"Well, we must be on the move. We don't want to be caught out here
after dark, you know, Ned. Remember, the right fork, where it enters
the hills, is the point we have agreed upon meeting. You will strike
the stream farther back, then follow it, but be very careful. Be an
Indian, Ned. If you are a white man you're likely to lose your
identity. We don't want to stop any bullets. Chunky has done quite
enough of that for one day."

"I'll watch out---never you fear, old man."

"Then here we go."

Tad crept silently away, hugging the base of the rocks so that it would
have been difficult for one at the top to have seen him at all Ned,
obeying his instructions, found a canyon up which he crawled, neither
boy making a sound. They had agreed upon the two-shot signal to call
each other, three shots being a warning to the rest of their party
that they were in need of assistance.

Neither lad saw or heard anything of a disturbing nature on his way out.
Ned found no difficulty in making his way into the range of mountains,
but as he proceeded and found no one there he grew more bold. Not that
he was particularly careless, but he unconsciously relaxed a little of
his former caution.

In the meantime Tad Butler had crept on past the place where the party
had first planned to go into camp. Not a sign of a human being
greeted Tad's watchful eyes. The lad climbed the side of the rocks,
keeping his body hidden in the foliage as much as possible. He had