of
ten an echoing whistle sounded and a light flickered on the trail
ahead.

"J'get her?" bawled a voice, tremulous with fear and anxiety, and only a
breath ahead of another.

"Hell yes!" roared Hank. "Got Salezar, Don Jesu and Robideau, too; only
we left _them_ behind--with thar ears!"

In another moment Uncle Joe and Adam Cooper took the precious burden
from the Delaware's numbed arms, someone uncovered the lighted candle
lantern, and saddles were thrown on fresh mounts. The Pueblo pushed
forward and peered into Patience's face, and his own face broke into
smiles. His torrent of mixed Spanish and Indian brought a grin to Hank's
painted countenance.

"This hyar shore is good beaver," he chuckled, clapping the Pueblo on
the shoulder, "but thar's more good news fer _you_." He put his mouth
close to the Pueblo's ear and whispered: "Yer friend Salezar will be
leadin' a percession ter th' buryin' ground. That Delaware thar killed
him with his bare hands!"

The Pueblo touched Tom's arm, his hand passing down it caressingly, to
be seized in a grip which made him wince; and when Adam Cooper offered
him a handful of gold coins the Indian drew himself up proudly and
pushed them away.

"For his friends Pablo do what he can," he said in Spanish. "I now take
these horses back on the trail to make a puzzle in the sand that will
take time to read. Pablo does not forget. _Adios!_" He vaulted onto his
horse, took the lead ropes of the tired mounts, and was lost in the
darkness, eager to weave a pattern of hoof marks to mock pursuing eyes.

The little cavalcade pushed on, following a trail that wound along the
sides of the mountains, passing many places where a handful of resolute
men could check scores. The cold mountain air bit shrewdly, and
occasional gusts of wind blustered along the timbered slopes and set the
pines and cedars whispering. Higher and higher went the narrow trail,
skirting sheer walls of rock on one side, and dizzy precipices on the
other; higher and higher plodded the little caravan in single file,
following the unhesitant leader.

There came a leaden glow high up on the right. It paled swiftly as a
streak of silver flared up behind the jagged crests of the mountains,
here and there caught by a snow mantle to gleam in virgin white. On the
left lay abysmal darkness, like a lake of ink, and slowly out of it
pushed ranks of treetops as the dawn rolled downward and the mountain
fogs dissolved in dew. Deep can