ubbish," said Jim enthusiastically.

"I wonder if they will attack us again to-night?" questioned Juarez.

"We will be ready for them if they do," remarked Jim.

"I suppose we will start to-morrow," said Juarez, as the two walked
back across the level meadow towards the hill.

"Yes, if the coast is clear," remarked Jim. "We can't afford to lose
any more time."

"They are almost sure to lay for us in the canyon," remarked Juarez.
"We will have to find some other way."

"One of us will go this afternoon," said Jim, "and see if we can't
strike a new trail."

It was now noon and the boys sat down to a quiet meal, with trout as
the main dish, and how they did enjoy it!

"Gosh, boys," exclaimed Jo, "but it does seem nice to sit down to a
meal without the bullets buzzing around."

"We will get so that we won't mind bullets any more than mosquitoes,"
said Tom.

"Listen to him!" grinned Jim. "Won't he surprise the natives when we
get back to Homeville with his stories of flying bullets, war, and
border ruffians."

"Why not?" retorted Tom sullenly. "What's the use of going through all
this business if you can't tell about it?"

"Sure thing," said Jim.

"When are we going home?" asked Jo fervently.

Jim hesitated a minute, and then he brought his clenched fist down on
his knee.

"We will go home, boys," he declared, "before we start on our trip
around the world."

"I begin to feel homesick already," declared Jo.

"We will stop in Kansas," said Juarez, his face brightening, "and see
my folks."

"Certainly we will," agreed Jim.

"I bet Juanita has grown into a young lady," remarked Juarez.

"Your father and mother will be plumb glad to see you," said Jo.

"You fellows, too; they think just as much of you as they do of me.
And they ought to, seeing how you and Captain Graves rescued Juanita
from the Indians in Colorado."

"Will we stop and see the captain in his cabin on the Plateau?" asked
Tom eagerly.

"Sure," declared Jim. "We will spend a few days with him. He is too
old a friend to pass by."

"Won't it be great!" exclaimed Jo. "What will the folks and all the
fellars think when they see us coming on our chargers down the main
street of Maysville?"

"I reckon about everybody will take to the woods. Think it is band of
wild Indians coming down on them."

"We will have to hurry and find that mine," said Tom, "before we can
strike the back trail for home."

"I have a kind of feeling in my bones,