ng
years I have been on his trail; but the time will come when my
vengeance will be complete.'

"An' the ole man rolled himself up in his blanket, an', turning his
back to me, sobbed himself to sleep.

"But my story is not yet told," continued Dick. "About a year arter
this, Bill an' me were ridin' along, about noon, in a little valley
among the mountains, when we came, all of a sudden, on the camp of two
trappers.

"'Heaven be praised! there he is!' said ole Bill.

"An', swinging himself from his horse, he strode up to one of the men,
who sprang from his blanket, and ejaculated,

"'Bill Lawson!'

"'Yea, Mountain Tom,' said ole Bill, 'I'm here. You an' me have got a
long reckonin' to settle now.'

"The villain at first turned as pale as a skewer; but he seemed to
regain his courage, and exclaimed,

"'It won't take us long to settle up,'

"And, quick as lightnin', he drew his knife, an' made a pass at Bill.

"But he had got the wrong buck by the horn. The ole man was as quick
as he; an', grabbin' hold of his arm, he took the knife away from him
as if he had been a baby.

"'Tom,' said he, as he drew his tomahawk from his belt, 'I've followed
you all over this country for fifteen years, an', thank Heaven, I've
found you at last.'

"'Oh, Bill,' shrieked the condemned man, sinkin' on his knees before
the ole man, 'I was--'

"'Stand up,' said Bill, ketchin' hold of him, an' jerkin' him to his
feet. 'You were brave enough when you were killing my wounded father.'

"'Oh, Bill--'

"'With the tomahawk you killed my father, an' by the tomahawk you
shall die.'

"'For mercy's sake, Bill,' again shrieked the terrified man, taking
hold of a tree for support, 'hear me!'

"The tomahawk descended like a streak of light, and the last of the
murderers sank at the ole man's feet. The eighth notch was added to
those on the knife, an' the debt was canceled."

CHAPTER XV.

Wild Geese.

About two o'clock in the afternoon the boys concluded that it was
about time to start for home; so, after putting out the fire and
fastening the door of the cabin, they set out. Archie led the way,
with a 'coon slung over each shoulder, and another dangling from his
belt behind. The others followed close after him, in "Indian file." In
this manner they marched through the woods, joking and shouting, and
talking over the events of the day, and now and then indulging in a
hearty laugh when they happened to think how Archie look