s name was Eugene Warringford."

CHAPTER V

STARTING FOR THE GRAND CANYON

No one appeared to be greatly surprised at this piece of news.
Apparently it had been already discounted in the mind of Frank, his
father, and even Bob Archer.

"So, that's the way the wind sets, is it?" remarked the colonel,
frowning.

"Anyhow, dad, that proves one thing," declared Frank.

"Meaning about that business of listening under the window?" observed
the owner of Circle Ranch. "It certainly does. Abajo has been in the
employ of Eugene Warringford from the start. But there must have been
some other good reason why that schemer wanted to find Uncle Felix. He
suspected that, sooner or later, the old gentleman would communicate
with me, because I used to be quite a favorite of his, years ago."

"Yes, and he sent the half-breed here to get employment from you just to
spy around," declared Frank. "All the time he was accepting your money,
he had a regular income from Eugene."

"Oh! well, he earned all he got here," said the ranchman, quickly. "Say
what I may about Abajo, he had no superior when it came to throwing the
rope, and rounding up a herd. Those Mexicans make the finest of cowboys.
They are at home in the saddle, every time."

"Also in hanging around under windows, and listening to what is said,"
added Frank. "As for me, I have little use for their breed. And, dad, if
ever you give me the reins here, no Mexican will ever get a job on old
Circle Ranch."

"Well," remarked the stockman, laughing at the vigor with which his son
and heir made this assertion, "perhaps I'm leaning that way myself.
After all, there's nothing like your own kind. We don't understand these
fellows. Their ways are not the same as ours; and I reckon we puncture
their pride often enough. But there's no trouble now about understanding
why Abajo gave us the go-by to-day."

"Huh! he had some news worth while carrying to his boss," said Frank.
"And I can just imagine how Eugene's little eyes will sparkle when he
hears about that valuable paper; eh, dad?"

"You're right, son," the ranchman replied. "Because, it stands to reason
he couldn't know anything about it before. The mine was a dead one up
to a few months back, when that lucky-find lode was struck by accident.
Eugene will put up a big chase to find this Echo Cave, now that he knows
Uncle Felix is located somewhere in the Grand Canyon of the Colorado."

"But it won't make a bit of difference