188 you know me—Tom Wild, Red Joe’s mate —don’t you?” The detective and his party soon came up, and I satisfied their curiosity as to my being in the swamp at such an hour by re- lating all that had taken place during the night. The night party numbered in all six men besides their leader; and they were armed with revolving rifles (Colt’s), in addition to the revolvers and clubs in their belts. The regular officers on this gold-field had the night before proceeded to the camp in the gully, which accounted for the one at the township being closed; and this reinforcement had been sent up from Greymouth by the authorities, who were determined that neither crime nor mob-law should overawe the law-abiding portion of the population. The posse were oing to arrest Mat Sawyer and Tom Vilkins, dead or alive, that day. A few words sufficed to let the detec- tives know how matters stood—that I had been stopped by somebody, I didn’t know who, and that Charcoal and I had had a fight with him in the night. “Come on, men—let’s see what’s up here,” said the officer; and a twenty yards’ splash took us to the foot of the terrace. The mystery was cleared up; I had been in danger, sure enough, and the dog had saved my life. (TO BE CONTINUED.) ———_> the first to locate a pound trout and a huge elk steak on his plate, and his comrades were in the act of following his example, when a series of what might be termed variegated yells came sliding up the canon. Supper was _ indefinitely postponed as the boys rushed from camp to see what was going on down below. A glance was sufficient, and their horror- stricken faces dropped the ashen hue, and in its stead broad grins came to relieve it, these in turn giving place to roars of laughter. The folks below were Sour Dough Wil- liam and his ancient — ancient mule, Gutta Percha. The latter had jumped the trail, and was trying to scale an immense bed of slide rock lying on the mountain side. William was below busily engaged in dodging the rocks dislodged by the quadruped’s feet One woud displace about ten others, so that when they ar- rived where William was their numbers were not insignificant. The owner of the mule, while jumping from side to side like a dancing-master, did not omit to say afew words in a very audible tone between and during jumps. When a descending rock would stop for a moment to caress his shins, then he be- came very earnest in the use of expletives. If half had befallen that mule which Wil- liam hoped for, then surely he would have ceased to exist, even though the brevet naturalists of the mountains claim that a mule never dies. At last the stones ceased rolling. Gutta Perche had reached the goal of his ambition. At last he fully realized the truth of the poet’s line, Distance lends enchantment to the view,” pve he put on a look of disgust as he thought of that other poem, “Look Aloft,” and wished he had stuck to t} i d not come up. And he f rth Pade Con tort: urther communed, “No one but a conceite bang himself to pieces Sette an” oe dangerous place, expecting to find th dirty, dry moss on the rocks, the nibe sweet_and succulent bunch-grass it a peared to be from the trail.” r Gutta Percha then commenced a geries of meditations in sadness. Sour Dough William came to camp, leaving him to his mournful reveries among the rocks. After waynes he took one of the boys’ mules and staked him in plain view of his GooDpD now unambitious pack steed. Soon the wild minstrels of the ‘North were filling the air with sweet notes, and it was not long before Gutta Percha came for sym- pany to a brother mule. Arriving there 1is pack was removed by his master, and he was the recipient of several vigorous kicks, which he received in the spirit of a true martyr, knowing full well that he would return the compliment in the days to come. Stretched before the camp-fire the boys indulged in their evening smoke, and were wholly engrossed in extracting from the solacing weed a sort of vagabondish com- fort, when their thoughts were brought down from their former heights by Quiet Jim’s query: “I say, dour Dough, what in creation ~, you name that mule Gutta Percha for?” “Just because that’s mal is. That cuss hasn’t got six-foot legs, has he? Well, the first day I bought the critter I was standing about ten feet behind him, and he a-nibbling bunch- grass, quiet as a little lamb. I commenced to warble a little musical gem, and was just getting in the fine operatic licks when felt my hat raise, and a general numb- ness spread all over my ear as a piece of it went along with the hat. When I got over feeling dazed I looked around for the cause. The mule was feeding solemn- like, just as if he was filling up expressly to haul a hearse to a hiieh-touedl funeral. “Then I knew it wasn’t him. I looked up in the sky, but it was too clear for any lightning business. Then I gazed around to see just where that meteor did strike, but durn me if I could find the spot it stopped at. I knowed it wasn’t Injuns, because bullets make a noise I’m somewhat familiar with. I was just on the point of giving up the search when I ee to turn round quite suddenly, and dang me if there wasn’t Gutta Percha shaking his nose backward and forward like a pendulum, his mouth wide open, and showing a terrific grin, one eye shut and the other half closed, with four or five large tears trickling down. “IT looked him all over, thinking he might have a fit or the cholera morbus, and I didn’t know what ailed him until I saw_a fragment of my hat