the steam man could not follow him. He was
compelled to give up the chase and draw off. A few days later, and
without further noteworthy incident, the steam man reached Wolf
Ravine, being received in the manner narrated at the beginning of this
story.

CHAPTER X. WOLF RAVINE.

DURING THE absence of Baldy Bicknell in search of the steam man,
neither Mickey nor Ethan had been disturbed by Indians.

They had worked unceasingly in digging the gold mine to which they had
gained access through the instrumentality of the trapper. When they
had gathered together quite a quantity of the gravel and dirt, with
the yellow sand glittering through it, it was carried a short distance
to the margin of the river, where it underwent the 'washing' process.

While thus engaged, one of them was constantly running up the bank, to
make sure that their old enemies did not steal upon them unawares.
Once or twice they caught sight of several moving in the distance, but
they did not come near enough to molest them, doing nothing more than
to keep them on the qui vive.

There was one Indian, however, who bestrode a black horse, who haunted
them like a phantom. When they glanced over the river, at almost any
time, they could see this individual cautiously circling about on his
horse, and apparently waiting for a chance to get a shot at his
enemies.

'Begorrah, but he loves us, that he does, as the lamb observed when
speaking of the wolf,' said Mickey, just after he had sent a bullet
whistling about their ears.

'Jehosiphat! he loves us too much!' added the Yankee, who had no
relish for these stolen shots. 'If we ain't keerful, there'll be
nuthin' of us left when Baldy comes back, that is, if he comes back at
all.'

This red-skin on his black horse was so dangerous that he required
constant watching, and the men could perform only half their usual
work. It was while Mickey was on the lookout for him that he caught
sight of the steam man coming toward him, as we have related in
another place.

So long as that personage was kept puffing and tearing round the
vicinity, they knew there was no fear of disturbance from the
treacherous red-skins, who were so constantly on the alert to avenge
themselves for the loss they had suffered in the attack; but it would
hardly pay to keep an iron man as sentinel, as the wear and tear in
all probability would be too much for him.

After consulting together upon the return of B