eroding action of the angry
waters, but the suggestion of a living person was so striking that the
two called their spy-glasses into use.

The result was astounding. Instead of being an Indian, as they had
believed at first, it was a white man. Furthermore, the instruments
proved beyond question that he was their old friend, Hank Hazletine.

"What in the name of wonder is he doing down there?" exclaimed the
amazed Jack.

"Standing on a rock," was the reply. "He finds some amusement in that,
or he wouldn't do it."

"He must have entered at the mouth of the canyon, which cannot be far
off."

"That may be so. The sides are so broken and rough that he could use
them for stairs in going down or coming up."

"Whew!" exclaimed Jack, with a shudder; "the thought scares me. I
wouldn't undertake it for the world! Suppose, when you had picked your
steps half-way down, you couldn't find a place to rest your hands or
feet; or, in climbing up, you should be stopped within a yard or two of
the top?"

"It would be the end of the chapter for us; but Hank knows the country
so well that he is in no danger of making such a mistake; but none for
us."

In the hope of attracting the notice of their friend the boys shouted to
him, but the roar of the waters was in the ears of the hunter, who would
not have heard the boom of a cannon fired on the cliffs above. He did
not look up or give any heed to their hail. Fred thought of throwing
down a piece of rock, but it was too dangerous. It was liable to be so
deflected from its course as to kill the unsuspicious hunter, who had
assumed great risk as it was.

"Do you see that?" asked Jack.

The question was caused by the action of Hank, who made a leap that
carried him to the top of the boulder nearest him. Then he sprang to a
second and a third, when, to the astonishment of the watchers, he
disappeared.

The reason was apparent. After his last leap he had passed under a
projecting ledge, from which, of course, he would emerge whenever he
chose to do so. But, though the boys watched for a considerable time, he
did not appear; and, realizing that the afternoon was drawing to a
close, they rose to their feet, with the purpose of pushing on to camp.

But to do that they must find a place where the canyon could be crossed,
and they set out on their hunt, which proved less difficult than was
anticipated. Not far off a portion of the rocks on their side projected
like a tongue so far over