Part 17 (1/2)

”That's the point, Bob.”

”It sure beats everything how you can get on to these things, Frank.

Here I'm going to be a lawyer some day, so they tell me; and yet I don't seem to grab the fine points of this game of hide-and-seek as you do.”

”Oh! well,” Frank remarked, consolingly; ”a lawyer isn't supposed to know much about trails, and all such things. That comes to a fellow who has spent years outdoors, studying things around him, and keeping his wits on edge all the while.”

”I hope to keep on learning more and more right along,” said Bob.

”Here comes John Henry back, to tell us he has found a good place for camping to-night; so no more at present, Bob.”

It proved just as Frank had said. The guide declared that as the sun was low down, the canyon would soon be darkening; and they ought to make a halt while the chance was still good to see what lay around them.

Accordingly they made a camp, and not a great distance away from the border of the swirling river that rolled on to pa.s.s through all the balance of that wonderful gulch, the greatest in the known world.

They had come prepared for this, carrying quite a number of things along that would prove welcome at supper time. A cheery fire was soon blazing, and the guide busied himself in preparations for a meal; while the two boys wandered down to the edge of the river, to throw a few rocks into the current, and talk undisturbed.

”There are several other camps not far away,” remarked Frank. ”I could see the smoke rising in two places further on.”

”Yes,” added Bob, ”and there's one behind us too, for I saw smoke rising soon after we halted. Perhaps that may be Eugene's stopping place; eh, Frank?”

”I wouldn't be surprised one little bit. Just look at the river, how silently it pushes along right here. It's deep too; and yet below a mile or so it frets and foams among the boulders that have dropped into its great bed from the high cliffs.”

”And they do say some bold explorers have gone all the way through the canyon in a boat; but I reckon it must be a terrible trip,” Bob ventured to say.

”Excuse us from trying to make it,” laughed Frank; ”by the time we'd reach Mohave City, where that bottle was picked up, there wouldn't be much left of us. But let's go back to camp now. John Henry must have grub ready.”

Three minutes later he suddenly caught Bob's sleeve.

”Wait up!” he whispered. ”There's somebody talking to our guide right now; and say, Bob, don't you recognize the fellow?”

”If I didn't think it was silly I'd say it was old Spanish Joe, the cowboy we had so much trouble with on Thunder Mountain,” Bob declared, crouching down.

”Well, think again,” said Frank; ”and you'll remember that Abajo is his nephew!”

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”THERE'S SOMEBODY TALKING TO OUR GUIDE RIGHT NOW.”

_Saddle Boys in the Grand Canyon_ _Page 134_]

CHAPTER XV

THE TREACHEROUS GUIDE

”Why, of course he is,” declared Bob; ”and it looks as if our old enemies had cropped up again, to join forces with the new ones. That will make three against us; won't it, Frank?”

”The more the merrier,” replied the other, but Bob could see that he was inwardly worried over the new phase of the situation.

”Look at the way Spanish Joe is arguing with John Henry!” said Bob. ”The guide keeps pointing this way, as if he might be afraid we'd come back, and see him talking with Old Joe. Now they shake hands, Frank. Do you think any bargain has been struck between them?”