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 he come to after that rap on the head he was sort o' bewildered like; an' ever since then he's been claimin' that he's a white boy, name o' Pursley, from Kaintuck, an' was stole from his father, by the Injuns, up in that very Platte River country where we saw all them camp sign."

"Oh!" uttered the lieutenant. "You were there? How many of you? All white? Where's your father? How long ago?"

"About three years, I think," Stub stammered. "Just we two, sir. We were hunting and trading on the plains, with some Kiowas and Comanches, and the Sioux drove us into the mountains. Then we joined the Utahs, and after a while they stole me. They hit me on the head and I forgot a lot of things—and I don't know where my father is, sir."

"Hah! I thought we were the first white men there," ejaculated the lieutenant. "The first Americans, at least. It's a pity you didn't come to before. You might have given us valuable information."

"He says they found gold in that Platte country, sir," said Terry.

"Yes? Pshaw! But no matter now. We'll pursue that subject later. First, we must get out of this canyon. You discovered no passage beyond?"

"No, sir. Never space to set a foot."

"Have you any food?"