In fact I have come here for the express
purpose of hunting him and you up. Would it not be well, by the way, to
ride back to the store for some supplies?"

"No need," answered Buck Tom, stooping to pick up his revolver.
"There's another store not far from this, to which we can send
to-morrow. We can get what we want there."

"But what have you done with your horse?" asked Charlie; "I heard you
start on one."

"It is not far off. I'll go fetch it."

So saying the robber entered the bushes and disappeared. A few minutes
later the clattering of hoofs was heard, and in another moment he rode
up to the spot where our hero awaited him.

"Follow me," he said; "the road becomes better half a mile further on."

During all this time Hunky Ben had stood with his rifle ready, listening
with the feelings of a man in a dream. He watched the robber and his
victim ride quietly away until they were out of sight. Then he stood
up, tilted his cap on one side, and scratched his head in great
perplexity.

"Well, now," he said at length, "this is about the queerest affair I've
comed across since I was raised. It's a marcy I was born with a quiet
spirit, for another chip off the small end of a moment an' Buck Tom
would have bin with his fathers in their happy, or otherwise, huntin'
grounds! It's quite clear that them two have bin friends, mayhap pards,
in the old country. An' Buck Tom (that's Ritson, I think he called him)
has bin driven to it by injustice, has he? Ah! Buck, if all the world
that suffers injustice was to take to robbery it's not many respectable
folk would be left to rob. Well, well, my comin' off in such a
splittin' hurry to take care o' this Britisher is a wild-goose chase
arter all! It's not the first one you've bin led into anyhow, an' it's
time you was lookin' arter yer own business, Hunky Ben."

While giving vent to these remarks in low muttering tones, the scout was
quickly retracing his steps to the place where he had tied up Black
Polly. Mounting her he returned to the main track, proceeded along it
until he reached the place beyond the pass where the roads forked; then,
selecting that which diverged to the left, he set off at a hard gallop
in the direction of Quester Creek.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

THE HAUNT OF THE OUTLAWS.

After riding through the Blue Fork Charlie and Buck Tom came to a
stretch of open ground of considerable extent, where they could ride
abreast, and here the latter