“That’s quar, powerful quar,” he said looking down at the ground and speaking as if to himself.

“One horse has been ’long har, and I think it war mine, and that he had that younker on his back.”

“Which way was the young spalpeen traveling?”

The scout indicated the course, and then added, in an excited undertone: 

“It looks to me as if he got scared out and had to leave, and it ain’t no ways likely that anything would have scared him short of Injuns—­so it’s time we j’ined him.”

The Irishman was decidedly of the same opinion, and the trail was at once taken.

“Be the powers! do you mind that?” demanded Mickey, in an excited voice.

“Mind what?” asked the scout, somewhat startled at his manner.

“Jes’ look yonder, will ye?”

As he spoke, he pointed up the slope ahead of them.  There, but a comparatively short distance away, was Fred Munson, in plain sight, seated upon the back of his mustang, apparently scrutinizing the two horsemen, as if in doubt as to their identity.  The parties recognized each other at the same moment, and Fred waved his hat, which salutation was returned by his friends.  The scout motioned to him to ride down to where he and Mickey were waiting.

“He’s off the trail altogether, and if he keeps on that course, he’ll fetch up in New Orleans, or Galveston,” he added, by way of explanation.

The lad lost no time in rejoining them, and the trio formed a joyous party.  Not one was injured, each had a good swift horse, and a weapon of some kind, and was far better equipped for a homeward journey than they had dared to hope.

“Thar’s only one thing to make a slight delay,” said the Irishman, after pretty much everything had been explained.

His friends looked to him for an explanation.

“I resaved notice from me family physician in London this mornin’, that it was dangerous when in this part of the world to travel on an empty stomach.”

All three felt the need of food and Sut considered the spot where they were as good for camping purposes as any they were likely to find.  So they dismounted, and while Mickey and Fred busied themselves in gathering wood, and preparing the fire, the scout went off in search of game.

“Do ye mind,” called out Mickey, “that ye mustn’t return till ye bring something wid ye?  I’m so hungry that I’m not particular.  A biled Apache will answer, if ye can’t find anything else.”

“If he gets anything,” said Fred, “we must make away with all we can, and try to eat enough to last us two or three days.”

“That’s what I always do at each meal,” promptly replied his friend.  “Thar’s nothing like being prepared for emergencies, as me cousin, Butt O’Norghoghon, remarked when he presented the gal he was coortin’ with a set of teeth and a whig, which she didn’t naad any more than does me hoss out thar.”