ight," echoed Eph, following his leader's sentiments. "I
guess they haven't got any mortgage on it."

Viewed from the Wondership, the desert spread out below was a
wonderful panorama. Through it, like a deep wound, the Colorado cut
its way and far beyond were the pale, misty outlines of mountains. As
they flew onward, the character of the scenery began to change.

The river appeared to sink, while mighty walls, of most gorgeous
colors, cliffed it in. The rocks glowed with red and yellow and blue
like a painter's palate. But this was only in the deep canyon. On
either side the desert, vast and unlimited, stretched away grayly to
the horizon.

"It must have taken centuries for the river to have cut such a deep
valley," said Tom, looking down as they flew far above it.

"Some say that the river didn't cut it," said Zeb. "They claim that
there was a big earthquake or some sort of a shake-up, and that made
that big hole in the ground."

Below them they could see birds circling above the swiftly racing
waters flecked with white foam. So far no sign of land answering the
description of Rattlesnake Island had come in view. But several small,
isolated spots of land were encountered, and on one, which looked
something like Rattlesnake Island described on the map, they
descended.

The boys were delighted at the way the great Wondership settled down
into the canyon and then came to rest on the back of the island round
which the water rushed and roared. They scattered and ran about on it,
enjoying the opportunity to stretch their legs.

Jack, Tom and Dick took a rifle along with them and they were glad
they had done so, for as they made their way through a patch of brush
a beautiful deer sprang out and dashed off. Jack had the rifle at his
shoulder in a minute and the creature bounded into the air, as the
crack of the report sounded, and then fell dead.

The boy felt some remorse at having killed it, but he knew they would
be in need of fresh meat and some venison would be a welcome addition
to the ordinary camp fare. The boys carried the deer back and Zeb
skillfully skinned and quartered it. While he was doing this, the boys
speculated as to how the animal could have come to the island.

Zeb set their discussion at rest by explaining that it had probably
swum the rapids to escape a mountain lion or a lynx. He said that he
had often shot deer under similar conditions. As it was almost noon,
they decided to wait on the isl