weariness. My horse, a gift from the Chief which I had not been wise
enough to try out on a short journey before undertaking such a trip, was
as stiff as a wooden horse. I told the Chief I knew Mescal was
knock-kneed and stiff-legged.

"Oh, no," was the casual reply, "he's a little stiff in the shoulders
from his fall."

"What fall?"

"Why, I loaned him to one of the rangers last week and he took him down
the Hermit Trail and Mescal fell overboard."

"Is he subject to vertigo?" I wanted to know. I had heard we should have
steep trails to travel on this trip.

"No; the ranger loaded him with two water kegs, and when Mescal got
excited on a steep switchback the ranger lost his head and drove him
over the edge. He fell twenty feet and was knocked senseless. It took
two hours to get him out again."

"Some ranger," was my heated comment; "who was it?"

"No matter," said the Chief. "He isn't a ranger any more." The Chief
said Mescal did not suffer any from the stiffness, but I'll admit that I
suffered both mentally and physically. Anyway I had that to worry about
and it took my mind off the intolerable heat.

Almost before we knew it a storm gathered and broke directly over our
heads. There was no shelter, so we just kept riding. I had visions of