"I should say yes!" cried the senator's son. "Why, we won't be able to go on unless we get them back!" he added, his face showing his worry. "Listen!" exclaimed Roger a minute later. "Somebody is shooting!" It was true--a shot had sounded out on the morning air. Soon it was followed by another, at a greater distance--showing that pursued and pursuer were drawing farther from the boys. The boys walked slowly back to the campfire and commenced to stir it up, and then they finished their morning toilet. Dave heaved a deep sigh. "I must say I don't feel much like eating," he observed. "Oh, we might as well fix breakfast," came from Phil. "It will help to pass the time. It won't do any good to just sit around." Fortunately their provisions were at hand, so it was an easy matter to prepare the morning meal. Before eating, however, Roger and Dave climbed the tall rock behind the camp and looked for some sign of Tom Dillon and the man he was pursuing. "I can't see a thing," announced Roger, after a long look through the field-glasses. "Here, you try," and he handed the glasses to our hero. For several minutes Dave surveyed the distant landscape in vain. Then he uttered a cry. "I see them, Roger! There they go!" And he pointed excitedly with his finger. At a distance they could not calculate they saw Tom Dillon and the rascal he was after, and also the flying horses. They were all bounding along a rocky trail, the would-be horse thief well in advance. Suddenly they saw this individual make a turn and disappear around some rocks. The free horses kept on, with the old miner after them. "That rascal has gotten away!" announced Dave. "He has given Mr. Dillon the slip." "Dave, do you think Mr. Dillon will catch our horses?" "Yes--sooner or later. They are bound to stop running, to feed or to drink, and then he'll round them up. I guess all we can do is to go down and wait for him to get back." "But those shots! What if he is wounded!" "I hope he isn't, Roger." They climbed down to the camp and told Phil about what they had witnessed. Then all ate breakfast slowly, meanwhile discussing the adventure from all possible standpoints. "It was one of the Blugg crowd, I feel certain of that," said Dave. "Perhaps it was Sol Blugg himself." Slowly the morning wore away. When the sun came up it was very hot and the youths were glad enough to draw into the shade of the rocks. Just before noon all three climbed the tall rock again, to look not only for Tom Dillon and the horses, but also for Abe Blower and those with him. But not a soul was in sight, nor did any horses show themselves. At a distance they made out some mule deer and several goats, but that was all. "Do you think we ought to walk along the back trail?" asked Roger, when they were getting lunch. "Mr. Dillon may need our services." "I'll go if you want me to, Roger," answered our hero. "But he was a good distance away when we saw him through the glasses."