two places further on."

"Yes," added Bob, "and there's one behind us too, for I saw smoke rising
soon after we halted. Perhaps that may be Eugene's stopping place; eh,
Frank?"

"I wouldn't be surprised one little bit. Just look at the river, how
silently it pushes along right here. It's deep too; and yet below a mile
or so it frets and foams among the boulders that have dropped into its
great bed from the high cliffs."

"And they do say some bold explorers have gone all the way through the
canyon in a boat; but I reckon it must be a terrible trip," Bob ventured
to say.

"Excuse us from trying to make it," laughed Frank; "by the time we'd
reach Mohave City, where that bottle was picked up, there wouldn't be
much left of us. But let's go back to camp now. John Henry must have
grub ready."

Three minutes later he suddenly caught Bob's sleeve.

"Wait up!" he whispered. "There's somebody talking to our guide right
now; and say, Bob, don't you recognize the fellow?"

"If I didn't think it was silly I'd say it was old Spanish Joe, the
cowboy we had so much trouble with on Thunder Mountain," Bob declared,
crouching down.

"Well, think again," said Frank; "and you'll remember that Abajo is his
nephew!"

[Illustration: "THERE'S SOMEBODY TALKING TO OUR GUIDE RIGHT NOW."

_Saddle Boys in the Grand Canyon_ _Page 134_]

CHAPTER XV

THE TREACHEROUS GUIDE

"Why, of course he is," declared Bob; "and it looks as if our old
enemies had cropped up again, to join forces with the new ones. That
will make three against us; won't it, Frank?"

"The more the merrier," replied the other, but Bob could see that he was
inwardly worried over the new phase of the situation.

"Look at the way Spanish Joe is arguing with John Henry!" said Bob. "The
guide keeps pointing this way, as if he might be afraid we'd come back,
and see him talking with Old Joe. Now they shake hands, Frank. Do you
think any bargain has been struck between them?"

"I'm afraid it has," replied his comrade, gritting his teeth with
displeasure. "John Henry has sold us out, and gone over to the enemy for
cash. I saw him hide something in his pocket."

"Then what will we do about him?" asked Bob, clenching his fist, as if
it might give him considerable pleasure to take the treacherous guide
personally in hand, and teach him the needed lesson.

"That's easy," chuckled Frank. "We'll keep on guard to-night, and when
he sees how we hang to our guns he w