id, he may be just the sort who should be put
out of harm's way. However, the most we will do will be to frighten him
out of the country;--unless he stands his ground."

"He'll doubtless do that, and open on us when we come in sight," Bob
suggested. "Of course, he'll know what we're after."

"I think it likely," the Colonel replied. "Let me caution you against
unnecessary risks."

Some two or three miles from Arden the dirt road sharply began its climb
into the Knobs, and through this rough and wooded foothill country of
the farther Cumberlands, scarred by cliffs and ravines, they rode in
silence. At last Bob spoke.

"We're not far off. His shack is somewhere in here."

They were riding at a quick walk, alert, watching up each ravine for
signs of habitation, when suddenly a man, rifle in hand, stepped out two
hundred yards ahead of them. A lightning touch of rein and spur, and
both horses had sprung instantly apart, while the two repeaters flew
with exact precision to the riders' shoulders. To their surprise,
however, the man raised his hand.

"What do you make of this?" the Colonel asked in a cautious tone, when
they had recognized Dale advancing, instead of the expected Potter.

"Squirrel hunting," Bob answered. "He told Zack."

Dale came with the long stride peculiar to his people, the stride with
which they cover thirty miles a day and think it no great walk.

"Good mawnin'," he called, in a drawling voice. "There's no game in
these parts."

He advanced with perfect ease--the ease of a wild thing walking at
will--and the smile that illumined his face made it almost handsome.
Absorbed even as the Colonel and Bob were in their own mission, and
surprised by this unexpected interruption, they exchanged glances at his
rather correct form of speech. Several times the evening before Colonel
May had been impressed by this, and had thought of it after getting into
bed, determining then to speak of it in the morning. So, recurring to
him now, he said in an undertone:

"That fellow knows how to talk well."

"He does, and he doesn't," Bob replied. "Jane and I were speaking of it
last night. If you'll notice, when he gets excited, or much interested,
he's like a typical mountaineer. Only when careful is it otherwise. He's
a funny cuss, but, gee, Colonel, look at that power! I'll bet he can run
a hundred miles without turning a hair!"

The figure was almost up to them.

"There isn't anything to shoot," he said ag