"I don't see anything to grin at," grumbled Griggs. "I don't believe any Indian could find his way along here."

"I was laughing because I could find the place."

"How?" asked Griggs sharply.

"By coming first. My pony knows his way here."

"Come in front," said Griggs shortly, and Chris moved forward, gave the pony his head once more, and the clever little animal paced steadily on for about a hundred yards, and then turned off to its left and began to ascend.

"Hah! Who wouldn't be a pony!" said Griggs, as Chris drew rein. "Then all we have to do now is to wait till they come up."

It did not seem long before the doctor joined them, and then the whole train filed up the side gully. Steadily ascending the way ran up towards the tableland, where the gra.s.sy patch in a hollow had been selected off the track, and here the halt was made, the beasts beginning to graze at once after they had been hobbled, both ponies and mules, and seeming quite at home as soon as they were left to themselves.

"It's a risk indeed," said the doctor. "If the Indians should happen to ride in this direction, where should we be?"

"Shooting at them would be the best thing," said Wilton.

"It's a thousand to one against their finding the beasts here," said Griggs, "even if they did happen to come. But we've got to chance it, sir. Everything's gone right so far, and let's hope we shall keep on the same track."

"I hope so," replied the doctor. "Then now we have nothing to do but get back to the narrow gateway."

"The sooner the better, sir, for the night's wearing away fast."

"But ought we, after all, to leave one of us in charge of the beasts here?"

"No, sir," said Griggs sharply. "You'll want all your strength after I've pa.s.sed, to tumble down the rocks. The more the better. It mustn't be half done."

"No," said the doctor gravely. "The entrance must be well blocked. All ready?"

"Yes," came in a whisper.

"Back, then, at once. Griggs will lead, and all keep in touch, and observe perfect silence."

The distance seemed to have doubled before they got to the descent, and this slope to be three times as long, as they tramped slowly down into the gulch, where the doctor called a halt once more.

But all was still, and blacker than ever, as Griggs with Chris at his side turned off to the right, to lead the party slowly onward towards the narrows, where all stood at last, hot and weary.

"Everything seems to have stretched out," said Griggs, in a whisper. "I thought we were never going to get here." Then to the doctor, "We'd better wait till day begins to break before you climb up the sides, eh?"

"No," said the doctor; "that might mean failure. Every one must be in his place before the darkness fails us."

"Yes, I suppose you're right, sir; but make sure as soon as there's light enough that every one is well hidden. Birds will not enter a trap if they see anything strange."

"Nor Indians neither," said the doctor quietly. "We shall see to that."

"And you'll let them get well out of hearing before you begin to stop the gap?"

"Of course," said the doctor.

"That's all right, then," said Griggs. "So now, as you are going to divide into two parties, each to take a side, I'll say good-bye and stop below."

"One word more, then," said the doctor, grasping the American's hand.

"Let's repeat our plans so that there may be no misunderstanding."

"That's right, sir. I'll say my lesson. As soon as it's daybreak I shall move down the gully right on in the direction where I believe the Indians are encamped, and as soon as I think I'm near enough I'm going to begin shooting wherever I see a chance and picking up my birds, till the Indians hear me and come out to see what's the matter. Then we suppose they'll mount, the whole herd of them, and come after me."

"Mounted men against one on foot," said the doctor, with a sigh.

"I don't suppose they'll catch me," said Griggs coolly. "Well, naturally enough when I see the enemy after me I begin to run."

"But suppose they don't all come, Griggs?" said Chris.

"Shan't suppose anything of the kind, and don't you talk so loudly,"

growled the American. "They've all got to be there, according to my notions, and come crowding after me. I run as I never ran before, straight for the narrow way here, dash through, making for the old camp, and they tear away to cut me off before I can get under cover of our marksmen. But all at once I dodge in among the stones and begin to climb up to the terraces, get up to the top step-way in the square pit, and loosen out the stones there, after blocking the place below. One of these two bits of work is bound to keep those who have dismounted to climb after me from climbing any farther, and when I begin to fire at them pretty sharply they'll turn back at once, get to their horses, and join their mates, to have a palaver and come to the conclusion that it isn't safe to stop in the valley, because they'll be expecting every moment for fire to be opened by us. Then they'll ride back without another shot being fired at them, for the simple reason that I'm hurrying round to join your people here by the top way and the gully. I shan't lose any time, and if I'm lucky I may get here soon enough to join you in giving the enemy a few bullets when they come riding back to find their way stopped."

"As it ought to be," said the doctor dubiously.

"As it has got to be," said Griggs sharply. "Got to be--got to be, and must be!" he cried.

"If all goes well," said Bourne.

"If all goes well, sir," said Griggs, "and if we all do our parts like men, it will. Good-bye!"

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE.

LOOSENING THE STONES.

"Stop, Griggs!" cried Chris in a hoa.r.s.e whisper, for he dared not shout; but it seemed as if their brave companion had not heard. One minute he was talking with them, the next he was gone, and had hardly made a sound.

"Hah!" sighed the doctor. "Now it has come to the point I feel as if we have let the gallant fellow go straight to his death."

"Lee!" cried Bourne in a voice of anguish. "Don't say that!"

"I have said it," said the doctor bitterly; "and now it is too late I feel that it is true. The whole business looks black, and as desperate as our mad search out here for the old golden city."

He ceased speaking, and Chris gripped Ned by the arm, for he shared his father's feeling of despair.

The silence was broken by Bourne.

"It is too late to look back," he said gravely. "We have made the venture, and must carry it out like men."

"Of course," cried Wilton firmly. "Come, doctor, you are captain. I don't call this square of you to put us all out of heart. This is making the worst of it, with a vengeance."

"Yes, it is--it is," said the doctor quickly. "You must forgive me.

Every man has his weak moments, and this was one of mine. I felt as if I had sacrificed the poor fellow to this desperate attempt to escape."

"Yes, father," cried Chris bitterly. "It was my idea, and you ought to have let me go with him."