as if he were sending forth a welcome.

The boy soon saw two figures upon the hill, the shapes of horse and man,
outlined in black against the sun, which was now declining in the west.
They were motionless and they were exaggerated into gigantic stature
against the red background. Ned knew them, although the distance was far
too great to disclose any feature. But signal had spoken truly to
signal, and that was enough. Old Jack made a fresh burst of speed and
presently neighed once more. An answering neigh came back from the hill.

Ned rode up the slope and greeted Obed White and the Ring Tailed Panther
with outstretched hands.

"And it's you, my boy," said Obed, his eyes glistening. "Until we saw
your signal we were afraid that you might have frozen to death in the
Norther, but it's a long lane that has no happy ending, and here we are,
all three of us, alive, and as well as ever."

"That's so," said the Panther, "but even when the storm was at its worst
I didn't give up, Ned. Somehow, when things are at the blackest I'm
always hopin'. I don't take any credit fur it. I was just born with that
kind of a streak in me."

Ned regarded him with admiration. The Ring Tailed Panther was certainly
a gorgeous object. He rode a great black horse with a flowing mane. He
was clad completely in a suit of buckskin which was probably without a
match on the border. It and his moccasins were adorned with thick rows
of beads of many colors, that glittered and flashed as the sunlight
played upon them. Heavy silver spurs were fastened to his heels, and his
hat of broad brim and high cone in the Mexican fashion was heavy with