and Davie Dunn really little cared.

The boys reached the cabin, climbed in an open window and stood looking
out at the approaching storm.

"Kansas crickets! but look there, Davie!"

The words came from Buffalo Billy and he was pointing out toward the
trail.

There four horsemen were seen coming toward the cabin at a rapid gallop.

"Who be they, Billy?" asked Davie.

"They are some of them horse-thieves, Davie, that have been playing the
mischief of late about here, and we'd better dust."

"But they'll see us go out."

"That's so! Let us coon up into the loft, for they'll only wait till the
storm blows over, for they are coming here for shelter."

Up to the loft of the cabin, through a trapdoor, the boys went quickly
and laid quietly down, peering through the cracks in the boards. The
four horsemen dashed up, hastily unsaddled their horses and lariated
them out, and bounded into the cabin through the window, just as the
storm broke with fury upon forest and plain.

As still as mice the boys lay, but they quickly looked toward each
other, for the conversation of the men below, one of whom was kindling