and much fresher.

"Come on!" cried Hank, rising in his stirrups and swinging his hat
around his head, while he sent forth yells of defiance. "Come on, boys!
We have 'em!"

He, too, began to shoot, but in the air as before, and the boys followed
his example. Their horses were shortening the distance between the two
parties.

Suddenly one of the Indians was observed to toss something from him. It
fell to the ground and rolled to one side of the trail.

"What's that?" cried Joe.

"One of the boxes of exposed film!" cried Blake. "They know what we're
after. Oh, if only it isn't damaged!"

"We can soon tell!" cried Hank, taking the lead. Then he yelled, between
reports of his revolver:

"Hi there! you red beggars, give up! Drop that stuff you took from our
camp! You haven't any of the grub left, I suppose, but we want those
pictures! Drop 'em!"

Whether his talk was understood, or not, was not known; but others of
the Indians began tossing away either boxes of film or other
things--aside from food--which they had taken from the camp. They never
stopped their horses, though, but ever urged on the tired beasts.

"Here's the first reel!" cried Blake, as he came up to where it lay.
Quickly dismounting, he picked it up.

"Not hurt a bit!" he cried exultantly; "and the seals haven't been
broken, showing that it hasn't been opened."

"Good!" cried Hank. "You go slow and pick up what you can, and Joe and I
will chase after the Indians. Evidently they're going to run for it."

And it did seem so. The Indians never paused, but continued to toss
away article after article. They seemed afraid of the consequences
should they be caught with anything belonging to the whites in their
possession. They may have taken Hank and the boys for the advance-guard
of a sheriff's posse, and, knowing they had been doing wrong, were
afraid. At any rate they made no stand.

"I've got 'em all!" finally yelled Blake.

"Then there's no use chasing after 'em any farther," said Hank. "Hold
on, Joe," for the boy was pushing on.

The horses of the pursuers were pulled down to a walk. The Indians
noticed this at once, and, seeming to realize that the chase was over,
they halted, and, turning, gazed in a body at the moving picture boys
and their cowboy guide.

"Had enough, I reckon," murmured Hank. "I guess you can't go on much
farther. Well, we'll turn back a ways and put some miles between us, so
you won't try any of your tricks again, and