Finding them without difficulty, the lads broke out the food and ate ravenously,

“Hey, go easy on the grub,” cautioned Larry as he noted the amount his companions were eating.  “This is all we have to last us until we meet the others—­or get back to the ranch,” he added as the thought recurred to him that luck would play a large part in the success of their search for the pursuing party.

“You can go easy if you like.  So long as there’s anything to eat, I am going to eat,” returned his brother.  “Don’t worry.  We won’t starve.  If worse comes to worse, I can get you some deer meat, provided you’ll lend me your rifle.”

“Or I can get you some mountain lion meat,” added Horace.

“I notice neither of you mention bear meat,” chuckled the elder of the chums.

“Because it doesn’t agree with us,” returned Tom, and at this allusion to their recent adventure they all laughed merrily.

In delight at the extrication from their dilemma the boys chatted and joked as they repacked the saddle bags, unhobbled their ponies and prepared to resume riding.

“There’s only one thing that could, add to my happiness,” remarked Larry as he swung onto Lightning’s back.

“What’s that?” Inquired his companions.

“About a gallon of drinking water.”

“I’m some thirsty, too,” said Horace, “but I don’t know of a place where there is any water.”

“Then we’ll leave it to the horses,” asserted Tom.  “Mr. Wilder told me they would always locate water if there was any about.  From the way Blackhawk acts, I think he scents some.”

“Scents water!” sneered Horace.

“Just you wait and see,” retorted the younger of the comrades, and giving free rein to his pony, he let him nose along through the grass for some distance when the animal turned abruptly and entered the woods, stopping beside a brook.

“You’d better appoint me guide and captain of this company,” smiled the boy as they dismounted and drank greedily of the cool water.

“You’d be a fine captain without a gun,” retorted Larry, and in high spirits they remounted.

For a time the boys had the moon for company, but toward, midnight clouds gathered in the sky and a chilly wind began to blow.

“How about pitching camp pretty soon?” suggested Larry.

“Wait till we get to Elkhorn River,” answered Horace”.

“How far is that?  I didn’t suppose there was such a thing in these plains.”

“Oh, I should say it was fifteen miles from here,” returned the young rancher.  “It isn’t much of a river, but it’s better than none.”

“Wouldn’t ride fifteen—­Hello!  What’s that glow in the sky right next the mountains?” exclaimed Tom, pointing to where a faint glare was visible against the dark background of trees.

“It’s a fire,” asserted Horace, “a camp fire.  You can tell by the steadiness of the light.”