and ride!"

With that he crashed into the cedar in a way that showed me how
impervious he was to slashing branches, sharp as thorns, and steep
descent and peril.

Wallace's big sorrel plunged after him and the rolling stones cracked.
Suffering as I was by this time, with cramp in my legs, and torturing
pain, I had to choose between holding my horse in or falling off; so I
chose the former and accordingly got behind.

Dead cedar and pinyon trees lay everywhere, with their contorted limbs
reaching out like the arms of a devil-fish. Stones blocked every
opening. Making the bottom of the ravine after what seemed an
interminable time, I found the tracks of Jones and Wallace. A long
"Waa-hoo!" drew me on; then the mellow bay of a hound floated up the
ravine. Satan made up time in the sandy stream bed, but kept me busily
dodging overhanging branches. I became aware, after a succession of
efforts to keep from being strung on pinyons, that the sand before me
was clean and trackless. Hauling Satan up sharply, I waited
irresolutely and listened. Then from high up the ravine side wafted
down a medley of yelps and barks.

"Waa-hoo, waa-hoo!" ringing down the slope, pealed against the cliff
behind me, and sent the wild echoes flying. Satan, of his own accord,
headed up the incline. Surprised at this, I gave him free rein. How he
did climb! Not long did it take me to discover that he picked out
easier going than I had. Once I saw Jones crossing a ledge far above
me, and I yelled our signal cry. The answer returned clear and sharp;
then its echo cracked under the hollow cliff, and crossing and
recrossing the ravine, it died at last far away, like the muffled peal
of a bell-buoy. Again I heard the blended yelping of the hounds, and
closer at hand. I saw a long, low cliff above, and decided that the
hounds were running at the base of it. Another chorus of yelps,
quicker, wilder than the others, drew a yell from me. Instinctively I
knew the dogs had jumped game of some kind. Satan knew it as well as I,
for he quickened his pace and sent the stones clattering behind him.

I gained the base of the yellow cliff, but found no tracks in the dust
of ages that had crumbled in its shadow, nor did I hear the dogs.
Considering how close they had seemed, this was strange. I halted and
listened. Silence reigned supreme. The ragged cracks in the cliff walls
could have harbored many a watching lion, and I cast an apprehensive
glance into their d