"Because they had stopped for rest or observation," laughed Grant.

"That isn't what I mean," retorted John. "You know when crows alight they usually station one of their number as a guard on a tree or fence or some place of elevation, that is supposed to give warning. Now, I don't think I ever saw two on observation, did you?"

"I don't know that I ever did," said Grant. "Now that you speak of it, I'm not sure they were crows anyway."

"They were crows all right," declared Fred confidently.

"My, Pee Wee!" said John in mock admiration. "If I only knew just half as much as you think you know I would be a wise man."

"That's all right, String," retorted Fred glibly. "Don't you remember what I told you about that great Englishman who said that Nature never made any man seven stories high without leaving the top loft empty?"

"I believe I have heard you refer to that fact some three thousand, eight hundred and sixty-one times. In fact I have almost learned it by heart. I haven't any doubt the man who said it was a little runt not much bigger than you are."

Fred's face flushed as the Go Ahead Boys laughed and conversation ceased for a time.

The boys had given their word not to leave the region of the big tree.

There was therefore nothing to be done except to endure the waiting until Zeke and the Navajo returned.

Occasionally the conversation turned on the subject of the claim which Simon Moultrie plainly had believed he had discovered.

Fred, who was the most enthusiastic of the Go Ahead Boys, was positive the lost claim would be found and that the future wealth of the four boys was therefore certain.

The others may have been as eager as Fred to find the place for which they were seeking, but they were more restrained in their manner and inclined to tease their enthusiastic comrade.

"Zeke told me," suggested Grant soberly, "that really this Simon Moultrie was crazy."

"Is that so?" retorted Fred. "Then I suppose you're ready to say next that everything he saw was crazy too."

"Not quite as bad as that," laughed Grant, "but I do say that it's possible, if Simon Moultrie really was insane, he may have imagined he saw things or found them when he didn't see them at all."

Even Fred was somewhat sobered by the declaration of his companion and once more the party lapsed into silence.

It was now past mid-afternoon and the Go Ahead Boys were becoming impatient over the failure of the guide and the Indian to return.

"If they haven't found any thing," said Fred irritably, "then they ought to come back and tell us so. We don't want to stay here forever."

"Nay, verily, we do not," said George, shaking his head soberly. "I agree with Pyg. If Zeke doesn't come back within an hour I say we start after him."

"You want your turn in being lost in the canyon, do you?" said John grimly. "Well, all I can say is that if you do, you can try it, but as for little Johnnie he stays right here where he is. I've had all I want of lost Go Ahead Boys in Thorn's Gulch or any other canyon."

Although they did not share in John's fear nevertheless the boys all remained in their camp.

It was about four o'clock when Kitoni called their attention to two tiny figures in the distance.

The gla.s.ses revealed that they were men and that they apparently were coming across the Gulch. How they would be able to make their way up the steep side no one could explain.

"That must be Zeke and Thomas Jefferson," suggested Fred at once ready to form and express an opinion.

The Navajo, however, shook his head as he said, "It is not Zeke and it is not Thomas Jefferson."

"Then who is it?" demanded Fred. "It seems to me we're all the while having two or three men come into our camp when we've been told that there wasn't a human being in these parts. They told us in Tombstone that we wouldn't see a strange face in this part of the world."

"I see one now," declared John, turning and staring at his diminutive friend.

The Go Ahead Boys laughed but their interest was too keen in the men who now in the distance could be seen more distinctly.

"You don't suppose those two strange white men can be coming back here, do you?" inquired Grant in a whisper.

"Yes, that is just who they are," replied Kitoni. "Look yonder!" he added as he pointed in the direction in which Zeke and the Navajo had departed.

Two other men also were seen coming from that direction and no effort was required to induce the Go Ahead Boys to believe that Zeke and his companion were returning to the camp.

CHAPTER XXI

THE RETURN OF THE STRANGERS

The excitement among the Go Ahead Boys at once became intense. Convinced now that the two men, whose presence whenever they had visited the camp had created trouble, were now returning and the fact that the belligerent Zeke and the Navajo were also likely to arrive at about the same time, convinced the boys that some exciting scenes were to be witnessed.

As yet it was manifest that neither party of approaching men had become aware of the coming of the others.

"There they go!" exclaimed George excitedly when Zeke and his companion disappeared from sight. "Maybe they won't be back here until after the other fellows have left."

"Don't you worry," spoke up Fred. "The other fellows aren't going to leave and that's the worst of it. What shall we do?"

"We shan't do anything until we have to," said Grant. "It will be money in our pockets to keep silent in seven languages."

"There they are now!" exclaimed Fred in a low voice as the two white men approached the camping place.

"We're hungry," explained the man with the scar. "Give us something to eat."

"You haven't eaten all there was in that pack already, have you?" demanded Fred.

"What are you talking about? What pack do you mean? We haven't got any pack," replied the visitor.

"You haven't now. What did you do with it?"

"You'll have to explain what you mean. You 're talking in riddles, as the poet says," sneered the stranger. "All we want is something to eat and I'm thinking you'll cook it for us pretty quick."

"I understand it's the law of the desert," spoke up Grant, "that any one who comes into your camp has to be fed."

"Sure it is," said the man glibly.

"But there isn't anything in that law," continued Grant, "which says what kind of stuff we've got to feed you. My advice to you is to keep right on your way and not stop here."

"That's just what we're not going to do," laughed the other man loudly.