"Laddy, it's harder to get out at that end than here," he replied.

"Shore that's hard enough. Let me have a look.... Well, boys, it don't
take no figgerin' for this job. Jim, I'll want you at the other end
blockin' the pass when we're ready to start."

"When'll that be?" inquired Jim.

"Soon as it's light enough in the mornin'. That Greaser outfit will
hang till to-morrow. There's no sure water ahead for two days, you
remember."

"I reckon I can slip through to the other end after dark," said Lash,
thoughtfully. "It might get me in bad to go round."

The rangers stole back from the vantage point and returned to their
horses, which they untied and left farther round among broken sections
of cliff. For the horses it was a dry, hungry camp, but the rangers
built a fire and had their short though strengthening meal.

The location was high, and through a break in the jumble of rocks the
great colored void of desert could be seen rolling away endlessly to
the west. The sun set, and after it had gone down the golden tips of
mountains dulled, their lower shadows creeping upward.

Jim Lash rolled in his saddle blanket, his feet near the fire, and went
to sleep. Ladd told Gale to do likewise while he kept the fire up and
waited until it was late enough for Jim to undertake circling round the
raiders. When Gale awakened the night was dark, cold, windy. The
stars shone with white brilliance. Jim was up saddling his horse, and
Ladd was talking low. When Gale rose to accompany them both rangers
said he need not go. But Gale wanted to go because that was the thing
Ladd or Jim would have done.

With Ladd leading, they moved away into the gloom. Advance was
exceedingly slow, careful, silent. Under the walls the blackness
seemed impenetrable. The horse was as cautious as his master. Ladd did
not lose his way, nevertheless he wound between blocks of stone and
clumps of mesquite, and often tried a passage to abandon it. Finally
the trail showed pale in the gloom, and eastern stars twinkled between
the lofty ramparts of the pass.

The advance here was still as stealthily made as before, but not so
difficult or slow. When the dense gloom of the pass lightened, and
there was a wide space of sky and stars overhead, Ladd halted and stood
silent a moment.

"Luck again!" he whispered. "The wind's in your face, Jim. The horses
won't scent you. Go slow. Don't crack a stone. Keep close under the
wall. Try to get