ight you are--if Lilly can carry me."

Paul was speedily on the mare's back. She seemed willing enough to carry
him; in fact, glad to be in the keeping of a human being she knew.

"If she could only talk what a tale she would have to tell," observed
Paul as they rode homeward. "I wonder how she got out of the river?"

"I reckon we'll never know, unless Allen makes her talk. He can make her
do most everything," laughed Chet.

On they went over the rocks and the level prairie beyond. The sun was
now sinking in the west, and ere long the evening shadows would be upon
them.

"Well, we found a horse even if we didn't find a mine, and that's
something," said Paul, as they reached the trail beside the river.

"But I hope that the mine isn't lost for good," replied Chet, quickly.
"The mine is worth a good deal more than even Lilly."

"Maybe you can't tell that to Allen."

"Oh, yes I can; for he saw the wealth there, you know."

"If only he finds Uncle Barnaby," sighed Paul. "Do you know, the more I
think of it, the more I become convinced that something dreadful has
happened to him."

"And that is the way I look at it, too, Paul. If we could----"

Chet stopped short and stared ahead. They had come in sight of the
semi-stockade around their ranch house.

"Our furniture and trunks!" gasped Paul, following the direction of
Chet's stare. "What on earth does it mean?"

There on the grass lay their furniture in a confused mass--tables,
chairs, trunks, clothing, one on top of another. And in another heap
were the farming implements from the barn.

"Captain Grady's dirty work!" cried Paul. "He has come here and taken
possession during our absence."

Paul was right, for at that moment Captain Grady appeared at the
stockade gate, gun in hand.

The sarcastic smile on the captain's face told plainly that he rather
enjoyed the situation. He gazed at the boys without saying a word.

His left hand was tied up in a bandage, showing that he had not entirely
escaped the gun traps which had been set. As a matter of fact, half a
dozen bird shot still remained in the fleshy part of his thumb.

"What does this mean?" demanded Paul at length. He spoke as calmly as he
could, although tremendously excited.

"Reckon you have eyes an' can see," growled Captain Grady. "I told you
that you hadn't seen the end of this, an' that I would have this place
in my possession putty quick."

"You had no right to break into our house and fire