int of the pass, and the artesian water at the desert
ranch on the other side, they would be well supplied for the remainder
of the trip.

Before noon they were entering the pass and moving up the steep ascent
into cooler atmosphere, and light, invigorating air, scented with the
breath of pines and junipers.

Hiram Hooker was lazing on his high seat, dreaming and watching his
leaders, when from behind came the familiar call:

"Who-hoo!"

He turned his face back toward the mistress of the ten gigantic whites.

"Who repaired the road back there?" she shouted.

"I don't know," Hiram called back. "I can't remember that we stopped
there."

"We didn't. Some one else has done that. Keep your eyes open, Gentle
Wild Cat."

Hiram did this, and presently began to see ruts had been filled in
repeatedly and the marks left by boulders that had been snaked to the
edge of the precipice and allowed to thunder down a canon.

This continued all the way to the summit, where they camped for a late
nooning beside the mountain lake.

When they took up the journey again, and had reached a point half a
mile beyond the lake, came upon a lone touring car and a little camp.
Frequently now Hiram looked back, to see perplexity and worry on the
usually placid brow of Jerkline Jo. A half mile beyond the camp they
found seven men working with ax and pick and shovel, repairing the road.

Jo set the heavy brake and called to her ten to stop. Hearing her
command, Hiram also halted his blacks. The rest of the skinners moved
on slowly down the mountain, looking back for Jo's signal for them to
stop. She gave none, however, so they continued on.

"Who is repairing this road, please?" Jo called from her wagon to a
group of men.

One of them approached her a few steps. "Fella called Drummond," he
replied.

"Isn't he the automobile-truck man from San Francisco?"

"Yeah."

"Is he here?"

"No, ma'am. He come to Julia and got us to come over here in a machine
and go to work, and he went back to Los Angeles, I think. Said he'd be
out in a day or two."

"Thank you," said Jo, and threw off her brake.

There was no good opportunity for Hiram to talk over this matter with
her until they had left the mountains and were in camp at the desert
ranch. "I don't quite like it," Jo said then. "It seems that Mr.
Drummond should have come to me in this matter, and if the road needed
repairing to the extent that he is doing it we should share