y we shall close in, you see, covering roughly the greater part of
the territory."

"Then you think we shall find our man there?"

"I am sure he will get there eventually, provided he has not seen our
movements out there. He will go to the stream and from there he will
quickly locate our camp. Understand?"

"As far as it goes, yes. But what are we going to do if we find him?"

"Watch him. Find out what he is up to, then from that on be guided by
circumstances. But whatever you do, Ned, don't use your revolver
unless it be to save your own life."

"No, I'm not aching to shoot any one. Do you know, Tad, I'm thinking
you and I are biting off a bigger mouthful than we will know how to
chew?"

"We will manage it somehow."

"What do you think this fellow is trying to do?"

"It looked very much as if he were trying to kill us," smiled Tad.

"It did. But what for?"

"I have an idea the professor was right when he said the fellow mistook
us for some other party."

"And he's likely to do it again, if that's the case."

"He may have already discovered his mistake, Ned. You observe he hasn't
fired a shot since?"

Rector nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, we must be on the move. We don't want to be caught out here
after dark, you know, Ned. Remember, the right fork, where it enters
the hills, is the point we have agreed upon meeting. You will strike
the stream farther back, then follow it, but be very careful. Be an
Indian, Ned. If you are a white man you're likely to lose your
identity. We don't want to stop any bullets. Chunky has done quite
enough of that for one day."

"I'll watch out---never you fear, old man."

"Then here we go."

Tad crept silently away, hugging the base of the rocks so that it would
have been difficult for one at the top to have seen him at all Ned,
obeying his instructions, found a canyon up which he crawled, neither
boy making a sound. They had agreed upon the two-shot signal to call
each other, three shots being a warning to the rest of their party
that they were in need of assistance.

Neither lad saw or heard anything of a disturbing nature on his way out.
Ned found no difficulty in making his way into the range of mountains,
but as he proceeded and found no one there he grew more bold. Not that
he was particularly careless, but he unconsciously relaxed a little of
his former caution.

In the meantime Tad Butler had crept on past the place where the party
had first p