"Beats being in the river at midnight," laughed Tad. "Bad-eye looks
as if he needed grooming, too. Ned, I take back all I said about the
bacon this morning. You did me a good turn last night. If it hadn't
been for you, Chunky and I wouldn't be here now. I couldn't have
held to that rock much longer."

"Neither could I," interjected Stacy wisely.

Ned gave him a withering glance.

"You are an expert at falling in, but when it comes to getting out,
that's another matter."

"How blue those mountains look!" marveled Walter, shading his eyes
and gazing off toward the Rosebud Range.

"I hear there are some lawless characters in there, too," Tad
answered thoughtfully.

"Where'd your hear that?" demanded Ned.

"Heard some men talking about it in the hotel back at Forsythe."

"Mustn't believe all you hear. What did they say?"

"Acting upon your advice, I should say that you wouldn't believe it
if I told you," answered Tad sharply. "These men are a kind of
outlaws, I believe. They steal horses and cattle. Probably sell the
hides--I don't know. Somehow the Government officers have not been
able to catch them, let alone to find out who they are."