Bob, perhaps if we could only manage to climb up there, we'd learn
something worth while. The question is, have we the nerve to try it?"

CHAPTER XII

LOSING THEIR BEARINGS

Bob chose to consider this a direct challenge.

"I expect that it would be queer if we didn't make some sort of effort
to find out what the light means. Where is it, Frank?" he remarked,
with perfect coolness.

"Well, it must have gone out while you were speaking, Bob, as sure as
anything," the other replied. "But I saw it, I give you my word I did.
Huh! there she comes again, just like it was before. Step over here;
the spur of the rock is in your way there. Now look straight up. Get
it?"

"Easy, Frank. A fellow might think it was a star, if he didn't know
the mountain was there. Now it's getting bigger right along."

"That's so, Bob. And yet it doesn't seem to be a fire, does it?"

"More like a lantern to me," declared the Kentucky boy. "Say, what
d'ye reckon anybody could want a lantern up there for? Can you see any
swinging motion to the light Frank?"

"It does seem to move, now and then, for a fact," admitted the other,
after watching the gleam for a short time.

"About like a brakeman might swing his lantern if he was on a freight
train in a black night, eh?" continued Bob.

"Hello! I see now what you're aiming at, Bob; you've just got a notion
in your head that the lantern is being used for signalling purposes."

"Well, does that strike you as silly?" demanded Bob Archer.

"Silly? Hum! well, perhaps not, because it may be the right
explanation of the thing. But whatever would anybody up there be
signalling for, and who to, Bob?"

"There you've got me," laughed the other. "I'm not so far along as
that yet. P'raps it might be one of the rustlers, telling something to
another of the same stripe, who is located in camp out yonder on the
plain. Then, again, how do we know but what it might be that Peg Grant
lot? And Lopez. Don't forget little Lopez, Frank. Prospectors could
have a lantern; in fact, I understand they often do carry such a thing
along with 'em when they go into the mountains to pan for dust in the
creek beds."

"So," said Frank, who evidently was doing considerable thinking.

They stood there for some little time, looking up at the light. Bob
was merely indulging in various speculations regarding its source. On
the other hand Frank busied himself in locating the strange glow, so
that h