attached to the shoe of his south-east heel. That was the first time I was ever laughed at by a mule. I tied him to a sapling and in- terviewed him worse than any reporter ever interviewed a defeated or successful candidate. I got tired out. The mule kept up a continual smile, but before I got through with him I had succeeded in narrowing it down somewhat. “Bed-Rock Joe and I camped together that night. At midnight I heard a yell, and saw Bed-Rock coming, as I thought, from the clouds, and landing in a juniper bush. Gutta Percha had chawed himself loose. He mistook Joe’s blankets for mine, hence the sad mistake—for Joe. This goes to show that in the unerring business a mule’s instinct ain’t a com- mencement to his heels.” “Why don’t you sell the brute?” asked Geyser George. “Well, I’ve been thinking of it, and I’m a to hear every day that he isa sold community. I’ve got Colonel Tom Edwards, of the Montana bar, negotiating for a sale with Bill Nye. I told him to write Bill that I would give him ten dol- what the ani- lars for Boomerang, and he to pay his way up here from Laramie, or I would sell him Gutta Pereha for ten dollars and he to pay his way from up_here down to Laramie, However, if Mr. Nye don’t take up with this fair offer, then I’m going to take up a ranch, and see if there ain’t NEW S. something to be got out of that mule be- sides kicks and smiles.” The thought of William assuming the role of an honest ranchman touched the risibilities of the circle in the highest de- gree. “I don’t blame you for laughing, boys, because you know I never ranched it a bit, and you also know my general fond- ness for making seven days in the week all Sundays—days of rest. But I’m se- riously thinking of getting down to hard work in my old age. When I saw you last I didn’t ee thing about ranching; now I can tell you all about crops, when to bury the seed, and when to yank the crop in, and the whole business.” Another burst of laughter from the circle. “Boys,” solemnly continued William, “don’t laugh any more. What I’m tell- ing you is the bed-rock truth. Blossom Joe and I took up a ranch, and the first thing we did after that was to join the rangers. You don’t believe it? Boys, ll prove. it. Joe and I was in Jack Donovan’s drinking studio one morning, and we were telling him about our going to quit hunting, trapping, and wolving, and getting down toranching. He thought it a good idea, and said if we would promise to keep a secret he would tell us something which would be of advan- tage to us as ranchmen. We promised. He then took us in the back room and told us that we ought to become grangers if we wanted to protect our- selves, He said he was the boss granger himself. He told us the grange would meet that night in their hall over the brewery saloon, and he would hand our names in, but we must keep awful quiet about it, because there were several sisters who would blackball us when they found out we had been wolvers. We gave him twenty dollars for the four degrees. Then we took the oath of se- crecy, and went to a barber shop, bought a boiled shirt and paper collar ae and several glasses of beer and the like, so as to make a respectable appearance with when the show would open. “At seven o’clock I held four aces and was just a-going to bust Quartz Bilk Bob with them when a committee waited on Joe and myself. I had to lay down the hand. We were taken up stairs,into an ante-room filled with = beer kegs and whisky barrels. The committee turned us over to the outside inquisitor, who wore a piece of pasteboard with holes in it over his eyes. He was perched on a barrel. with his feet resting on a beer keg. He had two assistants. One had another bit of pasteboard and the hic- coughs, while the other one was doubled up ina corner, asleep. The cuss in the barrel was a solemn one. I am sorry to say, Joseph was not beastly sober, which will account for his mistakes during the ceremonies of initiation. The chief jus- tice on the barrel asked my name and I gave it. He yelled, ‘Let it be recorded.’ A genius inside with a terrific bass voice answered, ‘It is re-cor-ded.’ Joe flared up at'this, and said he paid twenty dol- lars to get into the circus, and if they were going to pile up recording fees on top of that, he would then go in and clear out the shebang. He was informed that his twenty included all fees. I poured ad- ditional oil on the troubled waters by loosening the cork of a quart vial, when we all imbibed to the health of the grange, and then drank to ours collectively and individually, Then the high priest came out and spurted about a pint of hay seed on my head, and the same quantity on Joe’s. He said this was done to give us an inkling of the honest ranchman’s de- light when the hard day’s work was done. In ten minutes our thoughts reverted to that portion of Scottish history where the retainers so often say, ‘God bless the Duke of Argyle.’ I wouldn’t have stopped to think of this if the hay seed had remained on my head, but it didn’t. Like quartz and other mines, it took a tumble. “Joe offered ten dollars the next day to any one who would divulge that high priest’s business name. e were next given a rutabaga and a large potato, with a hole in each, and a lighted candle in each hole. We carried one in each hand, A loose robe of gunnies was then placed on us, oe that we started in poor and would come out richer—or poorer in the ranching business, A wreath of twisted hay was then placed on our brows. We then entered the lodge, when the boys and girls struck up a home- made anthem, ‘See, the conquering ranch- men come.’ At the conclusion of this, Joe came out with this little oration: ‘I say, if you folks ain’t any better farmers than singers it is a safe bet, ten to one, that there are more mortgages on your ranches than pigs or potatoes. [I ain’t a full fledged member yet, but when I be, I’m a goin to put a proviso in your constitution o'dissolve your choir and hire two healthy mules with pincer attachment on ears and tails to do the warbling for this outfit.’ “The boss granger and others quieted ‘ Joe, when we waltzed up to the throne. This consisted of a sack of potatoes sur- mounted by one of flour. On one side™ a sheaf of oats and one of barley, ane7 the other one of wheat and rye. mogul’s footstool was a keg of sour kra® He gave us the pass-word and grips; valuable secrets of successful farm practised by Beecher, Evarts, and ot well-known scientific gardeners. He thé showed us how to raise old rye, and Wy, and how to use cardamom seeds. J0@ Wor™ him we had been there before. Wé wi then walked over to a female, whe 10 she was Pomena, the goddess of fruit ict told her she had a number one bass a for a woman, and was commencing @" 7 her how to get rid of her cold, whet ; was frowned down by the assewt: grangers. She told us all about fruit, wound up by placing round our nee keh copious string of dried apples. Joe #9 where the sole-leather dough WaS 74 went with this Montana fruit, but she could answer this pastry query : were trotted off to where another ™ig” woman was. She said she was Cerey, goddess of grain and plenty. Joe toland she was the girl for him, for if thet® anything he liked it was old TY 4, ThE | plenty of it. She told us all about * tal to sow our oats, how to arrange out ell! a baga hot beds, how to gather a chicwn crop, what kind of water to plant M&™ 1a in, and lots of things we never heard ty before. Joe told her if he was her he toil tf gather in stubble and commence 2 j wa pe ing on the chin. She did havea few" but we didn’t stay long here to © ft further, and as we were hurried ® Jo where a gigantic female was sittiINe, a © whispered to me that old Mother a had a big chaw of tobacco in her m0 Ho” The last lady introduced herself 857% cay © the goddess of flowers. She weighed a% two hundred and fifty. Joe ask Hing how xxx and choice family was S@5ag but she told him that she wasn’t goon over that kind; that she presided yy morning-glorys, sunflowers, fhachelor tons, and that breed. After we £00 oy oughly posted on flowers she gave I ‘ order. emblem of her part of the ick the bright yellow flower of the Pras tt his pear cactus family. I took cactus me hag’ th with a’smile, but it.pained me $0 1 ag git no fall full in Flora’s face, who the? ig 5 ®sash kicked me into the middle of the ™aj i ky where candles, rutabaga, potato, Mag}. Vario and innumerable dried apples jod- | Who’ a mingled in an inextricable confust gi tehe, got up and saw Joe squaring 9g yt wanting to fight Flora, who, he Ca bev: fix, had on stoga boots number tWe jd y, idey knew they were twelves or over—er at Jug ] she was a man in disguise. To pre ass K at whe was a woman she went into a first-G y Ro’ q of hysterics, and was carried out on wre ante-room. Joe apologized, an tne 0’ toy Vha boss granger said we would sit dows Awl in harvest festival. It was the kind 0" @ Wha, or ef Ne, tival Joe and I had been looking it: variety was slim, but the quantl 4 ef “40 mense. It consisted of whisk ged Vi cigars, bologna, and crackers. re jy « val was getting under good headw: ', Win, as Joe fell under the table, and pa « real hilarious-like when I went t0 just . Joe was getting along with his § t 4 One thing surprised me, and 1 Pomena, Ceres, and Flora di@® with us, but their brothers die aide sameness of voice and style was Joe similar. It was about noon wit a wi I woke up, and strange to say janet town two weeks just to get a ap take in another meeting, but they call any.” i g of Ww! Quiet Jim, who had shown si otth Maye 1 ; — a} y > 2} ‘0. in a .. easiness during the recital, br piel | Myre last into a fit of boisterous laug An recovered sufficiently to say: 1 10 leg id “Now, William, I'don’t want YO" {0 Tay Prot mad at what I’m going to tell YO 9 mon. know you appreciate a good jok@ oil ing’, pr William area to place Bae ts Spanish curb on his anger. wos 5 Pp at “Well, the fact is, I was in tor v etch was one of the crowd who. pul a “White bogus cone job on you and Jom yg Sy; at the lively damsel Ceres. I also tories en forty dollars and purchased sup?) {@ May, An, the festival, after getting anothenyy Nyy made up by the boys. Oh, it’s 7 % Write good for any—ha, ha, ha!” 2 yell Loud and prolonged laughter; sf #5 “gh, OW, “James,” said William, “I ccm tor ie Of ¢ you to get mad at what I’m goin rm Ry Reng you, for I know that you also apP” | ay good joke when you see one.” is | James promised to throw Mall weight on the latest improved gs ip brake in order to stop all a2” would aspire to rise in his bosoM i “What I’m going to one funny, because it partakes of & cee cial, It’s simply a matter of fina? firm of whom you bought the ments are anxiously awaiting yonf is town. Joe see I for at tot oss granger that our initiatlo™ aid a two bogus twenties. ard oud and prolonged smile.” pile The circle roared and yelled, Wee above the din came the musical f of Gutta Percha, who, it seem; ‘agy knowing to the whole affair the ~~ its occurrence. (10 BE CONTINUED.)