ave dropped it on his
late visit. It was equally improbable that Bill Tozer had anything to do
with it. He knew that both of the boys had paper and pencils with them,
for he had seen them figuring over some problems they were discussing,
and with a thrill of conviction he remembered that the paper they used
was of precisely the same pattern as the piece he held in his hand.

"The younker has been here, but what the mischief has become of him?"
and the mystified cowman looked right and left, on the floor and at the
roof, as if he suspected the youth was hiding in one of those places.

An explanation suggested itself. After taking the lad to the cavern, his
captor from some cause had changed his mind and transferred him to
another place of confinement.

No; there was another theory which would explain the mystery: it was
that Motoza, yielding to his implacable enmity of the youth, had placed
him beyond all reach of his friends. The spirit of revenge with an
American Indian is tenfold stronger than cupidity. It was not improbable
that the miscreant, having committed the unspeakable crime, was
concealing it from Tozer, his ally in the dreadful business.

The work of the cowman was finished for the time. He carefully let
himself down from the ledge to the rock immediately beneath, and began
working his way through the canyon to the opening at the break. His
familiarity stood him in as good stead as before, and he reached the
place without mishap. Climbing the steep slope to the higher ground, he
sat down for a few minutes' thought.

It was well into the night, and it was useless to attempt to do anything
more. He was as firmly resolved, however, as before not to be outwitted
by the ruffians with whom he was dealing. He would consent to no attempt
to pay them a ransom until he knew beyond peradventure that their part
of the contract would be fulfilled.

"If they try any crooked work," he muttered, with deadly earnestness,
"both of 'em have got to settle with Hank Hazletine."

He gave no thought to Jack Dudley, for he took it for granted that he
had been able to look out for himself during the day. Following the
route so well known to him, he reached the plateau within an hour after
the arrival of the youth, who had started a fire and was doing his best
to dry his clothing and gain some warmth for his chilled body.

It need not be said that the cowman was interested in the story told by
the youth, and was astonished be