"Do you see those?" he inquired, holding up some of the parts he had found.

"Yes," answered Fred. "It looks as if a boat had been wrecked down here, doesn't it?"

"It was 'wrecked' all right," answered Pete, "but I'm wondering if either of you boys knows what boat it was?"

"What boat was it?" inquired John, advancing to the place where the guide was standing.

"It's our lost skiff," replied Pete.

"What!"

"It's just as I'm tellin' you," Pete repeated. "That skiff we lost the other night didn't get loose. It was taken by somebody who knew what he was doing and brought down here. Here's where the party landed," he added, as he pointed to the sh.o.r.e. "But the boat wasn't 'wrecked,' unless you call smashing it wrecking it."

"What do you mean? How do you know?" demanded Fred in keen excitement.

"I know because I can see with both eyes," replied Pete sharply. "I don't have to have it all written out for me when I see what's happened to that boat."

"Why should anybody want to wreck it?" inquired Fred.

"It might be safer for some people if they started down the stream from here not to have any boats around that could follow."

"Do you think those two men who were in our camp took the boat?" Fred inquired abruptly.

"That's exactly what I think. And I think too," the guide added as he stopped to examine other parts of the boat, "that this skiff was wrecked as well as smashed. There's a hole stove in the bottom and then there are places that have been cut by an axe so I guess both parts of the story are true."

"Do you suppose they went up Thorn's Gulch from here?" asked Fred in a low voice.

"That's just what I think they did," replied Pete.

"Do you think we may meet them somewhere in the Gulch?"

"I shouldn't be a bit surprised."

"Then we may have pretty serious trouble before we're done."

"Right you are," a.s.sented Pete. "But it's time for us to be moving, boys,"

he added. "Here, I'll help each of you with his pack and we'll start out.

If those two men are ahead of us we'll know it before they know that we're following them."

CHAPTER XIII

ALONE IN THE CANYON

For a considerable distance the way along which the guide was leading was not difficult. The footing was fairly strong and there were not many obstacles to be met.

Both boys in spite of the exciting experiences of the morning were deeply interested in the marvelous sights which greeted them as they advanced into the gulch.

On the sides of the canyon layers of rock and earth of different colors were plainly to be seen. Occasionally there were strange formations that extended from the rim of the cliff to the bottom of the valley that were like huge b.u.t.tresses fashioned by the hands of men.

"Look at that!" exclaimed Fred, calling the attention of John to one of these peculiar formations. "That looks exactly as if it had been cut out by a mason."

"It certainly does," acknowledged John, stopping and gazing at the interesting sight. "Indeed, if we had this place back east," he continued, "it would not be difficult to make some people believe that it had been especially designed so that they could charge a dime a head to come in to see it. What do you suppose Coney Island would do with the Grand Canyon?"

"I guess Coney Island, if it had the Grand Canyon, would hide in some little corner. You wouldn't see much of the Island in a place like that."

Pete was not leading his young charges at a rapid pace. In spite of the fact that they were at the bottom of the gulch the alt.i.tude was still so high that breathing was somewhat difficult.

They steadily continued on their way for two hours, making only occasional stops. Then they halted for the midday rest and the preparation of the luncheon which Pete at once began to get ready.

The fire was kindled under the lea of a projecting shelf of rock and soon the odor of broiling bacon appealed strongly to the Go Ahead Boys, whose appet.i.tes already needed no stimulant.

"This is the life!" exclaimed John a few minutes later when he and Fred were seated on rocks under the shade of the over-hanging cliffs.

John was holding a strip of broiled bacon on the end of the stick which he grasped in one hand, while with the other he was holding a huge piece of johnny-cake, in the making of which Pete was an expert.

"We couldn't find anything better than this," responded Fred, "even after we have dug out our mine. I wonder what we'll do with all the money we'll get."

"I know what I shall do with mine," laughed John.

"What?"

"Spend it in carfare coming out to the Colorado River. I would like nothing better than to start in where the Green and Grand Rivers join and try to do what Major Powell did. Indeed, I would like to go clear through to the lower part of the Gulf of California."

"You don't want very much, do you?" laughed Fred.

"Not very much," retorted John. "This simple life appeals to me all right."

"You certainly looked simple this morning when you disappeared in the river."

"You mean I looked simple _before_ I disappeared," retorted John. "I don't know what I can do to make you more careful in your use of the English language. You certainly did not see me _after_ I disappeared."

"We certainly did," retorted Fred. "I saw your head away down the stream though your feet weren't very far in front of the boat. You were going like mad."

"I don't deserve any credit for that," laughed John as he extended his stick for more bacon.

"Did you notice how many branches there are to this gulch?" inquired John as he resumed his repast. "I've counted four or five canyons that open into the right side of this gulch and I guess there are as many on the other side although I can't see."

"Yes, it's all broken up," acknowledged Fred as he looked in the direction indicated by his companion. "It's a mighty interesting place."

"That's no news," laughed John. "Where are you going?"

Fred had arisen and throwing his gun over his shoulder he had started toward one of the canyons that opened on the opposite side of the great gulch.

"Where are you going?" called out Pete sharply as he discovered the action of the Go Ahead Boy.