around by the fire and dropped a few pine cones on it.

"Wouldn't you kind of like to see that old mine you deserted, Jim?" Jack
queried. "Suppose there is any change in it? Maybe it has turned out to
be a really valuable claim since your day and you have never heard of
it."

Jim shook his head, but Jack saw that she had lighted the fires of
desire in his soul. "Maybe I will walk over toward the old spot just to
see what the scenery is like, when I finish my work," Jim admitted, a
few minutes later, and his admission spelt defeat.

An hour after, Jim Colter and Jack Ralston set out with their rifles
over their shoulders and their pockets stuffed with provisions, to find
Jim's unlucky mine. Little brown Carlos followed them like a persistent,
though distant shadow. He had been ordered by Jim to stay near the tent,
water the horses and make himself generally useful, for Jim did not
believe that he and Jack could get back from their fool's errand before
bedtime. Of course, Jim did not consider that the girls he left behind
would get into danger or mischief in his absence, or he would never have
gone; but they had met with no rough characters on their journey and the
country seemed perfectly safe. Neither Ruth nor Olive nor Jean objected
to being left alone; indeed, they were rather glad to get rid of the man
of their party for a little while. Ruth was worried only for fear Jack
would get overtired from her long walk; she did not dream that any other
trouble might befall her with Jim as her escort.

"Slow but sure, Jack. Remember, you promised to trust to my judgment on
this trip," Jim suggested kindly, when after several miles of travel
Jack showed no signs of fatigue.

"All right, I remember," Jack answered obediently. "Let's sit down."

The two travelers had reached the deep gorge which they had seen from
their tent, and Jim recalled that the trail to the old mine had followed
this ravine for a part of the way and then branched off across country
to the west.

Jack's sudden backward glance caught sight of a moving figure behind
them. In a moment she recognized Carlos and wondered what Jim would say
to him, for she knew he could be pretty fierce and savage when he was
disobeyed.

"There's Carlos," Jack pleaded meekly; "don't be hard on him."

"I've known he was after us for the last half hour," Jim replied curtly.
"Carlos, come here."

Carlos had been creeping along through the grass in Indian fashion, but
now