motioned Jim to follow him. When they
had made their escape from the pocket, then Juarez spoke up.

"That was a close call that time, Jim," he said.

"You had me scared for a minute, Juarez," admitted Jim. "What's the
news? Those fellows were planning some devilment."

"They were," said Juarez. "They are going to attack our camp to-night,
when we are asleep. Kill us and take our horses and supplies."

"Oh! ho! Is that the ticket!" cried Jim. "I thought that rangy
Maverick with the stick-up hair was a bad actor. Forewarned is
forearmed. We will give that bunch a surprise party, but we will have
to hustle, for it's a long ways to our horses yet."

"I reckon we will have a couple of hours' leeway," said Juarez, "to
get things in some sort of shape."

"There will be plenty to do," said Jim briefly.

As they swung along down the mountain side, Jim's mind was busy with
plans of attack and defense. The two boys traveled like Indians with a
swinging, easy stride that covered a lot of ground. How they did revel
in the muscular exertion in that bracing air! It was fine to feel
themselves equal to their task. Around and before them the scene was
constantly changing.

Now they were going through the pine forests, then into a canyon's
depths with great walls that seemed to bear the blue skies above; next
along a narrow trail, with flowering bushes hiding a little creek
babbling a few feet below. Then, covered with dust, hands and faces
baked brown with it, they came to the grove where they had left their
horses tied.

"It seems kind of good," said Juarez, "to have a horse to carry you."

"I'm just tired enough to enjoy the change," said Jim.

"It won't take us long to reach camp now," remarked Juarez.

"Cut 'em loose!" yelled Jim, and with a raucous Indian warwhoop, they
let their willing horses go. I tell you that was a wild ride for
speed. Caliente thundered with great leaps over the level plain, and
not far behind scampered Juarez's roan. The boys at the camp on the
hill, hearing the clatter of horses' feet, knew that someone was
approaching, and looked out.

"Here they come like wild Indians!" exclaimed Tom.

"Somebody chasing them?" inquired Jeems anxiously.

"The same crowd that tied you, I reckon," said Tom, and, for some
reason unknown to Jeems, they went into fits of laughter. In a short
time Jim and Juarez were in their midst. They did not waste any time
in greetings and idle chaff. They made clear to the