatred of Macdonald and imagined
all sorts of persecutions.

They followed Wild-Goose Creek all next day, getting always closer to
its headwaters near the divide. On the third day they crossed to the
other side of the ridge and descended into a little mountain park. They
were in a country where prospectors never came, one deserted even by
trappers at this season of the year.

The country was so much a primeval wilderness that a big bull moose
stalked almost upon their camp before discovering the presence of a
strange biped. Big Bill snatched up a rifle and took a shot which sent
the intruder scampering.

From somewhere in the distance came a faint sound.

"What was that?" asked George.

"Sounded like a shot. Mebbe it was an echo," returned Dud.

"Came too late for an echo," Big Bill said.

Again faintly from some far corner of the basin the sound drifted. It
was like the pop of a scarcely heard firecracker.

The men looked at one another and at their prisoner. Their eyes
consulted once more.

"Think we better break camp and drift?" asked Dud.

"No. We're in a little draw here--as good a hiding-place as we'd be
likely to find. Drive the horses into the brush, George. We'll sit
tight."

"Got the criminals guessing," Holt contributed maliciously. "You lads
want to take the hide offen Macy if he lands you in the pen through that
fool shot of his. Wonder if I hadn't better yell."

"I'll stop your clock right then if you do," threatened Big Bill with a
scowl.

Dud had been busy stamping out the camp-fire while Holway was driving
the horses into the brush.

"Mebbe you had better get the camp things behind them big rocks," Macy
conceded.

Even as he spoke there came the crack of a revolver almost at the
entrance to the draw.

One of the men swore softly. The gimlet eyes of the old miner fastened
on the spot where in another moment his hoped-for rescuers would appear.

A man staggered drunkenly into view. He reeled halfway across the mouth
of the draw and stopped. His eyes, questing dully, fell upon the camp.
He stared, as if doubtful whether they had played him false, then
lurched toward the waiting group.

"Lost, and all in," Holway said in a whisper to Dud.

The other man nodded. Neither of them made a move toward the stranger,
who stopped in front of their camp and looked with glazed eyes