Sid glanced up the cliff wall to where the lariats hung in a long black streak down from the cleft ledge. “I was weeping real tears over leaving these good lariats behind, boys,” he smiled, cherubically, “but now I see we’ve got a use for them. Scotty and I’ll climb up there, some day, into Lost Canyon, while you and father run the panther with the dogs. Then we’ll have a nice roof party on top of those cliff houses--eh, Les?” “Sure thing!” agreed Scotty. “But, Sid, the thing to do now is to get back to Neyani’s hogan as fast as we can. You see, Ruler picked up your pony’s tracks in the canyon yesterday, and led us out to Neyani’s place. They’re in lots of trouble out there. This medicine panther, as they insist he is, has been taking one of Neyani’s sheep every few nights--a regular scourge. So what do they do but think that Dsilyi, their demigod, is angry with the house of Neyani and, therefore, it must be because someone has committed a crime and the panther is being sent as a punishment. The suspicion rests on young Niltci, Neyani’s son, a harmless, industrious Indian boy, so far as I can see, and a peach of a silversmith. Well, Neyani was telling us all about it, when John, I think it was, spied your pony up in Neyani’s corral!--Cracky, but thunder broke loose then, you can bet! John, here, was for wringing Neyani’s neck,” laughed Scotty, “and only your father saved it for him. Of course, they all protested their ignorance of you, and swore that the pony had come trotting to their hogan of his own accord. First habitation he saw of any human beings, I suppose. Well, anyway, Neyani turns and blames the whole thing on Niltci and accuses him of murdering _you_! Of course Colonel Colvin interfered, then, but I’m afraid the poor boy’s doomed, for the Navaho are holding their great fire dance to-night to see who’s guilty, and the least unfavorable omen will settle it for him. We all drew off and camped near by, to try to save Niltci if it comes to the worst. Colonel Colvin told us that the situation had to be handled with the utmost delicacy. We couldn’t kill the sacred medicine cougar without starting an Indian uprising; we couldn’t prove Niltci innocent with you unaccounted for--the whole thing was a mess! Well, early, before dawn this morning the Black Panther came again----”