Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-28


was tne ravine; but, having eaten a very
Dght breakfast, they began che descent in n
cauuous manner keeping a sharp lookout
ahpout sht them lest they might suddenly find
themselves IN the gulch from which they
previous ''-i'e" '''e N"'
-. Ihey had passed the night very much fur
tner up on the mountain than they had sup
Rpseu, Tor, after, having Travelled steadily,
oh..s shhousn slowly. all day, night found them
belt '"e euse ol 'ne ''lnOer
Here they were obliged to camp, as dark
ness had once more settled round them.
Durlng the day they had found water, and
we were, therefore, suffering from neither hum
When the second morning dawned. thcv
were ready for a longer tramp than usual,
lor Iney would be on the plain, where they
Would meet with no distractions in the shape
OIL trees or underbrush, and could get on
IT was their purpose to push directly TO-
Ward tne ravIne, if they could decide in which
u,recuon =. it lay, since Bart would either he
III possession there, OF matters would be in
such condition that it would be absolutely
H:@ 1Hs:e@essary Tor the boys to try to go to Silver
When they, arrived on the plain, however.
each one had different opinion as to the
course tney, should pursue. Dory was posi-
i've tnat they were between the pass and
me the ravlne, while Kirk was equally certain
thas they were much lower down the valley.
Inc question Of which way they should 90
might have been vexed one to settle if the
discussion Is, had not been suddenly interruptel
Wnle they stood on the plain, each one
pom polntlng out a tree or a rock, which he was
sure was positive proof of the correctness Of
hs theory. the distant sound of rife-shot
was heard. Then came another and another,
as IL halt dozen men were trying to show
now quickly they could load and discharge
their weapons.
That is at our mine!" said Kirk, excited.
Y, as the, noise could be heard in the direc-
tion IN which Dory had been contending tha
ravlne was. situated. "The miners have got
there, and are having fight with the
There could be no doubt but that this SUD.
he dashed ahead:
;, Come on! There can't be many miners
there, or the fight, wouldn't have lasted so
long; and we may be needed And on they
poth 1I ran at the top of their speed.
The discharge Of firearms was continued.
sounding nearer and nearer as they advanc-
ed, and they knew now positively that friends
had not arrived in sufficient numbers to make
'ne be capture Sur OF $ the outlaws an easy matter
than two miles from the ravine when they
emerged from the woods, and had they
gone IN the direction proposed by Kirk thoy
might have Travelled for days without fnd-
on that side.
AS the boys .neared the approach to the
ravlne the rapid firing had ceased for a mo
ment, and running around a point of the
woods were, two fugitives from the camp. but
not very desperate ones, being none other
IMAM the two burros, who, terrified by the
reports OF the weapons, had rushed through
the WOODS on the upper or left.hand side az
the gulch, as if they had swerved from some
one who was in the lower thicket.
MIX was quick to note this fact, and he
ca!eo 70 Dory, who. was about to go in pur-
SUIT OF the heightened animals:
Come on This is no time to catch dom
keys. Let's strike through the woods from
here, or we may feel a bullet if we attemnt
to pass the opening"
.Dory turned quickly, realizing the truth
OF both the statements made by his cousin.
ana the two entered the woods. moving Cor.
ward very cautiously until they had ascer.
famed the positions occupied by the opposino
parties. 1t was not long before thew were
where they could see this. "S-'
Inc robbers had intrenched themselves in
the gully, that had been made by digpino
down to bed rock during the first portion of
tne mining operations, with quite a forti6-
catlon built OF logs in front Of them. while
among the trees on the right-hand side Of
miners were stationed. WIG
Of this last they were not nos;t;va Co..
they could not see anyone the men keenins
themselves well under cover. -e
Inc road-agents have got the best of II
SO tar, and no mistake" said Kirk preatlv
surprised that Bart's party had NOT haasg
able to do more toward driving the tbicvea.
from the ravine. VIC 'AicVeS
TO an CONTINUED NEXT suNnAv