," answered Mr. Melton; "and that inclines
me all the more to take the present situation seriously. These uprisings
come only at long intervals now, but it seems impossible to prevent them
altogether. After an outbreak has been put down the Indians are very
quiet for a time. They have probably suffered considerable loss of life,
and been severely punished by the government. For years the memory of
this lingers, but gradually it fades away, and the rising generation of
young bucks, with the inherited lust of fight and warfare running riot in
their blood, become restless and rebellious under the restraints of
civilization and government. They hear stories of their ancestors'
prowess from the lips of the old men of the tribe, and they long to go
out and capture a few 'pale face' scalps on their own account. After a
while they work themselves up to the required pitch, and some fine day a
band of them sallies forth on the 'war path.' Then there is a brief time
of plundering and murdering, until the troops can come up with them. Then
there's a scrimmage, in which most of the band is exterminated, and the
rest are herded back to the reservation, with most of the fight gone out
of them."

"I should think a few experiences like that would teach them wisdom, and
keep them from repeating the experiment," commented Bert.

"It would seem so," assented Melton, "but," with a smile, "youth is
always prone to disregard what is told it by its elders, and to insist on
finding out the why and wherefore of things by bitter experience."

"I hope there's nothing personal in that," grinned Dick.

"Oh, not at all," replied his host with an innocent expression on his
face, but a twinkle in his eye. "I wonder what could have given you that
idea."

"Nothing," replied Dick. "I just thought it barely possible, that's all."

"Oh, no," disclaimed Melton, "nothing could have been further from my
thoughts."

Dick looked suspicious, and Tom and Bert laughed heartily.

After this little interruption, the talk went back to the subject of the
threatened Indian uprising. After a time Mr. Melton said: "It might be a
good idea for you boys to ride to town to-morrow and get the latest news.
There'll be very little going on about the ranch to-morrow to interest
you, and it will be a good way to spend the day. Besides, there are one
or two things I forgot when in town, and while you are about it you can
get them and bring them back with you."

This plan