All in the party looked around. Nothing out of the ordinary was in sight. "Let us divide into two parties," suggested Maybe Dixon. "One can take to one side o' the stream and one to tudder. If them rascals came up here they must be somewhere about." The posse was divided as suggested. Mark, Bob, and Andrew West remained where they were while the others crossed the gorge, leaping from rock to rock where the falls were. Then all began to journey up the gorge. "Wait! I see a light!" whispered Bob, presently. He pointed among the trees, some distance ahead. "I see it too," declared Mark. "It must be a camp of some kind." A low whistle was given--a signal that something had been discovered. At once Maybe Dixon's party halted and the old miner came to the edge of the gorge. "What is it?" he asked. "A light ahead. Must be a camp of some sort." "Good enough! Go ahead, and we'll come over as soon as we can." Andrew West, Mark, and Bob increased their speed, and soon came in sight of a rude shack, from the open doorway of which the light was streaming. They could see several men moving around. "I'll wager those are the thieves!" exclaimed Bob. "Don't you see the tall hat of one of the Mexicans?" He had scarcely spoken when a pistol shot rang out on the still air. It came from a point some distance in front of the shack. Then they saw a man run from some bushes towards the rear of the building. "Did he shoot at us?" asked Mark. "No, I fancy that was a signal," answered Andrew West. "They have spotted us and are going to try to get away!" He was right, one of the Mexicans had been on guard. Now he ran back of the shack, to where several horses were tied. "A posse is coming," he cried, to the other Mexican. "They are on both sides of the river. We must ride for it if we would get away!" Sag Ruff and Morgan Fitzsimmons were looking over the stolen nuggets at the time--trying to decide how they might be divided. The swindler from the South understood Spanish and gave a start. "What did he say?" asked Fitzsimmons. "A posse is already after us. We'll have to get out," ejaculated Sag Ruff. "So soon?" "Yes, although that seems impossible." Sag Ruff swept the nuggets into a bag. "Come on." They ran outside. The Mexican who had given the alarm was already coming around with the horses. He pointed down the gorge. "I see them!" cried Sag Ruff. "There are others, too,--on the other side!" gasped Morgan Fitzsimmons. "How in the world did they get here so quickly?" "Something must have gone wrong," answered Sag Ruff. "Maybe they got out of that landslide in time to see us go away in this direction. But, no matter how it is, we have got to ride for it now, and ride hard!" The men were soon in the saddle. The light was put out, and they started along a trail leading through the thick timber. "Stop!" cried Bob. "Stop, or we'll fire on you!"