"There are my marks," exclaimed the younger of the chums, pointing to the branches he had broken. But no one paid him heed, for with the arrival at the hills the serious work began and the ranchmen were busy issuing instructions. CHAPTER XXIV CAPTURING THE CATTLE THIEVES As they wound in and out among the hills and rocks, now ascending, now going down steep pitches, the silence of their surroundings and the realization that they were bent on a dangerous mission sobered the boys and few words did they speak. Once or twice the line halted as the leaders heard some sound that roused their suspicions, and several times Sandy and Nails dropped back. But nothing untoward occurred, and late in the afternoon they descended into the valley that was the headquarters of the raiders. "We're in time; there's no one here," announced Lawrence after an examination of the ground for fresh horse or cattle tracks. Remembering their guide's statement about the cliff on which the lookout was posted when the raiders were at the mine, die boys sought it with their eyes. But though they scanned both sides of the mountains, all they could see was trees. Horace was on the point of mentioning the fact when the word was passed back to dismount, and, leading their horses, they were soon within the protection of the woods. "Any of the ponies likely to whinny?" asked Lawrence as they halted in a glen. "Yes, Blackhawk," answered Horace. "It was he that gave warning of Jeffreys' approach." "Then we'll take them all pretty well up into the woods. He won't be able to scent when he's above where Megget and the others will enter the valley." "Which way will they come?" asked Mr. Wilder. "The opposite end from the way we did," responded the former raider. "That's why I'm taking our ponies to a place on this side." "Seems to me we're leaving too much to this fellow who's gone back on his former pals," whispered the owner of the Three Stars to Mr. Wilder. "It's all right if he plays fair, but if he doesn't we'll be in a pretty mess." "I believe he is acting square with us. Still it won't do to take chances," returned the other ranchman, and calling to Lawrence, he asked where the mine was. "It's about two hundred yards to the right, Mr. Wilder. I'll show you when we get up on top of the cliff. There's a big dead tree in front of it, so you can't miss it, even in the night, for the bark has been peeled off it by lightning and the wind, so that it stands out like a white specter in the darkness." Deeming it inadvisable to unsaddle the horses, in case they should need them suddenly, the cowboys close-hobbled them on a plateau to which Lawrence guided them and then followed him to the ledge. No need was there for the tree that marked the mine to be pointed out to them, for as the men looked down each one saw it. To the east and to the west the ledge commanded a view of the trails, and as they gazed along them, the owner of the Half-Moon exclaimed: