They were silent for a moment.

"Will you ask the Captain now?" demanded Tom.

"You go on up to his tent and ask him if he'll come down here for a
minute," said Bert. "You're absolutely positive that you want to go? You
wouldn't rather have me wait until tomorrow while you think it over?"

"No! Ask him now, before he decides on someone else!"

Tom clapped his cousin on the shoulder, hurried out of the tent and up the
company street.




CHAPTER TWO


THE RAIDERS START

"Come with me," said Captain Moffat, as he emerged from Bert Brewster's
tent. Tom had been waiting outside, while Bert and the Captain were
talking. He had recognized several men from Cleveland in the company and
had tried to carry on a conversation with them. But conversation was
impossible. His mind was too full of hopes and plans to recall the news
from home. Now, as he walked up the company street, he wondered what the
Captain was thinking. Would he be allowed to take Bert's place? He hazarded
a glance at the Captain's face, but he could find no answering expression
there--always the same stern mask, from which black eyes flashed. Tom could