, Captain. Hope we can ride together often
enough for me to hear about the old Apache days. This land has fetched
out three generations of us, so it surely has some pull! My father
came at the end of his race, but I've come in time to grow up with the
country."

Captain Pike looked at him and chuckled. K. Rhodes was about
twenty-three, tall, almost boyish in figure, but his shoulders and
hands suggested strength, and his mouth had little dents of humor at
the corners to mitigate the squareness of jaw and the heavy dark
brows. His black lashes made the deep blue of his eyes look purple.
Young he was, but with a stature and self-reliant manner as witness
of the fact that he was fairly grown up already.

"Where'd you learn horses, Bub?"

"Tennessee stock farm, and southern California ranges. Then this neck
of the woods seemed calling me, and I trailed over to look after a bit
of land in Yuma. I wasted some time trying to break into the army, but
they found some eye defect that I don't know anything about--and don't
more than half believe! I had some dandy prospecting plans after that,
but there was no jingling in my pockets--no outfit money, so I hailed
Singleton as an angel monoplaned down with the ducats. Yes sir, I had
all the dream survey made for a try at some gold trails down here,
going to take it up where the rest of the family quit."

"You mean that, boy?" The old man halted his mule, and spat out the
tobacco, staring at Rhodes in eager anticipation.

"I sure do. Reckon I've inherited the fever, and can't settle down to
any other thing until I've had one try at it. Did do a little placer
working in the San Jacinto."

"And you're broke?" Mr. Pike's voice betrayed a keen joy in the
prospect.

"Flat," stated K. Rhodes, eyeing the old gentleman suspiciously, "my
horse, saddle, field glass, and gun are the only belongings in
sight."

"Ki-yi!" chirruped his new acquaintance gleefully, "I knew when I got
out of the blankets this morning I was to have good luck of some sort,
had a 'hunch.' You can bet on me, Bub; you've struck the right rail,
and I'm your friend, your desert _companero_!"

"Yes, you sound real nice and friendly," agreed K. Rhodes. "So glad
I'm flat broke that you're having hysterics over it. Typical southern
hospitality. Hearty welcome to our city, and so forth, and so forth!"

The old man grinned at him appreciatively. "Lord boy!--I reckon I've
been waiting around for you about ten year, tho