BEN CAMERON rode rapidly to the rendezvous of the pickets who were to meet the coming squadrons.
He returned home and ate a hearty meal. As he emerged from the dining-room, Phil seized him by the arm and led him under the big oak on the lawn:
"Cameron, old boy, I'm in a lot of trouble. I've had a quarrel with my father, and your sister has broken me all up by returning my ring. I want a little excitement to ease my nerves. From Elsie's incoherent talk I judge you are in danger. If there's going to be a fight, let me in."
Ben took his hand:
"You're the kind of a man I'd like to have for a brother, and I'll help you in love—but as for war—it's not your fight. We don't need help."
At ten o'clock Ben met the local Den at their rendezvous under the cliff, to prepare for the events of the night.
The forty members present were drawn up before him in double rank of twenty each.
"Brethren," he said to them, solemnly, "I have called you to-night to take a step from which there can be no retreat. We are going to make a daring experiment of the
