climb."

On the way of course the three scouts had indulged in all sorts of
speculations concerning the cause of Colonel Kracker treating the son
of Jerry Rawson in such a scurvy way.

And after the subject had been thoroughly discussed, it seemed to be the
consensus of opinion that the boy must possess some map, or at least
some knowledge concerning the location of the hidden mine, which the
money-mad prospector, whose one idea in life nowadays seemed to be the
discovery of this rich silver lode, was trying to force him to give up.

"Anyhow," Giraffe had declared, with conviction in his voice, "I give
you my word now, that Aleck's been a Boy Scout, some time or other;
because he wouldn't a known how to wigwag that clever way if he hadn't."

Thad had come to the same conclusion some time before; and somehow the
idea gave him more or less satisfaction. How often was it being made
patent that the very fact of a boy taking up with the scouts might
prove one of the most valuable assets he could possess. If the boy on
the ledge--for they insisted on believing that this Aleck Rawson
_must_ be a fellow of perhaps their own age--had not known how to
communicate by means of the telegraphic code, he might have had
considerably greater difficulty in letting them know of his
predicament, and asking for immediate assistance.

Of course, there were plenty of knotty things that none of them
pretended to be able to explain; but then Thad felt sure all would be
made clear, once they had drawn the other up from his dangerous
position on that ledge, down along the face of the precipice, that had
been a cliff when they were below it.

Now and then they would come to a pause, it being necessary that the
guide take an observation, in order to locate their position. He had
several ways for doing this, and Thad, as well as Allan, understood
enough about them to know that Toby was "making good."

It was all so much Greek however to Giraffe, who fretted considerably
because there was any delay, the need of which he could not understand.

But in the end the guide announced that he believed they must now be
about over the identical spot from which the fire signals had come. A
dark void down below told where the great valley lay. The moon, about
in the full now, was hanging there just above the opposite range, and
lighting up their wild surroundings.

"Seems to me we ought to see him, if he's still there?" grumbled
Giraffe, just as thoug