ouldn't it be funny if this wind should flatten us into the rock? It
almost blows hard enough to. Wouldn't it puzzle these scientific fellars
if they should find a living representation of Tommy in the wall of the
mesa? They would sure take him for something prehistoric."

"They would probably think you were an aboriginal monkey," replied Tom
bitterly.

"I'm going to walk," I said, after we had safely gotten over Jim's
bridge of poles. "This is too steep for me."

Jim and Tom followed suit, because it was too hard on the ponies. We
made good time going down and were soon on the plain below the mesa.

Taking up our trail we made our way west.

"All aboard for the Colorado River," cried Jim. "No fooling this time."

We had to shout at each other, for the wind was blowing fiercely and the
ground between the bunches of grass was brushed clear as a floor, while
the gravel was blown up around the roots of the dwarf bushes.

We jogged along in the teeth of the wind, making our usual time. When we
were several miles out from the mesa, I turned and looked to the
southeast.

The party of Indians were on a low rise several miles distant as we came
out of the shelter of the high plateau. They caught sight of us and we
saw a number of braves separate from the main body and gallop out in our
direction.

"We'll soon shake them," said Jim, "and not half try."

So we started our ponies on the run and they were feeling decidedly like
a sprint. In two miles we passed around the corner of a high butte, and
Jim flung himself off from Piute and ran back to watch the effect on the
Indians of our disappearance.

"It's all over," said Jim, waving his hands down, "they've quit."

"I was afraid our horses would get tired going against the wind," said
Tom, "but it didn't seem to feaze them."

"You couldn't stop these bronchos with a meat axe," said Jim.

"Hello," I said, "the wind has quit as well as the Indians. Don't it
seem quiet though?"

It certainly did. It was surprising how quickly the wind had ceased,
just as abruptly as it had started in.

Late in the afternoon we came into closer touch with the desert scenery.
We rode over the ridge of a long divide and below us, several miles
distant, rose a marvelous outline of red towers and turrets and a great
castle mass rising in the midst; also of the prevailing color.

In the background stood a great mesa, with dark green walls, possibly of
sandstone or granite.

"Did you e