together as to forbid the passage of a man, and the sides never
withdrawing more than a dozen feet.

"It looks as though it had been made on purpose," said Tim, gazing
around him in admiration.

Finally, it was broken up among the hills, after winding through every
point of the compass for fully an eighth of a mile. It gradually rose
from its commencement--occasionally interrupted by sharp ascents--until
its termination, when they found they had reached no mean elevation.

Still the rocks rose on every hand, and shut out their view of the
surrounding country, but showed them a specimen of the wild scenery
produced in California. The interior of the hills was cut up by chasms,
gorges and ravines, and they heard, but did not see, the rush of a small
stream of water.

They stood in silence a few moments and then Howard said:

"If he is lost in here there is no need of us looking for him."

"And why not?"

"We might search till we died of old age, and never find the least trace
of him."

"And might discover the poor youngster's body the first half-hour we
spint in looking."

This last remark caused Howard to start off at once, fully resolved not
to pause again in the search until compelled to do so.

Terror was constantly commanded to hunt for the trail of the boy, and
the dog appeared to understand what was expected of him, for he was
running constantly hither and thither, but never gave sign that he had
found anything positive.

This fact led Howard to doubt whether Elwood had preceded them in this
place. If he had really been here, he must have passed directly over the
spot upon which they were standing, and it seemed hardly possible that
the dog could miss the scent. So strong was he impressed with this that
he proposed to Tim O'Rooney to turn back and resume their search outside
the hills; but he was so sure that Elwood Brandon could never have
passed unentered such an inviting opening that he would not consent to
withdraw until they examined further.

Looking around they saw several paths by which they could enter the
wild, desolate-looking scene before them. Of course, it was all a matter
of chance whether they took the one which had been followed by their
lost friend. Tim affirmed that the one that looked the most dangerous
and uninviting was surely the right one; but Howard was hardly prepared
to admit this. Selecting the most accessible, they carefully followed it
for over an hour. In and out among