The boy started as he heard the voice. "I must go upstairs!" he exclaimed. Rushing forward, the boy upset the darky, and sprang up the stairs, at the head of which Mr. Smithers was standing. "Who are you, and what do you want here?" asked the latter. "Don't you know me?" "Why, yes, I think I do. Is it--can it be----" Smithers hesitated. "It is I--Tommy," replied our hero. "Oh! father, I never felt so glad in my life as I do at striking you." "How did you find me out?" asked Smithers, who did not appear well pleased at the encounter. "I heard you were here, and I started with a friend to discover you. The redskins killed my friend, and I came on alone." The major had been listening to this conversation, and he beckoned to the boy. "Where's your mother?" he asked. "She came with father," was the reply. Smithers smothered an oath. "Father," exclaimed Tommy, "I've gone through a deal since I left Jersey City, and I've come here chiefly to see mother! Where is she?" "Dead!" "And little Alice and Harold?" "Dead also!" The tears came into Tommy's eyes. The major looked intently at Smithers. "Say, pard," he exclaimed, "why didn't you tell me this before? Did you see your family shot down?" "No, but they were captured by Capt. Jordan." "Didn't it ever occur to you that, if you'd been a man, you would have raised a hand for them? If you'd told me, if you'd said a word to the boys we'd have made a raid on the Snake Canyon, and Jordan wouldn't have stopped any more travelers." Tommy looked up with determination. "If father hasn't courage enough to go after mamma, I'll go by myself!" he exclaimed. "Bully for you, my boy," said the major. "What's the use, she's dead and gone now; don't talk like a fool, Tommy," remarked Smithers. "The boy's no fool," answered the major. "I honor him for his resolve, and I'll give him a pistol to fight with." He took one from his pocket, and presented it to Tommy. "That's to rescue your mother with," he continued. "Thank you, sir," replied Tommy. "If you're not back in three days I'll raise all Silver City, and we'll root out this robber, if he hasn't skipped, but I'll bet a five-dollar bill that you capture Capt. Jordan." Tommy bestowed a look of gratitude upon Maj. Allston, and kept at a respectable distance from Smithers. A man at this moment entered the apartment, and hearing the remark, exclaimed: "I'll see to that." Maj. Allston turned round and looked curiously at the stranger. "You'll do what?" he asked. "I'll raise you fifty dollars, and you daren't go me a cent better." "On what?" "The bet you just made, to the effect that this boy would capture me." "You!" cried the major, in surprise. "I never saw you before, and certainly did not speak of you." "You are wrong in both cases," replied the stranger. "How?" "We met three years ago in California, when I saved you from being hanged for a horse thief." "Great Scott!" cried the major. "Who are you?"