"Then, it's plain," said John, winking at Fred as he spoke, "that we'll
have to get somebody who is more familiar than you are, Zeke, with this
part of the country."

"Huh!" snorted Zeke. "Don't you believe it. There ain't nobody in these
diggin's that knows the country like I do."

"But you don't know where Two Crow Tree is or Tom's Thumb, to say nothing
about Split Rock on the opposite side of the canyon."

"That doesn't mean that I can't find them," retorted Zeke. "You mustn't
forget either that those names may be the ones that Simon gave the places.
They may not be on the map at all and nobody else may ever have called
them by those names."

"Well, shall we try to find the place? That's the question," said John
somewhat impatiently.

"Not until the other boys and Pete come back here."

Pete was the name of the second guide and on most occasions Zeke professed
to despise his judgment and belittle his information.

"Oh, Pete will do just what you say is the thing to be done," said Fred,
winking at John as he spoke.

"That 's likely," assented Zeke. "All the same I'm not going to start off
with you two boys and leave the other two here for Pete to look after. I'm
afraid Pete couldn't keep off the coyotes, to say nothing of the