Down the crevice toward the butte some object was moving. Sometimes it came out clearly, enormously magnified by the variation of heat radiation, and would seem about to be distinctly revealed in every detail to the observer; then its brilliancy would fade. On the whole, the moving object looked like some gigantic worm crawling along the rut made by a narrow-rimmed wheel. The reflection gave no detail below the ground level, because of a different layer of air there, but moving along the centre of this outlined crevice was the bobbing, disappearing, and reappearing object. “Don’t that git yer guessworks clogged, Buffler?” said Nomad, after a period of silent observation. “It certainly is a puzzler; call the rest of the boys and see what they think of it.” Before the mirage had faded the pards had seen the crawling thing reach the mirrored butte and disappear. “That’s not in the direction we travel,” said Hickok, “but I move we go out of our way a few miles to see if that picture was painted true.” “I second ther motion,” said Nomad. “It is moved and approved that we make a tour of investigation to satisfy our own curiosity,” said Buffalo Bill. “If that be your minds you will so vote.” All raised their hands and answered “Ay.” Breakfast was prepared and eaten and then the pards set off on a mission of inquisitiveness which led to one of the strangest adventures that ever befell either of the famous scouts. While the mirrored picture of the gash and butte represented the scene as not more than half a mile distant, after a ride of an hour the pards had seen nothing that looked like it. They had hardly expected to find the place much sooner and perhaps not at all, for, with the exception of Tootsie, they were familiar with the false reports of nature’s news sheet. Another hour and they had paused on the crest of one of the great prairie waves to study the surroundings, when Buffalo Bill, who was using a field glass, uttered an exclamation of surprise. The scout handed the glass to Wild Bill, who said: “By gorry!” Nomad reached for the glass and alter a moment’s study of a distant butte, let loose with: “Waal, by ther ring-tailed, rip-snortin’ heifercats! Wouldn’t thet make ye swaller yer gum?” It was Skibo’s turn, and after a moment the giant black man handed the glass to Tootsie and turned to Buffalo Bill. “Mars’ Billyum,” he said, “yer goin’ sabe de lil’ missy if it takes de las’ piece ob meat f’m ole Skibo’s bones to do it--ain’t dat so, Mars’ Billyum?” “She sees us and seems to think we are Indians, for she is running along the top of the mesa and now she drops out of sight!” cried the boy excitedly. The cause of the exclamations by the scout and his pards was the sight of a girl, or young woman, with long yellow hair floating in the wind, standing on the top of a high, perpendicular-sided butte, and, apparently, studying the landscape by peering under her hand.