He knew he had turned to
the right when he left the crest of the ridge, after which there had
been no glimpse of him.

"But he made for a point over yonder," reflected Jack, "and there I'll
search for him."

This was exceedingly indefinite, but it was better than standing idle.
The antelope had long since vanished, and there was no need of care in
his progress--rather otherwise, since he desired to attract the notice
of his friend. Jack broke into a loping trot, emitting the familiar
signal so often used by both, calling his name, and even firing his
rifle in air; but there came back no response, and his fears deepened.

Jack was in the mood to be unjust.

"I don't understand Hank Hazletine's action. He sets out to take us on a
hunt among the mountains, and then goes off and leaves us alone. Why
doesn't he stay with us? If he had done that, this never could have
happened. Fred and I can generally take care of ourselves, but we are
not used to this plagued country, which I wish neither he nor I had ever
set foot in."

CHAPTER XIV.

MISSING.

The minute quickly arrived when Jack Dudley could no longer doubt that a
great misfortune had befallen his comrade, Fred Greenwood.

In the anguish of anxiety Jack's imagination pictured many mishaps that
might account for the disappearance. He must have heard the report of
the elder's Winchester, and, since Fred's attention was centred upon the
herd of antelope, he could not fail to know that his friend had secured
one of them for their evening meal. The only thing to prevent his
hastening to join Jack must have been his inability to do so. There was
the remote possibility that his accident had been of a nature that
involved no one else--such, for instance, as sudden illness, though Jack
had never known anything like that to overtake his friend.

All that the youth could do was to attempt to follow the route that Fred
had taken when he set out to place himself on the other side of the
game. It was guesswork to trace his footsteps, but the elder youth made
the effort. When he had progressed half the distance, however, he
paused, convinced that his labor was utterly useless. He called to Fred,
repeated their familiar signals and fired several charges in air, with
no more response than at first.

"He has been either killed or carried off by a party of Indians," was
the conclusion that forced itself upon him.

And with this conviction came the certainty that it wa