light of the moon was so strong that he could make out the
surroundings almost as well as in daylight.

"I may as well go on," he decided. "Perhaps I'll get somewhere in
time for breakfast. If I don't I surely will have no breakfast, for I
haven't a scrap of food left."

So he trudged on. He did not run this time, for a little more care
than he had been exercising was now necessary to avoid pitfalls in the
shadows cast by rock and tree.

Daylight came, but still the weary boy kept on his way. Hungry? Yes,
Tad was actually faint for want of food. He tried the experiment of
chewing some leaves that he knew were harmless. At first this gave
him some relief. After a little it made him sick, so he did not try
the experiment again. He feared he was going to give out.

Toward eleven o'clock the boy came out upon a rise of ground
overlooking a long slope. He rubbed his eyes almost unbelievingly.

Halfway down the slope was a shack and off beyond it stood a man with
his back turned toward him.

Tad uttered a shout of joy and began leaping down the incline. The
man down there, startled by the cry, wheeled suddenly and descrying
the figure of Tad Butler racing toward him, ran to his cabin,
appearing a moment later with a rifle in his hands.

A moment more a second man dashed out, he too carrying a gun. Both
men stood facing the lad, until, when he got near enough, they