suggested--the Bat-eye Tunnel--were of
course familiar to our pursuers. My indecision must have seemed long,
for the girl broke in anxiously on my meditations.

"Oughtn't we to be moving?"

"As well here as anywhere," I replied. "We are under good cover; and
afoot we could not much better ourselves as against mounted men. We must
hide."

"But they may find the trampled ground where your horse has been tied."

"I hope they do."

"You hope they do!"

"Sure. They'll figure that we must sure have moved away. They'll never
guess we'd hide near at hand. At least that's what I hope."

"How about tracks?"

"Not at night. By daylight maybe."

"But then to-morrow morning they can----"

"To-morrow morning is a long way off."

"Look!" cried Brower.

The big gates of the ranch had been thrown open. The glare of a
light--probably a locomotive headlight--poured out. Mounted figures
galloped forth and swerved to right or left, spreading in a circle about
the enclosure. The horsemen reined to a trot and began methodically to
quarter the ground, weaving back and forth. Four detached themselves and
rode off at a swift gallop to the points of the compass. The mounted men
were working fast for fear, I suppose, that we may have possessed
horses. Another contingent, afoot and with lanterns, followed more
slowly, going over the ground for indications. I could not but admire
the skill and thoroughness of the plan.

"Our only chance is in the shadow from the moon," I told my companions.
"If we can slip through the riders, and get in their rear, we may be
able to follow the _barranca_ down. Any of those big rocks will do. Lay
low, and after a rider has gone over a spot, try to get to that spot
without being seen."

We were not to be kept long in suspense. Out of all the three hundred
and sixty degrees of the circle one of the swift outriders selected
precisely our direction! Straight as an arrow he came for us, at full
gallop. I could see the toss of his horse's mane against the light from
the opened door. There was no time to move. All we could do was to cower
beneath our rock, muscles tense, and hope to be able to glide around the
shadow as he passed.

But he did not pass. Down into the shallow _barranca_ he slid with a
tinkle of shale, and drew rein within ten feet of our lurking place.

We could hear the soft snorting of his mount above the thumping of our
hearts. I managed to get into a position to steal a glimpse. It wa