volunteered Judith.

"Let's all go to Rodman's," cried Maud.

The older people were riding slowly down the trail to the valley. The
youngsters waited until the way was clear before leaving the school-yard,
agreeing in the meantime that Judith and Maud should go after the whiskey
while the others went to interview Peter; and the two girls departed
forthwith.

"Some one besides me will have to work on Peter," said Scott. "He's sore
at me. I tried to kick Sister."

"What did you do that for?" asked Jimmy Day. "Are you sick of living?"

"She bit Ginger on the shoulder. I hate that dog."

"Jude can handle Peter," said Douglas. "Come on, let's get going."

The little cavalcade moved noisily down the trail, crossed the deep snows
of Black Gorge and broke into a wild race when the road opened a mile
below the post-office. The horses lunged and kicked through the drifts,
the dogs barked, the girls squealed, the boys shouted. The post-office
lay in the middle of the valley with neither tree nor house in its
vicinity. It was a square log structure, two stories high, originally an
inner fort built as a final retreat from the Indians. The upper room was
now used as a dance-hall. The lower floor contained the post-office, a
general store, and Peter Knight's living quarters.

Peter Knight was the only outsider in Lost Chief. He had lived there a