Meanwhile John and Neal had returned from their tour of investigation. “Not a sign of Steve and not a horse on the place,” they reported. “It looks like horse thieves had been about,” said Neal to the other men, “whether Injuns or no we ain’t able to tell, but we lay out to chase after them and I reckon you boys don’t want to miss the fun.” “Who’s to stay with the gals?” asked one, turning to John. “I hadn’t thought about that part of it,” he acknowledged. “I suppose bein’ new to the country they’d be skeered to death to be left alone, and it mightn’t be safe nuther,” said the other. “They ain’t no war and the Injuns is quiet, if they will steal hosses,” said Ira Korner, unwilling to give up the prospect of the chase. “That’s so,” returned John. “Suppose we get old Pedro and his Greasers to stay till we get back. He’s a reliable old soul and as good-hearted a yellow-faced, skin-dried old Mexican as I ever met. Feed the men up well and give them nothing to do and they’ll be willing to camp out here for a week.” They hunted up the girls and made the proposition to them. “I don’t see why we need any one,” said Alison. “You will be back before night, you say, and I should think three women were as good as one man, and not one of you would hesitate to stay here alone.” “I should think if we three girls can’t look out for ourselves for a few hours we must be poor shakes,” put in Louisa. “Go, John. Do go. We shall not mind. I am sure Pedro will be an excellent protector,” was Christine’s comment. And so, after a conference with the Mexicans, John and Neal, in company with Ira Korner and Reub Blakely, started off, leaving the girls looking after them. The old Mexican grinned sociably at his charges and in slow halting speech tried to talk to them. “No is to distress the self, the yong lade. Is to return ver soon. Is wish me to make a useful at time all is depart,” he said. Christine, in whose eyes the tears were standing, turned to Alison who stood by smiling broadly. “Can you make out what he is trying to say?” she asked. “Why yes, I think I know what he means. We are not to distress ourselves. They will be back soon and then it will be all right. In the meantime he will make himself useful.” “You are cleverer at translating than I am,” acknowledged Christine. “I wish they did not need to go.” “The best thing for us to do is to get to work,” said Alison. “The time will pass much more quickly if we do. There is no use in our sitting still and moping. Besides we want to make the place comfortable as soon as possible.” “But if I only knew what had become of Steve,” said Christine wofully. “Suppose the Indians should have captured him. Suppose they should be torturing him.” “Nonsense,” said Louisa briskly. “I don’t believe a word of that. You heard Mr. John say that he had probably gone to a neighbor’s and they’ll easy find him. Don’t get yourself all worked up, Miss Tina. It ain’t as if it were Mr. John, your own brother.”