Horses’ hoofs! No doubt of it. The thud of them over the sodded prairies was rapidly decreasing. The horses were now some miles away from the water-hole. What did it mean? Had an attempt been made to raid the camp again, and had Dig driven the raiders away? Was it he who had fired the shot that awakened Chet? The latter turned back again with a terrible sinking feeling at his heart. Perhaps there had been a fight and his chum was shot! Chet Havens was much exercised. He ran to and fro in the camp, trying to find some trace of his chum. There were the saddles—he had used his own for a pillow; and at this time he did not notice anything else missing. He shouted again and again, but got no reply. Then he bethought him of the rifle, and he put the heavy weapon to his shoulder and fired three times in the air. There sounded a squeal from the other side of the water-hole. The horses had snorted, too; but Chet paid them no further attention. He started around the piece of water, yelling for his chum at the top of his voice. He heard Dig calling after a minute. Then Chet saw him standing by the water’s edge and leaning on his gun. “For goodness’ sake! what’s the matter with you?” gasped Chet, reaching the other lad. And then he uttered a second startled exclamation. Dig’s face was bloody. “What have you been doing?” demanded Chet again. “That’s this blamed old rifle,” snarled Dig. “See what it did?” and he removed the handkerchief with which he was swabbing his brow and showed a deep cut. “That’s what it did to me!” “How?” gasped Chet. “Kicked!” “But for goodness’ sake! did you try to put the butt against your forehead when you fired?” “I don’t know what I did. I was excited. I saw that man on horseback leading the other horse—” “What man?” interrupted his chum. “Oh, be still!” exclaimed Dig, with great disgust. “Do you s’pose I stopped to ask him his name and where he came from? I up with the gun to fire a shot to warn you—” “That must have been what woke me,” said Chet. “And it’s what put me to sleep,” said Dig, grimly. “I don’t know what happened after this old cannon tried to knock my head off.” “Tell me what happened before,” urged Chet anxiously. Dig explained how he had come to start around the pool. He had heard a noise while on this side and, stooping down, he had seen a horseman between him and the background of the sky. The rider was leading a second horse, and was moving quietly toward their encampment. At first Dig had not known what to do—whether to return and awaken Chet softly or to keep watch of the man on horseback. And then Dig had seen a man afoot running up from the camp. “The scoundrel was carrying something. We’ve been robbed, Chet. Is my saddle all right?” “Yes. But he might have taken something—” He clapped his hand to his breast as he spoke. Dig did not notice his agitation and went on with his story.