and anon by the younger men.

Major Hope, too, was among them. The worthy

major, unable to restrain his roving propensities, determined

to revisit the Mustang Valley, and had arrived

only two days before.

Backwoodsmen's preparations are usually of the shortest

and simplest. In a few minutes the cavalcade was

ready, and away they went towards the prairies, with

the bold major at their head. But their journey was

destined to come to an abrupt and unexpected close.