y. It was just as
the light of the rising sun grew strong and bright that he and Steve
stood on the slope at the lower edge of the forest, taking turns at
looking through the spy-glass at the white tilts of the two wagons of
the miners.

"They've roused up early for something," said Murray.

"Looks as if they were setting out on a hunt or a scout."

"So it does. There they go. Steve, we must ride after those fellows."

"What for?"

"To stop 'em. They'll only run their heads against the Apaches, and
leave their camp to be plundered by the Lipans."

"They're in a trap, Murray."

"Come on, Steve!"

But the distance was not less than a couple of miles, and the miners
had prepared beforehand for that "early start." It was all against the
will of Captain Skinner, and the bad temper he was in only made him
start more promptly, and ride faster.

"Tell ye what, boys," he said to the rest, as they galloped on behind
him, "I'll give ye all the scouting you want this morning."

At that very moment Murray was saying, "No, Steve, we won't waste any
time going to the camp. There's only three men left there. We must
catch those fellows and send them back. What are they going so fast
for? Why, it'll be a regular race!"

It was very much like one after a little. True, Steve and Murray were
riding a good deal more rapidly than the miners; but it takes a great
deal of swift running to catch up with men who have more than two miles
the start of you, even if you travel two miles to their one, and the
"chasers" in this case were not doing nearly so much as that.

"We'll catch 'em, Murray."

"If we don't it'll be a bad race for them. I kind o' feel as if the
lives of those men were the prize we're riding for. We mustn't let our
horses get blown. If we do, it's good-bye to that crowd ahead of us."

Mile after mile went by, and the excitement of it grew to be something
terrible.

"The Apaches can't be far ahead of 'em now, Murray."

"Hark! Hear that?"

"A rifle shot--a whoop!"

"They are pulling up."

"They'd better. I'm afraid we're too late, Murray."

"On, on, Steve! Maybe there's time yet."

Captain Skinner had already seen and heard enough to make him halt his
men, and he was gathering them rapidly into close order, when a long,
ringing shout behind him drew his anxious eyes from the
dangerous-looking "signs" now gathering in his front.

Signs? Yes, danger signs. Wild, dark, painted horsemen rid