studied the problem for a moment. "Well, 'as the mountain wouldn't
come to Mahomet, Mahomet went to the mountain,'" he quoted. "As this
rock refuses to budge, I don't know but that it is solid enough to
remain where it is, and we can fix up a trail right over it."

"By Jove! that's so!" cried Captain Abbey. "It's fairly flat on top.
All we need is a slope from the front and the back."

A number of men were now called forward, and under Deck's directions the
upper surface of the landslide was cleared away. Everything in the shape
of a flat stone was placed before and behind the big rock, and the sand
and fine shell-rock was shovelled into the cracks between. Inside of an
hour, a new footway was formed at the spot, rising five feet in the
centre and sloping off fifteen feet in either direction. It was made
easy for the horses, and the animals went over it without hesitation.

In the meantime the other obstruction had been attacked by another body
of workers. Here the heavy pole came into good play, and rock after rock
was sent tumbling into the valley below. The sand was shovelled after
it, and by the time the rear obstruction was taken care of, the other
was likewise a thing of the past.

"You had better join the Engineering Corps, Dexter," remarked Colonel
Lyon, as he came up, having been to the rear in consultation with the
commander of the cavalry forces.

"It was a work of necessity, father," answered the major. "The platoon
of the first company was stuck, and it would never have done to have
abandoned those horses. We haven't a single animal to spare, even though
we did round up those others in Alabama."

"I know we haven't any to spare, Dexter. By the way, how do you like
that black charger you have chosen?"

"Oh, he seems to be all right. But he isn't Ceph,--not by a good deal."

"No, you won't find one horse in a thousand like Ceph, my son. I'm
afraid the loss of that noble animal will handicap you in making those
famous leaps on the heads of Confederate officers, such as you have made
in the past."

"No, this horse would never do such work--I wouldn't dare to try him,"
answered the major. "He is of ordinary intelligence, and of good speed
and endurance; and that is all I can say of him."

"I have just been in consultation with the general commanding," went on
Colonel Lyon, after a pause. "He wishes a special piece of work done,
and says he would like Major Dexter Lyon to do it."

"I am ready, sir. Wh