rned
that it would be well to get a squad of cowboys together to guard it
across the plain."

"Anythin' valu'ble as you're afraid of gettin' stole?" asked Isa Blagg.
"Couldn't it be brought along safe in one o' Gid's farm carts?"

Kiddie smiled.

"Not quite," he answered. "There's too much of it. There's three mule
wagons full, and there's a bunch of English horses. There's new
sporting rifles and beaver traps, there's trunks full of clothing and
personal fixings, material for building and furnishing a new cabin, to
say nothing of money and other valuable property. But it's the horses
I'm anxious about, Isa. If Laramie Plain is what it used to be,
there's Indians and road agents hanging around who wouldn't think twice
about helping themselves if the outfit isn't well protected."

"Best be on the safe side, anyhow," cautioned Gideon.

"And so," continued Kiddie, "I'm going to see Nick Undrell and get him
to undertake the job."

"What?" cried Isa Blagg. "Nick Undrell? Gee! The last man along the
hull trail ter trust with a job like that."

"Why, what's the matter with Nick?" Kiddie asked in surprise. "He used
to be a steady, honest man, and an excellent scout--a friend of
Buckskin Jack's, and that's good enough for me."

"Ah," interposed Abe Harum. "But Nick's a altered man since them days.
He's what y'might call degenerated; a bit too fonder fire-water an'
playin' poker. Ain't above takin' a hand in the road agency business,
either."

"Meaning that he's a drunkard, a gambler, and a highwayman," nodded
Kiddie. "Well, I'll go along and see him, anyhow."

"No need," said Abe. "He's here in this yer camp, right now, with the
boys that hev just rounded up an' corralled Gid's stolen ponies; only
he ain't figurin' ter meet you as knowed him only as a honest man. He
ain't a whole lot proud of hisself, these times, ain't Nick Undrell."

Kiddie reached for his hat, strode across the veranda, and turned
towards the corral. He looked exceedingly tall and handsome as he went
out.

"It's all right," he announced on his return, a quarter of an hour
later. "Nick's going to muster a gang of his pals, and they'll act as
armed escort. It seems that the word of the coming of my outfit has
already been passed along the trail, and that even the Indians have
gotten wind of it."

"Kiddie," said Isa Blagg, "you're makin' a all-fired mistake. Nick
Undrell has jus' canoodled you. That's about th' size of it. I