After an hour’s riding White Mesa itself jutted up, in a long escarpment, shimmering with heat, in the immense distances. As they gradually neared it Sid felt that never had he beheld such a place. The odd chalky formation rose in ramparts and pinnacles, like bastions of huge whitened giant’s bones. By moonlight one could well expect to see whole regiments of bleached skeletons of departed Indians skipping across it. But there were living beings there, now! “What did I tell you?” chortled Big John. “Them little moving dots along the base is Injuns, on their ponies. Somethin’ doin’, thar, boys!” As they rode nearer to the blazing white sepulcher the moving dots showed color and took form. They were the Navaho, a lot of them. Soon some stopped to look at them and there was a commotion among the tiny black figures. Then a lone rider galloped furiously out toward them, mounted on a large black horse. “That’s no Injun, an’ no pony--it’s Major Hinchman himself!” exclaimed Big John as the rider streaked out toward them. The man waved his sombrero. “Hi! Hi!--Back!--Halt!” he called excitedly as he thundered toward them. “Yaas--we’re haltin’, a lot!” muttered Big John as they all reined up and he called back Ruler. “Wonder what’s up?” “Hi!--Is that you, boys?--Howdy, strangers--get right down!” yelled the white giant on the horse, for it was Hinchman himself. “Jee-mentley-dingit, but it’s a mercy of Providence that you-all happened to come this way!” he exploded as he rode up close. “I couldn’t have met you at Monument Canyon with this coming off. But I see you’ve got the dawgs--Jeementley but they look good to me! Whar’s the Colonel, Sid?” “Father’s laid up, sir, over in the Grand Canyon,” explained Sid. “Had a mix-up with a whale of a grizzly and got mauled some, but he’ll be all right, soon. It’s an old-time California silver-tip, Major, the biggest bear I ever saw. Got him in back of Buckskin. Niltci’s looking after father, while we came over----” “_Niltci!_ Eh? Splen--did!” beamed Major Hinchman, his keen face lighting up with joy and relief. “You don’t tell me! Nothing on earth can convince these Injuns but that the Black Panther came and took him that night----”