an leave some o' you here and the rest o' us
can strike out across the country for more supplies. It won't be so hard
comin' back as it will be goin'. We'll get some burros to carry the stuff
back for us and then they can go back with the drivers."

"If we don't do that what else can we do?" inquired Grant.

"Some of us can go down the river in the boat and then strike out for
Thorn's Gulch while the others are coming overland."

"It will take two days to do that," said Fred ruefully.

"And the other will take four and maybe five," retorted Zeke.

A marked difference of opinion appeared in the company, but at last it was
decided that Pete and John should go for additional supplies while all the
other members of the party were to remain where they then were.

Sharp directions were given by the departing Pete that no one should leave
the camp during his absence.

The Go Ahead Boys promised faithfully to follow his suggestion and within
an hour Pete, who was nearly as tall as John, and his companion had
disappeared from sight.

A renewed search for evidences of the men who had taken the boats was
made, and Zeke and Fred even went down the stream a mile vainly hoping
that they might find the boat stranded somewhere in the region. Their
search was unavailing and when they returned to the camp it was with a
fixed opinion that the sole solution of their difficulties was to be found
in patiently remaining in camp until Pete and John had made their long
journey across the desert.

That evening while they were seated about the campfire conversation turned
upon the mighty river near which they had found their resting place.

"Yes, air," Zeke was saying, "the first man an' about the only man that
ever went the whole length of the Colorado was Major Powell."

"Did he go in a little boat?" inquired Fred.

"Yes, he had four boats?" replied Zeke. "They were all small, but every
one was built for the voyage."

"Did he go alone?" inquired George.

"No. Nine men went with him."

"When was it?" asked Grant.

"In 1869. It took a lot of nerve to start on that trip too, let me tell
you. Even the Indians were afraid of the river and every one of them said
he didn't know really what the river was."

"What do you mean?" asked Fred.

"Why the redskins had all sorts of stories about the Colorado from the
place where the Grand and the Green join to make it. And they had a lot to
make them afraid, too. You see no one ever knew,