" said Jim, "that we are going
to find that mine pretty soon now."

"We ain't more than one day's ride from the section where it is," said
Jeems.

"I'm going to look for a new trail this afternoon," said Jim. "You
boys can work around home."

"It's about time those mules and horses had some water," remarked
Juarez.

"Think it's safe?" inquired Jo.

"To make sure, I'll take a gallop up the valley a ways," said Jim, "to
see if they have cleared out."

"That's the idea," agreed Juarez. "I'll take the creek side on my
roan."

In five minutes they were mounted and galloped off, Jim scouting along
the mountain slope and Juarez taking the other side. They met at the
end of the valley where the trail started up the big canyon. Here they
dismounted and examined the ground carefully.

CHAPTER XXVIII

A NEW START

"They have vamoosed all right," announced Juarez after examining the
trail.

"The whole pack of 'em, too," affirmed Jim.

"Perhaps we can get a view of them," added Juarez.

"We will hitch our horses here," remarked Jim, "and try a squint up
the trail from that grove yonder."

This they did, and from their point of vantage they were able to see a
part of the trail, two miles distant, where it curved around a
shoulder of the mountain.

"Maybe they have got beyond that point," suggested Jim.

"Hardly," replied Juarez. "That's a long steep climb up there. They
will have to go slow if any of 'em are hurt."

The boys waited a few minutes with eyes intent upon the trail. Then
they saw a man on horseback ride into view, then another and another,
until seven had gone round the shoulder of the mountain.

"That isn't all," said Jim, "there's three missing."

"Maybe that Gus Gols is knocked out," said Juarez.

"It begins to look like it," said Jim.

"There they come," cried Juarez. "He is hurt some, for it takes two
of his men to hold him on his horse."

"They are not likely to bother us now then," said Jim, "but all the
same I am going to see if we cannot find a safe way around."

"All right, Jim," agreed Juarez. "I will go back to camp and look
after things."

So they separated. Towards evening Jim came riding into camp, with
Caliente showing the effects of a hard climb. Jim dismounted rather
wearily.

"Well, what luck?" inquired the boys.

"There is a way around," he said. "It's tough in places, but we can
make it all right."

"We ought to get an early start," said Juarez.

"You a