swarthy, sinewy bodies could be made out as they came bobbing at
their jog trot along the trail. "Twenty-five in that party at least,"
muttered Pike, "and coming for all they're worth. But what on earth are
they bunched so for? There seems to be half a dozen in a clump, right in
the middle of the road." Long and earnestly he studied them; a strange,
worried expression coming into his face. Then, just as he had done at
the rock, Pike wiped the glasses and his own eyes, and then gazed again.

"By heaven!" he muttered at last. "That's a prisoner, sure as fate, that
they are lashing and goading along ahead of them. Who on earth can it
be? Oh, God grant it isn't the captain!" Rapidly then he swept the
plateau southward, searching the foothills of the range south of the
Pass, his whole heart praying for some glimpse of horse and rider, but
it was all unavailing. Then, with one more look at the coming foe, poor
Pike turned, with almost a groan of misery and anxiety, gave "Gregg" one
touch of the spur and a flip of the reins, and away he flew at full
speed back to his duty at the Pass. One minute he reined in as he neared
the gorge to note the direction taken by Manuelito. There were the
tracks of the two mules, and running southward out across the open
plain, but the captain had turned south almost the instant he had got
out from among the foothills. His trail started parallel with the range.
Surely then he ought to have returned to camp by this time.

[Illustration: AWAY HE FLEW AT FULL SPEED.]

And now, as once again he neared the little fastness in the rocks, Pike
drew rein and rode at easy, jaunty lope down the Pass. He would not
alarm his charges by hoof-beat that indicated the faintest haste. When
he and "Gregg" came into view no one of the anxious watchers could have
dreamed for an instant that he had seen a horde of fierce Apaches
hastening to overtake them.

"Just as I thought," he sung out cheerily. "The captain went right down
the range to the south and the mules strayed off across the plateau, so
they missed each other and he won't come back till he gets them. It's
all right, but I expect he's pretty hungry by this time." Then,
springing from the saddle, he picked little Nell up in his arms:

"And now, baby, you want to see the beautiful house I found for you,
don't you? We'll all go up and take a look at it and have lunch up
there--and lots of fun--while we wait for papa." And then with a kiss he
set her down