Beaver, nodding. "Yes; horses."

There was no mistaking the value of such a place, for there was secure
shelter for at least a hundred horses, and the entrance properly
secured--an entrance so narrow that there was only room for one animal
to pass through--storm or attack from the hostile Indians could have
been set at defiance.

"Supposing a town to be built here somewhere up the mountain, this great
enclosure would be invaluable," said Bart, and, hurrying back, he
fetched Joses to inspect the place.

"Ah, that's not bad," said the rough frontier man. "Why, Master Bart,
what a cattle corral that would make! Block the mouth up well, they'd
be clever Injuns who got anything away. Let's put the horses in here at
once."

"Do you think it is necessary, Joses?" said Bart.

"It's always necessary to be safe out in the plain, my lad," replied
Joses. "How do we know that the Injuns won't come to-night to look
after the men they've lost? Same time, how do we know they will? All
the same, though, you can never be too safe. Let's get the horses
inside, my lad, as we have such a place, and I half wish now we'd gone
up the mountain somewhere to make our camp. You never know when danger
may come."

"Horses in there," said Bart to the Beaver, and he pointed to the
entrance.

The chief nodded, and seemed to have understood them all along by their
looks and ways, so that when the horses belonging to the English party
were driven in that evening he had those of his own followers driven in
as well, and it was settled that Joses was to be the watchman that
night.

It was quite sundown when the Doctor returned, this time with Maude,
whom he had taken to be an eye-witness of his good fortune. Bart went
to meet them, and that glorious, glowing evening they sat in their
little camp, revelling in the soft pure air, which seemed full of
exhilaration, and the lad could not help recalling afterwards what a
thoroughly satisfied, happy look there was in his guardian's countenance
as he sat there reckoning up the value of his grand discovery, and
making his plans for the future.

Then came a very unpleasant episode, one which Bart hid from the Doctor,
for he would not trouble him with bad news upon a night like that; but
all the same it caused the lad intense annoyance, and he went off to
where Joses was smoking his _cigarito_ and staring at the stars.

"Tipsy! drunk!" he exclaimed. "What! Sam and Juan? Where could they
get