The Go Ahead Boys and Simon's Mine Part 24

"Never you mind your Uncle John!" declared that worthy individual. "I shall be ready before you are."

Whether or not it was the rivalry of the boys that caused them to rise early the following morning is not known, but the sun had not yet appeared above the eastern horizon when after a breakfast, prepared by Zeke and Pete, the Go Ahead Boys, together with the guides and the two Navajos, who now by common consent had become members of the party, once more began their search for the claim which Simon Moultrie had staked.

CHAPTER XX

TWO CROW TREE

The party was compelled to move somewhat slowly as Fred and George had not yet entirely recovered from their recent experiences. Their spirits, however, were high, and in the bracing air of the early morning the troubles of the preceding night were forgotten.

Zeke and Thomas Jefferson led the way while Pete and the other Navajo formed a rear guard. The packs had been rearranged so that now the burdens were lighter for every one. Indeed, the loss of the pack which their white visitor had taken had made the guides somewhat anxious concerning the outlook for supplies. A journey of one hundred miles at least would be required to obtain fresh provisions and at least a week would be necessary if one of the guides should be sent to obtain them. There might be difficulty too in bringing in the supplies even if they should be obtained.

In a measure the boys reflected the feeling of their leaders, but their confidence in the speedy outcome of their quest was keen and as a consequence other things were ignored or forgotten.

As the morning waned the conversation lagged somewhat and the hour was near when they planned to stop for their noonday meal and rest. They were now walking along the rim of the great Gulch. Their pathway had led upward and indeed there were places immediately below them where it was more than doubtful if they would be able to proceed.

At a sudden sharp call from Zeke the remaining members of the party hastened forward to the place where the guide was standing.

"Look ahead of you," said Zeke. "Do you see anything?"

"I see rocks and the rim of the Gulch, plenty of sand and lots of sky,"

replied Fred glibly.

"Look along the rim," suggested Zeke, ignoring the flippant manner of the Go Ahead Boy. "What do you see about a mile ahead of us?"

"I don't see anything different from what I said," laughed Fred.

The other boys, however, were silent for a time while they peered intently in the direction indicated by the guide.

Suddenly Grant said in a low voice, "Zeke, do you mean that tree yonder?"

"That might be it," replied the guide.

As he spoke two large, black birds suddenly arose from a branch of the distant tree and flying lazily disappeared beneath the rim of the Gulch.

"That's it!" exclaimed John eagerly. "That's it! That's the tree Simon Moultrie marked out in his diary. Zeke," he added excitedly, "isn't that the Two Crow Tree?"

"It may be," replied Zeke.

"Then let's go ahead and not stop until we get there. It isn't more than a mile or two away, is it?"

"About that," replied Zeke.

The suggestion of the Go Ahead boy was at once adopted. The entire party increased their speed and rapidly moved forward.

Twenty minutes had elapsed when they stood beneath the tree which had been discovered by Zeke.

"What kind of a tree is it?" inquired Fred.

"It's a Two Crow Tree," retorted George glibly.

"I wish I was dead sure of that," spoke up Zeke.

"Don't you think it is?" demanded Grant.

"Yes, I think it is, but of course I can't be sure."

"What shall we do now?" demanded Fred.

"Cook our dinner here and decide what we'll do next."

As soon as the simple meal had been prepared the young prospectors were summoned to the repast. Their interest was so keen, however, in the tree under whose branches they were seated that all the Go Ahead Boys were ready to declare that the first landmark indicated by Simon Moultrie had been found.

"The only thing for us to do," said Zeke after he had listened to all that the boys had to say, "is for Thomas Jefferson and myself to leave you here while we go ahead to see if we can find anything that looks like Tom's Thumb. If we find it then we may be pretty sure that we're on the right track."

"How will you know?" inquired John.

"Have to use our common sense," said the guide sharply.

"Did you ever see Tom's Thumb?"

"If I did I didn't know it by that name," said Zeke. "What do you boys think we had better look for?"

"I say a rock shaped like a man's thumb," said Fred.

"I don't," spoke up John. "What I would look for would be a place in the mountains ahead."

"I suggest a formation in the rim of the Gulch," said George.

"What do you say?" demanded Zeke as he turned to Grant.

For some reason the guide manifested greater confidence in the judgment of Grant than in the opinions of the other boys.

"It seems to me," said Grant slowly, "that I should be on the lookout for all of them. I'm inclined to think, however, that if you find it, it's likely to be something in the shape of the ground that makes one think of a man's thumb."

"Don't none of you boys stir from this tree," ordered Zeke abruptly. "Jeff and I will go ahead and--"

"For a time you'll be the Go Ahead Boys," laughed Fred.

"I don't care much 'bout what you call us, but if we can get there you'll hear from us before a great while."

The interest of the Go Ahead Boys was still keen after the departure of the guide and the Indian. Silently they watched the two men as they steadily proceeded on their way until at last they were lost to sight by an elevation around which they were making their way.

"Soc," asked John, "why do you suppose there were two crows in that tree?"