ot. Thus
matters stood until the addition of the horses. There was always
danger of their being stolen, but as the weeks and months passed,
without the occurrence of anything of that nature, the matter was
forgotten.

The three men were so familiar with the surroundings that they made
their way to the bottom of the canyon with as much readiness as if the
sun were shining. Pausing beside the narrow, winding stream, which at
that season was no more than a brook, they stood for several minutes
peering here and there in the gloom, for the animals indispensable for
a successful pursuit of the eloping ones.

"There's no saying how long it will take to find them," remarked the
captain impatiently; "it may be they have been grazing a mile away."

"Have you any signal which your animal understands?"

"Yes, but it is doubtful if he will obey it."

Captain Dawson placed his fingers between his lips and emitted a
peculiar tremulous whistle, repeating it three times with much
distinctness. Then all stood silent and listening.

"He may be asleep. Once he was prompt to obey me, but he has been
turned loose so long that there is little likelihood of his heeding
it."

"Try it again and a little stronger," suggested Ruggles.

The captain repeated the call until it seemed certain the animal must
hear it, but all the same, the result was nothing.

It was exasperating for the hounds thus to be held in leash when the
game was speeding from them, with the scent warm, but there was no
help for it.

"We are wasting time," said Dawson; "while you two go up the gorge, I
will take the other direction; look sharp for the animals that are
probably lying down; they are cunning and will not relish being
disturbed; if you find them whistle, and I'll do the same."

They separated, the captain following one course and his friends the
other.

"It'll be a bad go," remarked Ruggles, "if we don't find the horses,
for we won't have any show against them on their animals."

"Little indeed and yet it will not hold us back."

"No, indeed!" replied Ruggles with a concentration of passion that
made the words seem to hiss between his teeth.

Since the stream was so insignificant, Wade Ruggles leaped across and
went up the canyon on the other side, his course being parallel with
his friend's. A hundred yards further and he made a discovery.

"Helloa, Brush, here they are!"

The parson bounded over the brook and hurried to his side, but a
disap