IV TWO THIEVES IN THE NIGHT 40 V A START AND A LOSS 48 VI DIVIDED 57 VII TWO NAVAJOS 65 VIII WAITING 75 IX DOWN THE RUSHING RIVER 84 X A RATTLER 92 XI A PERILOUS FALL 101 XII A WRECK 109 XIII ALONE IN THE CANYON 118 XIV CLIMBING 126 XV THE SEARCH 134 XVI A STARTLING ARRIVAL 143 XVII A DEPARTURE BY NIGHT 151 XVIII RESTORING THE MAP 160 XIX A JOYOUS RETURN 169 XX TWO CROW TREE 178 XXI THE RETURN OF THE STRANGERS 187 XXII SPLIT ROCK 196 XXIII ON THE RIM 205 XXIV A SMALL CLOUD 214 XXV CIRCLES 224 XXVI CONCLUSION 234 THE GO AHEAD BOYS AND SIMON'S MINE CHAPTER I A GHASTLY DISCOVERY "Look at that!" Instantly Fred Button and his companion halted and the two boys stared at the sight to which their attention had been directed. Even their guide, who at that time was several yards behind, hastened to join them and was almost as shocked by the sight as was his young companions. "What is it? What is it?" whispered John. "Can't you see?" retorted Fred. "It's a skeleton of a man. The skull is over there," he explained as he pointed to his right. "The other bones have been scattered. Probably some wolves or buzzards have been at work here." For a brief time no one spoke. The bones before them were unquestionably those of a man. They had been bleached by the sun and their very whiteness increased the ghastly impression. "What do you think has happened?" inquired John in a low voice. Fred shook his head and turned questioningly to the guide. Zeke, the name by which the guide was commonly called, also shook his head as if the mystery was not yet solved. Without speaking he approached the place where the skeleton had been discovered, and a moment later with his foot unearthed a sleeve of a coat which had been buried from sight by drifting sands of the desert. Stooping, Zeke pulled hard and soon drew forth the coat. The garment itself was somewhat torn, but still was in a fair state of preservation. Turning to his companions Zeke said abruptly, "Better look around, boys, and see if you can find something else. My impression is that you'll find a set of prospector's tools not far away."