ight, as it's a lot easier 'n in the
daytime."

Never did the little tent look so inviting or so cozy to Wilbur as
that moment. But he had his orders. "Get back on the job," the Ranger
had said. He took the time to change his shoes and to snatch up some
cold grub which was easy to get. But he ate it standing, not daring to
sit down lest he should go to sleep--and go to sleep when he had been
ordered out! He ate standing. Then, going down to the corral, he saddled
Kit.

He rode quietly up past the tent.

"I guess," he said, "I really never did want to go to bed so much
before, but--" he turned Kit's head to the trail.

It was well for Wilbur that he had ridden the other horse that day, for
Kit was fresh and ready. The moon had risen and was nearly full, but
Wilbur shivered as much from nervousness and responsibility as from
fatigue. It was useless for him to try riding at any high rate of speed
in the uncertain light, and in any case, the boy felt that his labors
for a half an hour more or less would not mean as much as when it had
been a question of absolutely extinguishing a small blaze. Kit danced a
little in the fresh night air, but Wilbur sat so heavily and listlessly
upon her back that the mare sensed something wrong and constantly turned
her wise face round to see.

"I'm just tired, Kit," said the boy to her, "that's all. Don't get gay
to-night; I'm not up to it."

And the little mare, as though she had understood every word, settled
down to a quiet lope down the trail. How far he had ridden or in what
direction he was traveling Wilbur at last became entirely unconscious,
for, utterly worn out, he had fallen asleep in the saddle, keeping his
seat merely by instinct and owing to the gentle, easy pace of his mare.

He was wakened by a heavy hand being put upon his shoulder, and rousing
himself with a start, he found the grave, kindly eyes of the old Ranger
gleaming on him in the moonlight.

"Sleeping, son?" queried the old mountaineer.

"Yes, Rifle-Eye, I guess I must have been," said the lad, "just dozed
off. I'm dog-tired. I've been on that fire all afternoon."

The Ranger looked at him keenly.

"Best thing you could have done," he said. "You'll feel worse for a few
minutes, an' then you'll find that cat-nap is just as good as a whole
night's sleep. That is," he added, "it is for a while. What's the fire
like? I tried to get somethin' out of Ben, but he was actin' queerly,
an' I left him alone. But h