The lads were surprised at the way their own horses followed, sliding on
their haunches down the steepest places and picking their way among
rocks and bowlders. Six hours after starting they found themselves in a
deep ravine, whose sides were covered with trees. They had now lost the
moon, and it was far too dark for them to progress further.

"We will give them four hours' rest," Dave said; "that long halt on the
path was worse than traveling. We shall go three times as fast when we
get light to help us as in the dark; besides, we have got to look for
some place where we can double on them. We shan't find that till we are
out of this valley. We shall have to be pretty spry if we are going to
get away from them; they will come along fast when they once take up the
trail. It has taken us six hours to get down here; it won't take them
three. Well, I hope we shall get on the move an hour or two before they
do. If they wait until daylight before advancing there will be a lot of
hubbub and talk before they really make up their minds that we have
really slipped through their fingers, and arrange for a start. Still, by
midday we shall be having them behind us if we can't find the way to
throw them off."

"I'd willingly take twenty ounces for my share of that gold, to be paid
to me at Santa Fé," Boston Joe said.

"So would I, Joe; there ain't no denying it, we are in a tight place,
and unless we find some way out of it in the morning, my own opinion is
that we have only got one chance, and that is to leave all the horses
behind us and to take our rifles and a loaf of bread each, and to start
back on foot."