ntry and the winding road
lying before him in the bright sunshine. He could see every inch of the
way to Jarvis Pass, and when at last he lowered the glass he groaned
aloud: "My God! My God! There's not a living soul in sight."

[Illustration: "MY GOD! THERE'S NOT A LIVING SOUL IN SIGHT."]

CHAPTER IV.

ON THE WATCH.

For fully half an hour poor old Pike remained there at his post of
observation, every now and then vainly scanning the plateau through his
field glass. Meantime he was talking over the situation to himself. "The
jig is up now. I've got to go back to camp presently. I'll have to tell
them the captain is still away and that I have no idea where he has
gone. I might just as well make a clean breast of it and admit that
Manuelito has deserted and gone off with the mules, and that the old man
(for by this half-endearing appellative the soldiers often spoke of
their captain) is in pursuit. I don't suppose he found their trail until
broad daylight anyhow." Then he looked back towards the nook in which
his precious charges were doubtless impatiently awaiting his return. He
could just see the top of the ambulance over the ledge of rock that hid
it from the road. "Jim is just giving them his breakfast about this
time," he went on with his self-communion. "They could not eat another
mouthful if I were to go back now with my bad news. Better wait until
they've had a square meal before I tell them. They can bear it better
then."

Still the stout-hearted veteran would not give up hope. Again he swept
the road with his glass, searching wistfully for some little dust cloud
or other sign of coming horseman across the wide, open plateau, but all
was silence and desolation, and, at last, feeling that he must go back
to camp and get something to eat, he shouldered his rifle and went down
the hill, his heart heavy as lead.

Of course it was still possible for him to hitch up the team and make a
run for it, with Kate and the children, for Sunset Crossing, but he felt
confident that neither Kate nor little Ned would listen to such a
project if it involved leaving the captain behind. There was yet a
chance of his old commander's returning in time. Although he was not to
be seen anywhere over the twenty-mile stretch towards Jarvis Pass it was
all the more probable that he might have found Manuelito's trail leading
into the mountains north or south of the gorge in which they were now
hiding. The Mexican had long been