do not know anything about their departure. They told me
this morning that they were going out to scout a little, which,
I suppose, they did."
By the time the- two had got thus far in their talk, nearly all the other braves walked up to the Doctor's camp. Black Jim picked up a stick and poked the fire, saying at the same time. "As I was watching the soldiers' camp this evening I saw four men walk up to Fairchild's house and go in. I was just a little ways up above the house on the hill. If my eyes did not fool me, the men I saw was Scarface Charley, Hooker Jim, Bogus Charley and that left-handed man, Shaknasty Jim. I kept my eyes on the house until dark. I did not see them go out." The Doctor said, "This is as I expected. I have watched them fellows for the last four or five days ; they have been together; they acted like they were planning something. I know now, they have gone to the soldiers' camp. They are now talking with the officers. They will lead the soldiers to our hiding place. I will shoot either one of them before I will shoot a soldier." They all said the same thing.
That very night they all moved camp, about two miles north on the same mountain. The Juniper trees and Ma- hogany trees or bushes was thicker in that locality. The next morning all the braves \vere busy building breastworks. They determined to make that place their last stand and sell their lives dearly as possible. They all knew if the four deserters took sides with the soldiers and fought with them, they were up against it, as the four men were all dead shots.
Let us see where Captain Jack and his few followers went to when he and Schonchin separated from Black Jim and the others. Jack and Schonchin, their families and the other five or six families headed east. They traveled about ten or twelve miles, made camp in a small ravine or gulch, where they knew was a small spring. Jack and Schonchin passed a restless night. They both thought that Black Jim would fol- low them and kill them. In this they \vere mistaken. Jack proposed to lay over one or two days to rest, as they all were sorely in need of sleep and rest. They all agreed to Jack's proposition. Two of the younger men went hunting. They
