s,
for the hostile Apaches made it lively enough, compelling us to build
a defensible post and look well to the protection of our stock. A few
years later a large force, occupying many posts, found it difficult to
maintain themselves against those Indians, so it cannot seem strange
to the reader that our small garrison of a hundred soldiers should
find it difficult to do much more than act on the defensive. Close
confinement to the reservation chafed the boys.

A ride to Prescott, two miles distant, was the longest the boys had
taken alone. Two weeks before this chapter opens they had been invited
to dine with Governor Goodwin, the Governor of the Territory, and he
had made their call exceedingly pleasant. When, at an advanced hour in
the evening, the boys took leave of their host and went to the stable
for their horses, they found them gone, with their saddles and
bridles.

Inquiries made next day in town elicited the information that two
notorious frontier scamps, Texas Dick and Juan Brincos, an American
and Mexican, were missing, and it was the opinion of civil and
military authorities that they had stolen the ponies. The boys took
Vic to the Governor's, and, showing her the tracks of her equine
friends, she followed them several miles on the Skull Valley trail. It
was plainly evident that the thieves had gone towards the Rio
Colorado.

After supper I accompanied the commanding officer to his quarters. He
told me that the express had brought him a communication from the
department commander, stating that, since Arizona had been transferred
to the Department of the Pacific, our stores would hereafter be
shipped from San Francisco to the mouth of the Rio Colorado, and up
that stream by the boats of the Colorado Steam Navigation Company to
La Paz. He said he had decided to send me to La Paz to make
arrangements with a freighter for the transportation of the supplies
from the company's landing to Fort Whipple.

"And while you are in La Paz," said the captain, "look after those
horse-thieves, and turn them over to the civil authorities; but,
whether you capture them or not, be sure to bring back the boys'
ponies."

"What do you think about allowing the boys to go with me?"

"No doubt they would like it, for life has been rather monotonous to
them for some time, especially since they lost their horses. Think it
would be safe?"

"No Indians have been seen on the route for some time."

"The 'calm before the storm