ptions from
George, he asked:

"How long are you going to stay here?"

"Only until morning. I would have gone home to-night if the horses had
not had such a long and hard drive; but as it is, we can do no better
than to stay here a while, and early in the morning we will say good-by
to Mr. Bob Hubbard and his partners, trying to get out of the trouble
they have placed us in as cheaply as possible."

"Why, is there anything new?" asked Ralph, anxiously.

"Nothing save this last scheme of Bob's, and that is quite enough. I
don't consider shooting wells as anything really illegal, for I do not
believe that the patent can be held. But when it comes to violating a
town ordinance by carrying a large quantity of nitro-glycerine through
it in the manner Bob did, I consider a great wrong has been done, for
it endangers the lives of every one living there. We shall probably hear
from it very soon, for my team is well known in Sawyer. Then again, Bob
knew that such a thing would injure me seriously in my business. I set
myself up as civil engineer, and thereby ask people to employ me. That
they will have every reason to refuse to do when they see me mixed up
with Bob Hubbard's mad actions."

Ralph had thought the matter serious enough before; but now he
understood from what George had said just how much trouble might grow
out of it, and all the anger he had felt during the ride was revived.

"I wish I had stopped the horses, as I had a mind to do during the
drive, regardless of whether I smashed the carriage or not," he said,
bitterly. "I felt that things were going wrong in some way when I first
left here with Bob, but I didn't know in what way, and what he said was
so practical that I couldn't give a single good reason as to why I
should not do as he said."

"I'm not blaming you, Ralph, for I know as well as you do that it was
not your fault. It was a portion of one of Bob's schemes, and, without
caring how much he has injured us, he is probably congratulating himself
on its perfect success. But come, let's go and lie down for a little
while, and when we do get away from here in the morning, we will be
careful not to place ourselves where Bob can use us again."

CHAPTER XI.

THE STORM IN THE VALLEY.

Judging from appearances, when they entered the new cabin of the
moonlighters, Ralph concluded that George had said some hard things to
Bob because of the part he had obliged him to play. When the two went in
to