Tom came near getting mixed up in the melee, for he was just back of Jo, but missed him more by good luck than good management. There was no attempt on the part of any of the boys to stop to pick up Jo or to see how badly hurt he was. They presumed that if injured he would say something about it. So on went the gallant 400, their steeds leaping rocks and fallen trees, crashing through brush with powerful recklessness.

A haze of dust soon hung above the cavalry charge, which was destined to come to an end when the line of pine trees was reached. But it seemed that Jim's Caliente was not going to halt for the solid pines even, for he charged full speed ahead, with all his fighting blood aroused.

"Ahoy there, Jim!" yelled Tom, "better anchor your yacht."

But James could not head him, pull as hard as he would, and he ducked his head low under a branch which threatened to brain him, sc.r.a.ped between two tall and ma.s.sive pines, and finally brought his panting horse to a full stop in a dense clump of brush.

But Jeems Howell seemed to be having the most interesting, if not the pleasantest, time of all. He was not a natural centaur anyway. He had tried his best to keep his little rat of a bay from joining in the chase, but without success. With his long legs stuck out in front and his eyes wide open with astonishment, he was pulling with all his might, but with no effect.

It was a comical sight, the long-legged man yelling "Whoa!" "Whoa!"

and the little pony scampering at top speed down the steep and sunny slope with the dust flying back at a great rate. Then of a sudden, the pony leaped right from under the long-shanked Jeems and he sat down upon the warm gravel, while the animal went on into the woods. As for the man, he made his escape into a neighboring gulch where he hid himself under a ledge, and was safe enough.

That one movement which he had noted of Juarez's rifle when aimed at him, was sufficient to give him an idea of the mettle of the Frontier Boys. He was determined, however, not to get out of that section until he had seen these travelers properly located, so he waited.

Meanwhile, the boys had got together, in a general council with only one absentee, viz: Jeems Howell, who was seated contentedly, if somewhat dazed, upon the mountain side. Then his absence was noted by the other boys.

"Where is Jeems?" inquired Jo, who had recovered his horse and his equilibrium likewise.

They looked around anxiously. "There's his pony over there," said Juarez, "having a good time grazing."

"I suspect we will find Jeems grazing somewhere back here on the mountain," said Jim. "Jo, you go look for him, if you think you won't fall off, too."

With a grunt Jo turned his horse at right angles, and went back up the mountain slope. He soon came upon Jeems seated placidly upon the ground apparently enjoying the view.

"Lost something, Jeems?" he inquired.

"Yes, my pony," he replied.

"He is grazing down below," said Jo. "Why don't you get up?"

"I'm grazing here," replied Jeems.

"Gazing, I guess," grinned Jo.

"Is it morning yet?" inquired Jeems.

"It will be night before you get up, if you don't hustle," warned Jo.

"Better go and get your horse and join the family council."

"There shall be no vacant chair, I'll be there," and Jeems rose by sections.

CHAPTER XVII

A CHASE

"Are you sure you saw that fellow, Juarez?" asked Jo.

"Certainly," replied the chief.

"Of course he did," said Jim. "You don't suppose that Juarez would exclaim at a shadow. I got a glimpse of him myself."

"What did he look like?" inquired Yankee Tom.

Jim's face took on a look of settled gravity as he answered:

"He was a tall dark-complected man, with a wart over his right eye, and he had a ring on his middle finger with his wife's picture engraved on it, and----"

"Oh, shut up," growled Tom, "you are just kidding."

"I didn't see anybody," put in Jeems Howell mildly. This remark was greeted with a roar of laughter.

"I bet you didn't," jeered Tom. "All you could do was to yell 'Whoa!'"

"But he didn't whoa!" said Jeems sadly, but truthfully.

"You did," remarked Jim.

"Somebody had to," explained Jeems, "so I decided it was up to me."

"You mean," said the whimsical Jo, "down to you."

"I suppose so."

"He has made his escape anyway," said Tom.

"So have our pack mules," cried Juarez, looking back up the mountain.

"Maybe they have just grazed off," said Jim anxiously.

This was serious business indeed, if their mules should take a notion to take the back trail with their grub and camp equipment. So the boys lost no time in getting back to the ridge and all thought of the stranger that they had tried to interview had left their minds for the present. When they got to the top of the ridge they found their worst fears realized. Juarez was the first to take in the situation, because his little roan was the fastest in a short dash. Juarez had urged his horse obliquely across the slope of the hill.

"They have scooted for home, boys," he yelled.

Sure enough there were the three beasts a mile down the trail and jogging steadily along with an evident intention in their mulish minds to go home and stay there. Now "home" was a hundred miles away, but that made no difference with their plans.

"We have got to head 'em down this other side," cried Jim. "It's no use following them on the trail. They have got the start on us and when they see us coming it will make them hike all the faster."

"You're right," said Juarez.

"There is no use for all this bunch going," said Jim. "Jo, you and Tom and Jeems stay here. Keep my guns, I'm traveling light." He handed over his rifle and revolver to his brother and Juarez gave his to Jeems. Then they gave the cinches to their saddles an extra tightening, especially the back cinches, then they swung swiftly into the saddles.

"Durn those mules," they cried and were off. Keeping their horses well in hand, for it promised to be a long hard race, they galloped along the ridge, keeping slightly below the summit. They were now on the opposite side of the ridge from where the trail was up which they had traveled. As the two headers-off got under way the gravel flew back from their horses' feet. At first the way was not very hard, but at the end of the first mile they came to a great field of broken rocks.

Here they had to slacken speed and find their way among great rocks, broken, and with many miniature canyons and ravines among them. Once they rode under the shadow of a great slab of quartz, some eighty feet long and twenty feet in thickness; like a long flat bridge it was.