Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1922-08-11

"There It IS, bOyS! he cried. All the horses were tired except Firefly and with whoop Erskine darted for. ward and disappeared. They followed as fast as they could and they heard the report of the boys rife and the series of war-whOOps with which he was heralding his approach. Nobody in the fort was fearful, for plainly it was no unfriendly coming. All were gathered at the big gate and there were many yells and cries of welcome and wonder when the boy swept into the clearing on run, brandishing bis rife above his head and pulled his fiery black horse up in front of them
 "Whar'd you steal that hoss?" shout. ed Bud
 Look at them clothes" cried Jack Sanders. And the women-MOther Sanders, Mother Noe and Lydia and Honor and Polly Conrad-gathereo about him, laughing, welcoming, shak ing hands and asking questions.
 "Where's DaveT' That was the chief question and asked by several NoiCcs dt thc SdHie tlIue. lHe Doy looked grave.
 "Dave ain't comin' back" he said, and then seeing the look on Lydia's face, he smiled: Dave" He had no further to go, for Dave's rife cracked and his voice rose from the woods, and he and Harry and Hugh galloped into the clearing. Then were there more whoopings and greetings, and Lydia's starting tears turned to smiles.
 Dave had to tell about his trip and Erskine's races-for the lad would say nothing-and in turn followed stories of killing buffalo, deer, panther and wildcat during his absence. Early the women disappeared, soon the men be- gan to yawn and stretch, and the sen. tinels went to the watch-tOwers, for there had been Indian signs that day. This news thrilled the eastern lads, and they too turnedHinto the same bed built out from the wall of one of the cabins and covered with bearskins. And Harry, just before his eyes closed, saw through the open door Erskine seated alone, the connecting-link be between the tidewater aristocrats and these rude pioneers, between these backwoOdsmen and the savage enc. mics out in the black encircling will derness. And that boys brain was in turmoil--what was to be his fate, there, here, or out there where he had promised to go at the next falling of the leaves?
 
 The green of the wilderness dulled and burst into the yellow of the buck eye, the scarlet of maple and the rus set of oak. This glory in turn dulled and the leaves, like petals of witheret flowers, began to drift to the earth Through the shower of them went Erskine and Firefiy, who had become as used to the wilds as to the smiling banks of the far-away James. And the two now were one in mutual affec tion and mutual understanding that was uncanny.
 The boy was the son of king again, and as such was on his way in answer to the wish of king. For food he carried only little sack of salt, for his rifle would bring him meat and the forest would give him nuts and fruit. When the sun was nearing Its highest, he "barked" squirrel from the trunk of beech; toward sunset a fat pheasant fluttered from the ground to low limb and he shot its head off and camped for the night.
 On the second day he reached the broad buffalo trail that led to the salt. 1icks and on to the river, and ther memories came. He remembered place where the Indians had camped after they had captured himself ant his mother. In his mind was a faint