ed the mind of their
leader, but the countenance of the guide was as blank as that of a
child.

"It's the worst tramp I ever had," remarked the parson, removing his
hat and mopping his forehead.

"If there's any harder work," added Ruggles, "count me out."

Captain Dawson looked angrily at Vose.

"Do you know the meaning of this?"

Vose shook his head and prevaricated still further by adding:

"Nor what you're driving at either."

"That dog has misled us; instead of conducting us to the couple he has
taken us away from them."

It was true and every one of the four knew it. The suspicion of the
guide had become certainty. Was it instinct or reason that controlled
the animal? Who shall draw the line in explaining many of the actions
of the brute creation?

Vose Adams was silent a moment and then emitted a low whistle.

"Hang me, if I don't b'leve you're right, captain. I've been told that
that dog knowed more than a good many folks and there ain't no doubt
of it now."

The disgusted parson exclaimed:

"Why didn't one of us think of that? The idea of all four being fooled
by a dog!"

"It wouldn't have been so bad if there had been two dogs," said
Ruggles, who saw the grim humor of the thing, "but it is tough to have
our eyes shet by only one."

It was impossible for Vose Adams wholly to restrain all evidence of
his pleasure. When in the depths of despair, he was awakened to the
fact that the canine had performed one of the most brilliant exploits
conceivable. He could not help smiling. The captain was in an ugly
mood and in a threatening voice asked:

"Did you have anything to do with this?"

"Certainly; me and Timon fixed up the thing afore he left Dead Man's
Gulch; it took us a good while; the dog didn't think it would work,
but I stuck to it and finally he promised to have a try at it;
certainly we fixed it up atween us."

The guide did a clever thing in thus turning the fantastic belief of
the captain into ridicule. Had he protested, he might have added to
the suspicion against himself. It was further in his favor that it was
known he had never had much to do with Timon. As already related, the
brute had few friends among the miners and Vose Adams never sought his
acquaintance.

Nevertheless, it was impossible to brush out of sight one significant
fact,--the long absence of Adams the day before. But for the last
occurrence, nothing would have been thought of the former, but it was
clear that C