sands, of heavy grey stones lay scattered
widely about over the sandy slope.

"Well, I can see them; stones, looking as if a mountain had crumbled all
away in an earthquake, or in some volcanic explosion which had shattered
it all to pieces."

"No, no," said Ned huskily; "not there. More to the left. It is that
tree I mean."

"Tree? There's no tree there."

"Yes, that great one that was turned over in the earthquake, and all of
the trunk and top buried in the stones."

"I say, my lad," said Griggs anxiously, "has the heat been too much for
you?"

"Yes, it made my head ache."

"That's it, then. Made you fancy you can see a tree upside down."

"'Tisn't fancy," said Ned huskily. "I can see plain enough, but it
isn't natural. It's all alive, and the roots are twisting and twining
about as if the tree was alive and in pain."

"Here, don't stare at it. Shut your eyes for a bit, my lad. I'll take
your mustang's rein."

"But I must look at it," cried Ned excitedly. "I can't help it.
Horrid! Here, you two are not looking the right way."

"I'm looking at you, my lad," said Griggs kindly.

"And so are you, Chris. Don't--please don't. Look there; I want you to
see what it means."

"Ugh!" gasped Chris, as he turned his eyes in the direction pointed out
by his companion, and that which he saw then was evidently seen now by
his nag, which started violently, and but for the tight hand the lad had
upon the rein it would have dashed off.

"Here, have you got it too?" cried Griggs. "There, sit still till the
water-kegs come up, and you must have a drink apiece. The sun has been
too much for you, and--"

He said no more, but sat staring in one direction with his mouth wide
open and his eyes seeming ready to start out of his head.

"Hallo, here! hallo!" cried the doctor, cantering up, closely followed
by Wilton and Bourne, leaving their position in the rear unguarded.
"What's the matter--the boys taken ill?"

"Snakes," cried Griggs hoarsely. "Look yonder."

Griggs' words were unnecessary, for the doctor's eyes had lighted upon
the extraordinary sight that had startled Ned into his wild
announcement.

The next moment his companions had grasped the phenomenon, and had hard
work to keep their mounts from dashing frantically away.

For about a hundred yards from them, half-hidden among the stones, was
something which pretty well warranted Ned's comparison to a tree turned
wrong way up, so that only its