or flight.

"Now, Pike, ride ahead and keep sharp lookout for the road. I'll jump up
here beside Jim and drive, keeping right on your trail. Old 'Gregg' will
tow along behind the wagon. He is too tired to carry any one else this
day--and you--Manuelito, hark ye, keep right behind 'Gregg.' Don't fall
back ten yards. I want you right here with us, and if anything goes
wrong with your team, or you cannot keep up, shout and we'll wait for
you. Now, then, Pike, forward!"

An hour later in its prescribed order this little convoy had wound its
way through Jarvis Pass and was trotting rapidly over the hard but
smooth roadway towards the high Sunset range. The little ones had been
aroused by the swaying and jolting and were sitting up now--silent and
full of nameless fears, yet striving to be brave and soldierly when papa
threw back some cheery word to them over his shoulders. Never once did
he relax his grasp on the reins or his keen watch for Pike's dim,
shadowy form piloting them along the winding trail. Little Ned had got
his "Ballard" and wanted to load, but his father laughed him out of the
idea.

"The Tontos were ten miles behind us, Ned, my boy, when we left Snow
Lake, and are farther away now. These mountain Apaches in northern
Arizona have no horses, you know, and have to travel afoot. Not a rod
will they journey at night if they can help themselves--the lazy
beggars!"

And so the poor father, realizing at last the fruits of his obstinacy,
strove to reassure his children and his dependants. Little Nell was too
young to fully appreciate their peril, and soon fell asleep with her
curly head pillowed on Kate's broad lap. Ned, too, valiant little man,
soon succumbed and, still grasping his Ballard, fell sound asleep. In
darkness and silence the little convoy sped swiftly along, and at last,
far in the "wee sma' hours," Pike hailed:

"Here we are, right in the Pass, captain! Now can you find that point
where we turn off the road to get into the rock corral?"

"Take the lines, Jim; I'll jump out and prospect. I used to know it well
enough."

Down the road the captain went stumbling afoot. Everything was rock,
bowlder and darkness now. The early morning wind was sighing through the
pines up the mountain side at the south. All else was silence.

Presently they heard him hail:

"Come on! Here we are!"

Jim touched up his wearied team and soon, under the captain's guidance,
was bumping up a little side trail. A hund