Frank in the Mountains

red splendid fish had been placed upon his string, he put his line into his pocket, leaned his pole against a tree where he knew he could find it again if he should happen to

in a fair way to pass the night among the grizzlies. He did not find him at the rancho; Adam had not seen him, and neither had Dick, who, upon

at ar Greaser?" he asked, wi

e went into the mountains to hunt up an elk

eller!" exclaim

" continued Archie. "Won't he have a glorious time among the bears and

tayed at home. Thar's a heap wusser things

on with them, he began to be really alarmed. He had never seen the trapper act so strangely. Heretofore, when Frank had got into trouble, Dick had always

he floor energetically with the butt of his rifle, and Dick once more pulled off his sombrero and dug his fingers into his hair. Almost at the same moment a second horseman approached from another direction, and he had something to tell that increased the excitement. T

ler, jest trot right back to

Frank I want to go too," replied

y. Thar's goin' to be queer doin's in this yere valley, an

as he mounted the steps that led to the p

," was t

er meant when he said that there were things in the world more to be dre

ptain Porter tell father that they would be down on us, l

ed Archie, almost paral

ou, and you have to watch them closely to keep them from stealing every thing you've got, there's nothing to fear. In the next place, one of Captain Porter's trappers, who was out hunting this afternoon, said that he crossed the trail of a war party, numbering at least five hundred men. Another trapper brought the information that there

. But then Adam was accustomed to such things. The house in which he lived has been used as a fort in days gone by, and when trouble was expected with the savages, the settlers, for miles around, would flock into it for protection. It had withstood more than one siege, and Adam, before he was strong enough to lift a rifle to his shoulder, had heard the war-whoop echoing through the valley, and had molded bullets and cut patching for the men who

of his indifference and courage, Mr. Brent, who, with his men, had been engaged in collecting the valuables

go down to the fort and stay there until I

he had not been allowed an opportunity to assist the settlers in their fight with Don Carlos and his men, but he had never expressed a desire to take part in a battle with the Indians. He trembled at the thought; and he was almost afraid to ride through the grove with Adam. He held his rifle in readiness

without the least noise or confusion. Not a word was spoken above a whisper; the men moved about with cautious footsteps, and a person standing at a distance of fifty yards from the fort, could not have told that there was any one stirring within its walls. One thing that surprised Archie was, that among all these men, who had fought the India

the soldiers' quarters, sitting beside a fire, and engaged in running bullets. He kept him company for a while, but he was too uneasy and excited to remain long in one place, and finally he went out again, and resumed his wanderings about the fort. He watched the soldiers at their work, looked at the loop-holes, and tried to imagine how he should feel standing at one of them when the bullets a

ike to know where he is, and what he is doing. I hope he has made his camp where the Indians will not stumble up

the house he found that Mr. Brent and his men were still engaged in collecting all the movable property, and hauling it to the fort. The form

ared when he heard a stealthy step behind him, and, upon looking up, he saw three trappers standing close at his elbow. Although he was startled by their sudden appearance, he was not alarmed, for he thought that he recognized them as some of the men belonging to Capt

him, a

my cub, no screechin' or fussin'. If yo

going on, he was being carried rapidly across the valley toward the mountains. Astonished and enraged, he struggled furiously for a time, but all to no purpose; he was held as firmly as if he had been in a vice; and, exhausted at last by his efforts, he lay quietly in the grasp of his captors, wondering at this new adventure, and trying in vain to

rcome the effect of the choking he had received, rubbed his eyes, and looked about him; and all the while the tall trapper stood regarding h

it, Bill?" asked

evidently enjoying his bewilderment, "it's him. Seems to me you might have a g

, now for the first time rec

seed you last-I've been chawed up by bars an' catamounts, an' been shot at by Injuns an' white fellers, a

dark, scarred face; "you my uncle! Not if I know who I am, and I th

you fur my nephew-Adam Brent

am sorry for him. You've made a great mistake. My na

med to be greatly pleased at his prisoner's pluc

xclaimed Archie, angrily. "Who are you, anyhow, and wh

ness I have in takin' you prisoner, it's the business every man's go

w you now," said he, "and I have no desire for a more intimate acquaintance. Do you remember that, one night, in the latte

nt forgot it," re

, who looks about as much like you as you look like a white man. You've got the wrong buck by the horn, if you take m

adn't never seed you afore, it might do you some good to talk to me in that fashion; but I know

intend to do with

r I should do when I got my hands on you: I'

use in the world, and I'd like to see you or any body else drag me down as low as yo

sorry for all he's done agin me, an' I'm goin' to keep my word. Jack, jest tie his hands behind his back, an' then we'll trot along. I've spent the most of my time, durin' the last ten years, hangin' around this yere valley, watchin' fur a chance to get hold of you," continued the outlaw, while his companion was confining Archie's arms with a thong of buck

they were young men together-he had done something to incur the displeasure of this unnatural brother, who had resolved to be revenged upon him by dragging his son down as low as he was himself. But the outla

. The way he eyed me the last time I told him I wasn't Adam Brent, makes me think that it wouldn't take a great deal to induce him to use his

d whenever Archie stumbled in the darkness and pitched forward, they did not stop, but hurried on as fast as ever, leaving him to regain his feet if he could, or be dragged along the ground behind them. He wondered if this was a fair sample of the treatment he was to receive as long as he remained in the hands of the outlaws. It did not seem to him that he could endure it lo