rrive
in camp," added Tom Latimer.

So the riders dismounted and hastily prepared a luncheon. When they were
ready to proceed on the way, Nigger found his pack much lighter than
before, so he, too, was delighted to have had the humans stop for lunch.

It was past noon before the visitors reached Carew's Camp, but once
there, they were given a hearty welcome by every one. Cookee had been
mixing and stirring viands ever since the breakfast had been cleared
away, and now he was ready to smile satisfactorily at results, for he
was going to give these guests a rare meal that day.

Mrs. Carew was a Chicago lady and, for once, Barbara was happy, as she
found her hostess knew several people that the Maynards felt were
exalted enough to be classed "in their set."

As soon as their section master gave them the afternoon's vacation, Jim
Latimer and Kenneth appropriated Polly and Eleanor, and the four started
off on fresh horses from the corral, for an excursion.

Jim wanted to ride to one of the peaks where they had surveyed that
week, and show the girls the far-off desert that stretched for miles and
miles between Buffalo Park and the Lincoln Memorial Highway.

The trail was well defined, as the crew had traveled it twice a day that
week, and had worn down cactus and sage-brush.

The four finally reached the pinnacle where the gray expanse of sand
could be seen stretching out to meet the blue sky on the horizon, and
Jim laughingly remarked: "Ken and I came near finding a sandy grave
there the other day."

"How?" eagerly asked the girls.

"Why, we were sent with our superior, to tie up a line at the edge of
the desert down there, and having done so, one of the crew saw a fine
little bit of water and a few trees growing about it, not more than
half-a-mile from where we were working.

"We concluded it would make an admirable place to rest and have lunch,
and give the horses a good drink, too, at the same time. So we all
started over the sand to enjoy the unusual oasis.

"Well, we kept on going and going, but the darn old oasis seemed as far
away as ever. Suddenly, I thought I was going queer in my head, because
it slowly vanished like mist. I rubbed my eyes and called on Ken to
verify the fact. Then you should have heard the men swear! Phew!"

Both boys laughed as they recalled the irritation of the men who found
they had been riding for a mirage--And lunch farther off than ever.

"However, we saw a gigantic bowlder o