e have Captain Grady, too," said Allen,
never dreaming of what was taking place at home in the meanwhile.

Bluckburn was exceedingly downcast over his turn of fortune. He insisted
that Captain Grady was totally to blame, but this statement no one felt
inclined to believe.

Slavin showed himself more than willing now to do all in his power to
redeem himself and his reputation. Yet neither Ike Watson nor Allen
could trust him with so much as a pistol.

"You jes' ride on ahead, an' if thar's any trouble we'll look out fer
ye," was the way Watson put it, and with this Slavin had to be content.

A long and exceedingly rough journey now lay before the three, a journey
destined to try their patience to the utmost.

"But we will have to make the best of it," said Allen. "And I don't care
what we have to put up with so long as we find my uncle safe and sound."

"Thet's the talk," answered Watson. "Can't expect ter have every comfort
out in these yere parts nohow."

The sun had been shining brightly, but presently the sky became
overcast.

"Unless I am mistaken we are close to a storm," observed Noel, as he
surveyed the heavens anxiously.

"Thet's wot," came from Watson. "An' I allow as how it will be a putty
heavy one when it comes."

"We've had storms enough lately," said Allen. "I want no more of them."

They continued on their way as rapidly as the nature of the ground to be
covered permitted. Occasionally Slavin grumbled at being pushed on so
fast but Watson soon put a stop to his mutterings.

"No ust ter grumble, Slavin," he said. "Ye kin be thankful thet ye
wasn't shot down like a dog."

"But I'm not feelin' well," pleaded the evil doer.

"Ain't ye? Wall, what ye want is exercise," was Watson's sarcastic
rejoinder. "So trot along, an' no more parley about it," and Slavin went
along, but with a face that looked far from pleasant.

Half an hour later the raindrops began to fall, at first scatteringly
and then in a steady downpour. It was a cold rain and made one and
another of the little party shiver.

"I must say I don't like this," said Allen, when he was more than half
soaked through. "I wonder if we can't find shelter until the worst of
this is over?"

"Perhaps we can," said Noel. "Although I don't see many large trees
handy."

"Might be as how's thar's a cave around," said Watson. "Anyway, we'll
keep our eyes peeled fer one."

This they did and a quarter of a mile further on came to something of