e mother showed her incredible heartlessness by asking her only
child in German:

"Where is Toby that you lost?"

"How can I tell, mother, except that he is in the woods? I tried hard to
find him again, and had it not been for Deerfoot I would have lost my
life; but he is gone."

"Did I not tell you to go and not come back until you brought him with
you?" demanded the father, glaring at his boy as though he was ready to
throttle him.

"So you did--so you did; but I couldn't do much last night, when it was
so dark and stormy. I have come over to get my gun and ammunition."

The father and mother looked in each other's faces, as though in doubt
whether they would let the lad have the property, but before the
question could be debated Otto had flung the powder-horn over his
shoulders, adjusted the bullet-pouch, shoved the hunting-knife in the
girdle at his waist, and walked to the front door, where he halted and
looked back.

"Can't I have breakfast before I go?"

"No!" fairly shouted the father; "begone; you shall not have a mouthful
under my roof till you bring back the colt you have lost."

"Nobody wants anything you've got on _that_ table," the lad was
indignant enough to reply: "I've had one meal that was worth more than a
dozen like that. Good-by!"

And before the dumfounded parents could rally from the unparalleled
impudence of the youth he was gone.

When he reached the home of Jack Carleton, the latter was waiting and
impatient to start. Jack had already kissed his mother good-by several
times and he repeated the fond embrace. Tears were in the eyes of both,
and the mother stood in the door of her cabin shading her eyes with her
hand until the two passed from sight in the forest beyond the clearing.

Several of the pioneers who were busy about the settlement greeted the
boys and inquired their errand. Colonel Martin shook hands with them,
and asked all the particulars of the business on which they were
engaged. His age and position authorized him to ask such searching
questions, had the couple been full-grown men instead of boys.

Otto answered truthfully, and the colonel smiled grimly and shook his
head.

"It's mighty little chance you have of ever finding _that_ horse again,
but you may come upon another. Take my advice, however," added the
colonel with a wink of his left eye, "make certain the owner isn't in
sight when you walk off with the animal."

"Why, colonel, you don't think we mean to s