nce; but all to no purpose.
Her rider clung to the saddle like a burr, and all her efforts to throw
him were quite as unsuccessful as those of Binney Gibbs's mule had been
some days before.

When Glen, with the breath nearly shaken out of his body, but thoroughly
master of the situation, reined the mare up beside the captain, and
asked his permission to name her "Nettle," the latter readily granted
it, saying, "I think it will be a most appropriate name; for it is
evident that she can only be mastered by a firm and steady hand."

Then the happy boy rode over to Captain Winn's quarters, anxious to
display his new acquisition to the child after whom she had just been
named. As he did so he passed the guard-house, and was moved to pity by
the sight of a sad-looking young face pressed against the grating of one
of its windows, and gazing wistfully at him. That pony had belonged to
Lame Wolf but the day before.

After an hour's riding in the immediate vicinity of the fort, Glen was
fully satisfied that no horse in the world had ever combined so many
admirable qualities as this bay mare, or given an owner such complete
cause to be satisfied with his possession.

As he was about to return her to the corral, his eye caught the gleam of
sunlight on a moving white object, a mile or so distant, along the
wagon-trail leading to the east. Watching intently, he saw that it was
followed by another, and another, until the wagons of a long train were
in plain sight, winding slowly along the road towards the fort. When he
was certain that he could not be mistaken, the boy uttered a joyous
shout, clapped spurs to Nettle, and dashed away to meet them.

A group of mounted men rode ahead of the train, and they gazed
wonderingly at the reckless rider who approached them with such headlong
impetuosity. Their surprise became incredulous amazement as he reined
sharply up within a few paces of them, and, politely lifting his hat,
disclosed the shaven head and flushed face of the boy whose mysterious
disappearance had caused them such sincere grief and distress. They had
devoted half a day to scouring the country near the camp from which he
had been lost; and, finding plentiful traces of Indians in the creek
bottom, had come to the conclusion that, in some way, he had fallen into
their hands, and would never again be heard from. Now, to meet him here,
safe, and evidently in high spirits, was past comprehension.

Mr. Hobart was the first to r