"I guess you'll have to put up with those of us that haven't got lost or tried to fall over the rocks," growled Zeke, his eyes twinkling as he spoke. "Here's Thomas Jefferson," he added, "he'll help you pass the time." The Navajo had not passed the night near the spot which the boys had selected. No one was aware whether he had departed to rejoin his friend or had merely sought another resting place. "They always show up about breakfast time," growled Zeke under his breath. Nevertheless the guide at once prepared some food for the Indian who now had rejoined the party. "Did you see anything of our friends?" inquired Grant eagerly. "I saw nothing," replied the Navajo. "I do not expect all people here to be safe." "Why not?" demanded George. "I have explained already," replied the Indian. "This is no place for white men. It belongs to the Indians, and the spirits of those who live here do not love to have white men come. I have never heard of one who tried to enter who did not have bad luck before long." "Yes," laughed Fred, "but I have known people to have bad luck who never heard of Thorn's Gulch." "They may have bad luck without coming here," said Thomas Jefferson, "but they are sure to have it if they do come." "Why don't you go and help find your friend?" spoke up Zeke, addressing the Navajo as he spoke. "Kitoni will come." "Do you think he will find John and Pete?" inquired Fred eagerly. "He will find them," answered the Navajo. "It may take two days, it may take more." "Why I couldn't have been as many miles away as that," declared Fred. "It's not the number of miles, it's the difficulty of finding the gulch into which they have gone while they were looking for you." "Do you think they separated?" asked Fred. The Navajo nodded affirmatively, but did not speak. "In course they separated," spoke up Zeke. "One looked for you and the other stayed in camp so that you wouldn't be making any mistake when you came back and passed the place." "Thomas Jefferson," spoke up Grant, "why do you think the spirits of the Indians live here in Thorn's Gulch?" Whatever the opinion of the Navajo may have been he did not explain. Indeed he did not even reply to the question. It was manifest that he himself thoroughly believed in what he had said. Even his three years in the Eastern school had not been sufficient to deprive him entirely of the superstitions which he had inherited from his ancestors. "Do you think we'll find that mining claim?" inquired George. "I don't know," replied the Indian. "But what do you think?" persisted George. "I don't know," again said the red man. Convinced that it was useless to attempt to obtain any opinion from the young Indian, the boy ceased to question him.