e said,"
replied his father. "Because, of course, he doesn't know anything about
Uncle Felix; and couldn't be interested in whether he is living or
dead."

"No," remarked Mr. Hinchman, "but the mention of a mine going a-begging
that is worth a comfortable fortune, like a million or two, would
interest Abajo. I know his type pretty well, and you can rest assured
that they're always on the lookout for easy money."

"But didn't it strike you, dad," ventured Frank, "that his excuse for
being under that window was silly?"

"Yes, because Abajo has always been able to understand, without asking
what he should do under such conditions. He wanted some excuse for
drawing near the open window, and he found it. Perhaps he's heard
something about the coming of Mr. Hinchman here, and the queer finding
of the bottle that floated down the Colorado for one or two hundred
miles. I spoke to the foreman, Bart Heminway, about it."

"When would you want us to make a start?" asked Bob, looking as though
he might be ready to jump into his saddle then and there.

"Oh! there is no such rushing hurry as all that," replied the cattleman,
laughing at the eagerness of the two lads. "Your horses are a bit off,
just now, and after all that fight in the wolf den you boys need a
rest."

"But when do we start?" asked Frank.

"Suppose you get ready to move in the morning," Colonel Haywood replied,
after reflecting a moment. "That will give me time to write a letter to
Uncle Felix, so that you can deliver it, if you're lucky enough to find
his Echo Cave; and at the same time you can make up your packs; for you
will need blankets, and plenty of grub along."

"Well, I reckon you're right, dad," admitted Frank; "only it seems as if
we might be losing valuable time. All the same we're going to do just
what you say. Now, if you haven't anything more to tell us, we'll just
skip out, and begin looking up some of the supplies for our campaign in
the Grand Canyon."

"Get along with you, then," laughed the ranchman. "I want to ask Mr.
Hinchman a few more questions that have occurred to me since you came
home. And, boys, grub will be ready in a short time, now, for there's Ah
Sin stepping to the door every little while, to look around and see if
the boys are in sight. You know what that sign means."

Frank and his chum went off, to make out a list of things they would
take along with them on the strange expedition upon which they were
about to start on t