ame
suddenly out upon the strange country with its sunlit vastness.

"Well!" said Jim, "it beats me!"

Upon the plain below us were several great mesas, with high
perpendicular walls, some of grey stone and others of vermilion
sandstone, and in the west were pinnacles and towers in varied hues.

Far away to the southwest were various chains of mountains, rising
above an elevated but broken region. The mountains were sharp and clear
cut. Over all was an atmosphere of wonderful clarity.

"The great Colorado River flows zigzag through that region," said the
captain, indicating the distant mountains.

We gazed at it feeling the spell of its fascinating mystery creep over
us. There was so much to take in that we sat on our ponies gazing out
over this weird land for a long time. Later, we watched the faint
crimson of evening die away and the azure that precedes the darkness,
robe the distant horizon line of mountains.

This was our last camp in these mountains and also the last night that
the captain was to camp with us. We were talking it over after supper as
we sat around the fire.

"I don't consider this as good-bye," said the captain, "for I expect to
see you at my cabin on the plateau after you return from Mexico."

"If it is possible, you may count on us," asserted Jim.

"You will have much of interest to tell me, I know that. I shall like to
hear of the old trails that I have travelled years ago."

"We shall be just one trail ahead of you and that is down the Colorado
River," said Jim.

"You're welcome to it," replied the captain, "from what I have heard of
its style of action. As a preliminary I should like to begin with the
rapids below Niagara."

"One thing is in our favor, we are all good swimmers," suggested Tom.

"Yes, that makes me feel some easier," continued the captain. "You must
be careful of those maps I made for you, Jim, because you will need them
from now on, until you reach the river. After that there is just one
direction and you can't miss it."

"That's down the river, with the current," said Tom.

"That's it," assented the captain.

"If you see Juarez, send him along," suggested Jim. "We want him."

"I reckon he would enjoy it much more than pitching hay on the Kansas
farm," said the captain. "It's time to turn in now, for you will want to
get an early start to-morrow."

So we rolled into our blankets for a dreamless sleep on the edge of the
Land of Enchantment that lay stretche