have lost our
ponies for good."

The dog licked his hand sympathetically, and then suddenly bounded
away, barking, and Henry heard Frank's voice say:

"Why, Tom, here's Vic!"

"Thin Sargint Hinery must be near," said the soldier.

"Yes, I'm here, Frank--and oh, Frank, I'm in such trouble!" And in a
curiously jumbled and half-incoherent manner Henry related his
afternoon's experience.

At the conclusion of the recital the three held a consultation as to
what was best to be done. Time was precious, and the town was nearly
two miles distant.

"Sargints," said Private Tom Clary, "I belave we can do bist by
oursilves. Me afthernoon's lave ixpires at tattoo, but if, as me
shuparior officers, ye'll allow me to be out of camp a bit longer, I
think we can sarcumvint the thaves."

"We'll do our best to get you excused by the lieutenant," said Frank.

"Thank you, sargint laddie. You say the grass-boat is near by, Sargint
Hinery?"

"Not far from here, Tom. Just west of the middle of the race-course."

"And the thaves are going to camp and cook their supper on the other
side?"

"So they said."

"Thin we'll attimpt to interfare with their arrangemints. I think the
liftinint will commind an 'absence without lave' if we bring in the
raskils and the ponies."

The soldier and boys turned, and, bidding Vic keep close to them,
hurried to the bar where Henry had left the gift of the Mojave belle.
As they were lifting the elastic raft into the water they heard the
voices of men on the river, accompanied by the splashing of water, and
knew that the horse-thieves were fording the stream.

The Colorado was shoal, having an average autumnal depth of four feet
at La Paz. Clary secured two poles from the river debris lodged on the
bar, one for Frank and one for himself. Henry sat on the box in the
middle, holding his companions' guns across his lap with one hand, and
grasping Vic's collar with the other. The well-filled game-bags lay
between his feet.

The _balsa_ moved slowly towards the opposite shore and swiftly
down-stream, the stalwart Irish soldier's feet settling into the
loosely bound stems as he poled. Becoming alarmed when he found the
water standing above his ankles, he called, in a subdued undertone:

"Sargint Frank, I belave I shall go through the bottom of this l'aky
craft before we git across."

"Take Henry's paddle, Tom; it lies on the right side of the box. Lay
it across the reeds and stand on it."

"Ah,