George seized his haversack and waited with a beating heart for the horsemen, who he knew were approaching his camp, to come in sight. They came a moment later, and to the boy’s intense relief the light from his fire shone not upon silver buttons, gaudy sashes and wide trowsers, but upon a couple of red shirts and slouch hats. With a long-drawn sigh, indicative of the greatest satisfaction, George threw down his haversack and stepped forward to greet the new comers. “Good-evening, stranger,” said the foremost horseman. “Have you any objections to good company to-night?” “None whatever,” answered George, readily. “I shall be only too glad to have it, for it is lonely work keeping house all by one’s self.” “We saw the light of your fire,” said the other, “and as we have got a little out of our reckoning, we made bold to come here, thinking that perhaps you could set us right.” “I am glad to see you,” answered George; “but I hope you have brought your supper with you, for it is little I can offer you.” “O, that’s nothing. It is no uncommon thing for ranchemen to go supperless to bed, you know. Where did you stake out your horse, my lad?” “I haven’t any, sir. He was stampeded when the Greasers stole my cattle, and I haven’t seen him since.” “Ah! been cleaned out, have you? That’s provoking.” The man said this in much the same tone of voice he would have used if he had been speaking of an event that was of every-day occurrence. They both listened while George, in accordance with their request, hurriedly related the story of his loss, and then staked out their horses and came back to the fire. George offered them what was left of his supply of provisions, but the ranchemen declined it with thanks, and proceeded to fill their pipes. “We need an adventure now and then to give a little variety to our life,” said one of the men, after he had taken a few pulls at his pipe, to make sure that it was well lighted. “My friend and I have been on the trail of a horse-thief.” “Did you overtake him?” asked George. “Yes; but we didn’t get the horse, and we wanted him more than we wanted the thief. He had disposed of the animal, traded him off for a fresher one, you know, and we offered him his liberty if he would tell us where the horse was. He told us, and we started back with him to make sure that he told us the truth, and he gave us the slip. But we think we know where the horse is.” “Is he anywhere about here?” inquired George. “Is there anybody living about here who goes by the name of Ackerman?” asked the rancheman. “Yes, there is,” answered George, opening his eyes in great surprise. “Well, my horse is at his rancho. We’re going there after him, and we’re going to smash things when we get there, too.”