"Some one's coming!" exclaimed Will.
"Maybe it's Gabe," spoke Jed hopefully. "Shall I give a yell?"
"Wait a minute. Perhaps it isn't him. If it is, he has some one with him."
"Probably he's brought some of his friends to help look for us. I suppose we are to blame for all this. Never mind, when he hears what we have to tell him, he'll not scold us. I guess we'd better——"
But the sentence was never finished. At that moment there appeared, coming around the trail, three horsemen. And it needed but a glance to show that they were the same bad men who, early the day before, had retreated after Jed had given his warning whistle.
"Here they are!" cried Con Morton. "We've got 'em now!"
"Not yet!" cried Jed. "Come on, Will! Jump on your horse! The animals are rested and can carry us and the packs!"
With a quick motion he was in the saddle. Will followed his brother's example.
"Now, Pete!" cried Jed to the horse. "Let's see what sort of stuff you're made of!"
"Hold on there!" cried Con Morton, as he saw the two lads were about to escape him.