leys and plains of Arizona.

"This'll do first-rate," said Bill: "only I'd like to know what thar is
at the lower eend of it."

"That's what we're gwine to look for. If ever we come back to work
that mine, Bill, what ranches we can lay out on that level beyond the
ruins!"

"Best kind. Raise 'most anything up thar."

No doubt of it; but now for some hours their minds and eyes were busier
with the pass before them than with either mines or farming.

"Not a sign yet, Bill, and we're getting well down. See them pines?"

"Off to the left? Hullo! Put for the pines, boys! We'll nab those
two! See 'em?"

"Coming right along up. All we've got to do is to 'bush our horses,
and let 'em git past us."

"Only two squaws."

The three miners dashed on a minute or so till they could turn aside
among the thick-growing cover of the forest.

They rode in a little distance, till they were sure they could not be
seen from the pass; then they dismounted, tethered their horses, and
slipped cautiously back to crouch among some dense bushes among the
rocks within a few yards of the path by which any one coming up the gap
must needs ride.

"We'll get 'em."

"Learn all we want to."

"Hullo, Bill, I can see 'em. That ain't all; thar's some kind of a
brave not fur behind 'em."

"I see. Only one. Well, we kin take him too."

"Take him! Bah! knock him on the head. I don't exactly like to fire a
gun just here."

"Old Skinner'd kill ye if ye gave that kind of warnin' to a crowd of
redskins."

"Mebbe there isn't any."

"You don't know. Safe not to make too much noise, anyhow."

They might have fired every cartridge they had and not been heard by
the Apaches in the valley; but there was no one to tell them so. At
the same time they felt perfectly safe to talk, for they were sure
there were no human ears near enough to hear them--so sure that they
talked aloud and recklessly.

Perhaps it would have been as well for them to have imitated Captain
Skinner, who hardly ever talked at all.

As it was, they had nothing to do but to wait, for their intended
captives were evidently in no sort of hurry, and were laughing merrily
as they loitered along the ravine below, picking berries here and a
flower there, and making a capital frolic of their morning ride.

Laughing, talking, thoughtless of all danger, and yet they were riding
on into the most terrible kind of a "trap."

How could any help reach them, if once they sh