CHAPTER III. 

THE CABIN OF THE MOONLIGHTERS. 

Bob Hubbard had been away from the Kenniston farm-house nearly half an hour when Ralph and George left it, but the latter was so well acquainted with the country that he did not need any guide to the cabin, and could not have had one, had he so desired, for Bob was far too cautious to be seen leading any one to his base of operations. 

It was well known by the owners of the torpedo patents that Robert Hubbard was the most skillful of all the moonlighters, and whenever he was seen traveling toward any of the wells that were being bored, he was followed, but, thanks to the fleetness of his horses, he had never been seen at his work by any one who would inform on him. 

Bob believed, as did a great many, that the firm holding the patent had no legal right to prevent any one from exploding nitro-glycerine by the means of a percussion cap placed in the top of a tin shell or cartridge. Several cases were before the courts undecided, and until a decision was reached, the owners of the patent would do all in their power to prevent any one from interfering in the business which they proposed to make a monopoly. Therefore, when Bob went about his work, he did so with quite as much mystery as if he had been engaged in some decidedly unlawful act. 

The ride from Sawyer, among the mountains, was quite as rough a one as that from Bradford, and Ralph found that he had about as much as he could attend to in keeping the guns, fishing-rods and himself in the carriage, without attempting to carry on any extended conversation with his friend. It was, therefore, almost in silence that the two rode along until George turned the horses abruptly from the main road into the woods, saying, as he did so: 
What was rough?
From where?
What was the terrain like?
Who cared for the weapons?
Did he care for anything else as well?
What would distract him?
So what did they do instead?
Did they remain on the same path?
Where did they detour?
What type of house is Kenniston?
Who left first?
Was he considered to be the best at something?
Who thought this of him?
Was he a careless man?
How was he described?
What was yet to be determined?
Could he perform his duties out in the open?
How did he go about it?
Did someone need to show him how to get where he was going?
Was the ride from Bradford a smoothe one?
The ride
The ride
Sawyer
Sawyer
mountaineous
mountains
Ralph
Ralph
fishing-rods
fishing-rods
extended conversation with his friend
 extended conversation with his friend
in silence that the two rode along
 in silence that the two rode along
No
George turned the horses abruptly from the main road into the woods
into the woods
 into the woods
farm-house
 farm-house
Bob Hubbard
Bob Hubbard
most skillful of all the moonlighters
most skillful of all the moonlighters
owners of the torpedo patents
owners of the torpedo patents
No
Bob was far too cautious 
too cautious
too cautious
Several cases were before the courts
Several cases were before the courts
No
he had never been seen at his work by any one who would inform on him. 
horses
horses
No
 he did not need any guide
No
was quite as rough a one as that from Bradford