"Let us wait awhile--until the awful heat of the midday sun is over," suggested Phil. "The sunshine just now is enough to give one a sun-stroke." It was a little after three o'clock when the three lads prepared to walk along the back trail, on the lookout for the old miner. But just as they started Dave put up his hand. "Listen!" All did so, and from a distance heard the clatter of horses' hoofs on the rocky trail. Then came a cheery call. "It's Mr. Dillon!" cried Roger, and let out a call in return, and the others did likewise. Soon the old miner appeared around a bend of the trail. He was seated on his own steed and driving the others in front of him. He looked tired out, and the horses looked the same. "Are you all right, Mr. Dillon?" sang out Dave, as he ran forward to stop the nearest horse. "All right, boys!" was the answer. "That is, I will be as soon as I've rested a bit. I've had some ride, believe me!" Roger and Phil helped Dave to secure the free horses and tether them, and our hero held the old miner's steed while he fairly tumbled to the ground. The horse was in a heavy lather, and Mr. Dillon was covered with dust. "You weren't shot, were you?" questioned the senator's son, anxiously. "No, although I come putty nigh to it," was the answer, and the old miner pointed to a hole through the brim of the hat he wore. "The skunk fired twict at me!" "We heard two shots," said Dave. "We were afraid you might be in trouble. If we had had horses we would have followed you." "I did better nor he did," went on the old miner, with a satisfied ring in his voice. "I plugged him in the arm." "You did!" exclaimed Phil. "We heard only two shots!" "I fired later on, after he left the trail. He was just gittin' ready to aim his gun ag'in when I caught him. His arm went down like lead, an' the gun dropped to the ground; so I know I winged him. He didn't shoot no more, only got into the timber quick as he could. Then I rounded up the hosses an' started back." "Who was it, do you know?" questioned Dave. "It was Ham Staver. I suppose Sol Blugg and Larry Jaley sent him ahead to steal the hosses. They thought it would be easy, with us asleep." "It came pretty near being so," answered Dave, gravely. Tom Dillon was glad enough to rest, and to partake of the hearty meal the boys prepared for him. The horses were cared for, and the boys were pleased to learn that they had not suffered through the wild run along the rocky trail. "If that Staver shows himself around Butte I'll settle accounts with him," said the old miner, while eating. "But I reckon he'll stay away for a while." After an hour's rest the old miner announced that he was ready to go forward once more. The sun was now well in the west, and it was not near so hot as it had been in the middle of the day. "I wish we could catch up to the Blower party by to-night," said Roger, earnestly. "Mr. Dillon, do you think we can do it?"