Part 5 (2/2)

”A fellow naave the secret away But it cost Downes his life, for he got away from the soldiers, and while he was in theshot and killed him”

At this story both Joe and Darry shuddered

”What a lawless set!” muttered Joe ”One could hardly believe it unless he saith his own eyes”

”In a rough country the h, lad

Look at California, for instance To-day it's as quiet and orderly as Massachusetts or Illinois But in the days of '49 it wasn't that way

Many a old dust, and many a miner's secret of a rich find was stolen fro do you think it will take to make this territory perfectly safe?”

”There aint no telling about that, but probably when you are as old as I a stopped

The railroads are a-co up, and one of these days the desperadoes and stage-coach robbers will all be a thing of the past--and a good job done”

The third horse had been found, and now Joe was riding in his own saddle The rain of the night before had made the trail dustless, and the air was as pure and sweet as one could wish

By noon they calculated that they had covered ten miles of the worst portion of the distance to the fort The ride had been a strain to Joe, and when old Benson called a halt he was glad enough to slip to the ground and throw himself in the shade of a tree to rest Darry and the old scout lit a fire, and soon had a nice steak preparing for dinner

”He's asleep,” said Darry, a little later, pointing to Joe ”Poor fellow! supposing we let him rest for a couple of hours? I haven't the heart to wake hiht,” answered Benson The pair ate their dinner without arousing Joe, and after it was over the scout sat down near at hand to s which was as black as coal, and puffing aith keen satisfaction

Darry was s used in preparing the hborhood

”Be careful,” said old Benson, as the youth et into trouble, as Joe did”

”I'll keep my eyes open,” replied Darry

Opposite the trail was a tall spur of rocks with so to the top Up these steps went the youth So was difficult, but this he did not nificent panorama was spread out before him To one side were the tall mountains, hidden in a bluish mist, to the other the vast forests and plains Northas the continuation of the gap they were traveling, and southas a series of foothills, with here and there a streahtly in the sunshi+ne

”How grand!” he murmured ”What a vast country this is! Thousands upon thousands of people could live here, and nobody be crowded This would make splendid pasture for cows and sheep, and yet there isn't a single aniht”

Beyond the rocky spur was a similar elevation, and presently Darry crossed to this Here there was a lone pine with several low branches, and he drew himself up and climbed to the top He could now see much further than formerly, and his view took in a portion of the trail passed several hours before, as it wound, serpent-like, between the foothills

”Hullo!” he cried, as he caught sight of so on the trail

”Three people on horseback Can they be the desperadoes Joe met?”

He watched the riders with interest, and at last felt certain they were three ht-colored coats

This description tallied with that given by his cousin, and he hastened down to acquaint old Benson with the news

”Must be the gang,” said the scout ”Are theythis way?”