it. Yes, I think I'd better."

It was easy to bring old Two Knives to another conference, and he
received his message with an "Ugh!" which meant a good deal. He had
questions to ask, of course, and the Captain gave him as large an idea
as he thought safe to give of the strength and number of the Apaches.

"Let 'em come, though. If we stand by each other we can beat them off."

"Not wait for Apaches to come," said To-la-go-to-de. "All ride after
them to-night. Pale-faces ride with Lipans."

That was a part of the agreement between them, but it had not been any
part of the intention of Captain Skinner.

"We're in for it, boys," he said, when he returned to his own camp and
reported. "We must throw the redskins off to-night. It's time for us
to unload that wagon. We're close to the Mexican line. Every man must
carry his own share."

"Guess we can do that."

"I don't believe we can. It'll be as much as a man's life's worth to
be loaded down too much, with all the riding we've got before us."

"We won't leave an ounce, if we can help it."

"Well, not any more'n we can help."

It was strange sight, a little later, the group those ragged,
weather-beaten men made around their rescued wagon, while their leader
sat in front of it, with a pair of scales before him.

"Some of the dust is better than other some."

"So are the bars and nuggets."

"Can't help that," replied Captain Skinner. "Everything's got to go by
weight. No assay-office down in this corner of Arizona."

So it was gold they were dividing in those little bags of buckskin that
the men were stowing away so carefully. Yellow gold, and very heavy.
Pockets, money-belts, saddle-bags, all sorts of carrying places on men
and horses, were brought into use, until at last a miner exclaimed,

"It's of no use, boys. I don't care to have any more load about
me--'specially if there's to be any running."

"Or any swimming," said another.

"Swimming! I've got enough about me to sink a cork man."

"And I've got all I keer to spend. Enough's as good as a feast, I say."

One after another came to the same opinion, although Captain Skinner
remarked,

"We're not taking it all, boys. What'll we do with the rest?"

"Cache it. Hide it."

"For the Lipans to find the next day? No, boys; we'll leave it in the
wagon, under the false bottom. That's the safest place for it, if any
of us ever come back. No redskins ever took the trouble to haul a
wa