painfully, but with extreme care, the second man pushed and pulled
himself from the hole.

In a faint whisper the first man said, "Where's Sim?"

The second man made low reply: "He's right here." He motioned
reassuringly toward the hole.

When the third head appeared, a soft smile of glee came upon each face,
and the mute group exchanged expressive glances.

When they all stood together, free from this tragic barn, they breathed
a long sigh that was contemporaneous with another smile and another
exchange of glances.

One of the men tiptoed to a knot-hole and peered into the barn. The
sentry was at that moment speaking. "Yes, we know 'em all. There isn't a
house in this region that we don't know who is in it most of the time.
We collar 'em once in a while--like we did you. Now, that house out
yonder, we----"

The man suddenly left the knot-hole and returned to the others. Upon
his face, dimly discerned, there was an indication that he had made an
astonishing discovery. The others questioned him with their eyes, but he
simply waved an arm to express his inability to speak at that spot. He
led them back toward the hill, prowling carefully. At a safe distance
from the barn he halted, and as they grouped eagerly about him, he
exploded in an intense undertone: "Why, that--that's Cap'n Sawyer they
got in yonder."