his afternoon in order to
avoid the chance of passing Poyor on the way," he said impatiently,
"therefore the sooner we start the better."

"We are ready," Jake replied, and, after setting the fowls loose,
Cummings led the way through the underbrush, finding a path where the
others would not have believed any existed.

As if to prevent the boys from losing their interest in the search for
the Silver City, their guide continued to add to the story he had
already told, and during the long march but little else was talked
about.

Jake who was as excited as a man well could be, for he had no doubt but
that they could find large quantities of treasure where there would be
no difficulties in the matter of carrying it away, plied Cummings with
questions whenever the conversation lagged, and Neal had but little
opportunity to speculate upon the fate of his father.

Not until late in the night, when to Neal and Teddy it seemed as if they
could go no further, did the party halt, and during the last hour of the
march the utmost silence was maintained.

"It is absolutely necessary to avoid detection in case any of the
Indians may be in the vicinity," Cummings had said, "and we must move as
stealthily as if we knew positively they were waiting for us."

From that time no one spoke. The guide crept on at a slow pace, his
every movement copied by the remainder of the party, and on arriving at
the rendezvous he motioned the others to lie down, whispering as they
gathered around him:

"We are near the canoe, and it only remains to watch for Poyor, who
should be here by morning. I'll stand guard while the others sleep."

There was no thought of putting up anything in the shape of a shelter,
and the boys stretched themselves on the ground in the midst of a thick
clump of vegetation, Teddy whispering to Neal:

"If it is necessary to take such precautions as these before we are near
the city, we may expect pretty rough times before arriving at the
place."

"That's a fact, and I begin to wish we hadn't started. There is no
positive assurance we shall get through in time to take the next steamer
for home, and even Cummings himself can't say whether any of us will
ever come back."

"Do you want to give up the job now?"

"I'd be ashamed to do that, for it would look as if we were afraid; but
I'm sorry we agreed to the plan;" and Teddy replied heartily:

"So am I."

Jake had nothing to say; but whether his silence was caused by