psed into silence.

It was now past mid-afternoon and the Go Ahead Boys were becoming
impatient over the failure of the guide and the Indian to return.

"If they haven't found any thing," said Fred irritably, "then they ought
to come back and tell us so. We don't want to stay here forever."

"Nay, verily, we do not," said George, shaking his head soberly. "I agree
with Pyg. If Zeke doesn't come back within an hour I say we start after
him."

"You want your turn in being lost in the canyon, do you?" said John
grimly. "Well, all I can say is that if you do, you can try it, but as for
little Johnnie he stays right here where he is. I've had all I want of
lost Go Ahead Boys in Thorn's Gulch or any other canyon."

Although they did not share in John's fear nevertheless the boys all
remained in their camp.

It was about four o'clock when Kitoni called their attention to two tiny
figures in the distance.

The glasses revealed that they were men and that they apparently were
coming across the Gulch. How they would be able to make their way up the
steep side no one could explain.

"That must be Zeke and Thomas Jefferson," suggested Fred at once ready to
form and express an opinion.

The Navajo, however, shook his head as he said, "It is not Zeke and it is
not Thomas Jefferson."

"Then who is it?" demanded Fred. "It seems to me we're all the while
having two or three men come into our camp when we've been told that there
wasn't a human being in these parts. They told us in Tombstone that we
wouldn't see a strange face in this part of the world."

"I see one now," declared John, turning and staring at his diminutive
friend.

The Go Ahead Boys laughed but their interest was too keen in the men who
now in the distance could be seen more distinctly.

"You don't suppose those two strange white men can be coming back here, do
you?" inquired Grant in a whisper.

"Yes, that is just who they are," replied Kitoni. "Look yonder!" he added
as he pointed in the direction in which Zeke and the Navajo had departed.

Two other men also were seen coming from that direction and no effort was
required to induce the Go Ahead Boys to believe that Zeke and his
companion were returning to the camp.

CHAPTER XXI

THE RETURN OF THE STRANGERS

The excitement among the Go Ahead Boys at once became intense. Convinced
now that the two men, whose presence whenever they had visited the camp
had created trouble, were now returning