The Go Ahead Boys and Simon's Mine Part 27

"I don't just remember his name," said the guide demurely. "He said it though and that's enough."

"I'll do what you say," said Grant, as they both turned back to rejoin their companions.

Beckoning to Fred, after he had secured a bar of soap and taking with him a small pan of water, Grant led the way to the spot which the guide had indicated.

There, unseen by the others they thoroughly carried out the directions which Zeke had given them and in a brief time turned back to the camp.

"I guess we'll be goin' on, as we agreed," said the man with the scar when their simple repast had been eaten.

No one interposed any objections, and the two men, after Zeke had once more refused to restore the pistol which he had taken from them, arose and started toward the path which before they had followed when they had returned to the camp.

CHAPTER XXII

SPLIT ROCK

"Well, boys," said Zeke when the men had departed, "my advice to you is to watch out for those two fellows. I told 'em they would go in a hurry when they left camp. You watch 'em! There they are now!"

As he spoke the feet of each of their recent visitors suddenly flew out from under him and both men slid rapidly forward on their backs.

"Haw! Haw!" roared Zeke, who was seldom heard to laugh. "That's a good 'un! Come back here," he shouted, "and I'll pick you up!"

The Go Ahead Boys, however, did not wait for the men to rise. Running swiftly to the place where they had disappeared from sight they peered down the sloping side of the Gulch and saw both men still moving rapidly in their descent.

Apparently neither was in any special difficulty, although both were moving swiftly in their descent. They had gone down the shelving and soft side of the Gulch a hundred feet or more before either of them regained his footing. The man with the scar, who was in advance of his companion, first attempted to rise, but his effort was intercepted by his larger companion who slid against him with full force, again sending both men rolling down the cliff side.

Inasmuch as there was no special danger connected with their descent, for the ground was soft, the amus.e.m.e.nt of the Go Ahead Boys became keen. They laughed and shouted their words of approval, and Zeke's words were the loudest of all.

The two men, when at last they succeeded in regaining an upright position, turned and savagely shook their fists at the laughing party on the rim of the Gulch and then resuming their descent, continued on their way until both disappeared from sight.

"I'm thinkin'," said Zeke as the party returned to the camp, "that those fellows won't come back here again, at least in the daytime."

"If they come at night," suggested Fred, "it won't do us any good, I'm afraid."

"No more it won't," acknowledged the guide, "but if my plans work out, when they come back here we shall be gone."

"Did you find Tom's Thumb?" asked Grant

"We did," answered the guide quietly.

"You did?" exclaimed Grant. "If you had never seen it before how did you know it was the place for which you were looking?"

"You couldn't miss it," explained Zeke. "There's a stretch of rock there almost as big as a house that is shaped exac'ly like a man's fist, only the thumb stands straight up."

"Did it really look like a thumb?" inquired Fred excitedly.

"It did. We both saw it about the same time and there wasn't any mistaking it either."

"That's all right then," said Grant. "If we've found Two Crow Tree and Tom's Thumb then it ought not to be very hard for us to find Split Rock.

We know just about where it is placed, according to the map that Simon Moultrie drew."

"It's on the other side of the Gulch though," suggested George.

"You don't mean it?" exclaimed Fred laughingly. "What a wise chap you are." As Fred spoke Grant drew from his pocket the paper on which he had retraced the outlines of the map drawn by Simon Moultrie.

"In course we're not sure," said Zeke, "but we can get an idea about where to look."

"When shall we start?" asked Grant.

"First thing in the morning" replied the guide. "We wouldn't take any chances starting by night, though now that I've got that chap's revolver I'm thinkin' we wouldn't have anything very much to fear from him."

"But the other man may have a pistol," suggested George.

"That's right," acknowledged Zeke. "All the more reason for waitin' until mornin' afore we start."

"Well, there's one thing," laughed Grant, "and that is that we shan't try to go down the Gulch the same way those two men started."

"They did sit down hard, didn't they?" chuckled Zeke.

Again the Go Ahead Boys laughed at the recollection of the ludicrous sight presented by the two white men when they had unexpectedly started swiftly on their descent of the Gulch.

When the following morning dawned, the guides and the two Navajos were the first to be stirring in the camp. Before breakfast had been prepared, however, the Go Ahead Boys were awake and preparing for their expedition.

The packs were to be restrapped and all their various belongings secured.

This task was completed by the time breakfast was ready and when the boys seated themselves on the ground they were thoroughly ready to receive the food which Zeke and Pete now served them.

"Zeke," inquired Grant, "do you really think those two men found the claim which Simon Moultrie staked?"

"I don't really think so," answered the guide slowly, "but I shouldn't be surprised if they did."

"If they have got it," said Grant, "what can we do?"

"Nothin'."

"Do you mean to say that we can't claim it?"

"That's just what I mean. You can take up some other claims right close by if you want to, but first come first served."

"But that isn't their claim. It belonged to Simon Moultrie."

"Well, if it did," said Zeke dryly, "then I reckon they have as much right to it as we have."

"I hadn't thought of that," said Grant blankly. "However, I haven't much idea that old Sime ever filed his claim. If he didn't, why we stand as good a chance as any one. I do say," he added, "that the sooner we get started and the faster we go the less trouble we're likely to have."

"Then why don't we start right away?" demanded Fred as he leaped to his feet.