ened wit

ent convinced him of his error. A jagged point of rock had cut into his flesh while he slept. He almost crie

ness. It all came back to him-but standing out stron

or good and all. Whew! B-r-r-r! I think it's going to snow. Thought it was going to rain just before I went to sleep. Wonder if they

rously and rubbed his palms togethe

remember now, I smelled

he chill air

set the woods on fire with my matches.

re he was; he did not know what danger he might be running into if he were to climb down without first having made sure that

if I've been eating pie the night before," he confided

e to find a single trace of light, anywhere about him. If

it. The wind has died down. No, the fire that smo

s to beat more rapidly. The question that remained for

ed to find out if p

not being sure how near he was to the edge. He found it more sudden

call," he muttered. "I

getting his balance again. He drew back cautiously and worked his way to

him. Tad chose the latter as the most likely to give him the information he sought. However, he found that the e

sed him to settle down on the rocks with a half moan of pain. His shoe had become wedged in between the rocks so that he had

ope I haven't sprained my ankle. I'll b

that he could endure his shoe again. He was full of curiosity as well as anxiety to learn

ime on all fours, not trusting himself to try to walk, feeling his way

al of slow creeping over the rocks. "I wonder who it is? Perhaps

however, was

e butte. Slowly stretching his neck and

d up into his face, causing

zed Tad, burying hi

ge! I'll bet they

gruff voice below. "Sounde

I've heard that kind before. Sometime

of a bird," grunte

their conversation. Yet he was thankful that the men below had not realized the

crept again toward the edge, working to the right a little further this time, so

like cowboys, broad brimmed hats, blue shirts and all. From the belt of eac

least they ought to be and I

of six feet tall, powerfully built, his swarthy face covered with a scraggl

ct the herd?" aske

orrer I reckon," answered

w m

p in the herd, but it's more'n likel

runted t

s when we git th

u b

d. He'll be ripping, w

lked off into the bushes to attend to their ponies, which

ose men are up to some mischief. I know it. I m

ttempts to overhear what the plans of these s