"Oh, absurd!" cried Wilton.

"P'r'aps so, sir; but look here, he went out with a party of prospectors, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"And he was the only survivor?"

"To be sure; he told Lee so."

"Well, it's an old story about the parties of prospectors going out into the desert in search of gold and never coming back."

"Yes, we have heard it often."

"Then tell me this, Mr Wilton," said Griggs sharply. "When a party goes out exploring, what sort of chaps are they?"

"A very brave, enterprising set."

"Of old men, I s'pose, sir, nearly worn out?"

"Nonsense! Able-bodied, vigorous, young and active fellows," cried Wilton decisively.

"That's right, sir. Then how many years is it since that poor old fellow was young, able-bodied, and vigorous, and started off into the desert with his party? It wasn't yesterday, I'll be bound."

"No!" said Wilton, very slowly and thoughtfully.

"He managed to live a long time out here, sir, eh?" said Griggs, smiling, "and so can we. We've got a hundred times his chance, for, as I said before, we know what he didn't."

"What do you mean?" said Ned's father.

"We know that the gold city is somewhere, and we've got his plan to work upon. Now, doctor," continued the speaker suddenly, "what do you say to making a start for the mountain to have a look round?"

"The sooner the better," said the doctor, "only let's make a stack of our stores."

"That's soon done," said Griggs, and all started to place the bales so that the mules might not investigate matters that were no concern of theirs.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

DISMOUNT!--QUICK!

"Isn't it grand!" cried Chris, as he tightened the girths of his saddle during the final preparations for the start, every one being well armed, and in face of the fact that they meant to be back at the camp the same evening, burdened with nothing but a wallet containing a little food and a bottle of water.

"Isn't what grand?" replied Ned.

"Why, riding off into a country where n.o.body has been before, and not knowing what wonderful discoveries we may make."

"Oh yes, I suppose so; but I wish old Griggs had spoken out as he has now before we started."

"What about?"

"What about? Why, our having to go on and on till all the stores are finished, and then for us to get nothing but frizzled meat to eat and water to drink. That's a nice lookout, upon my word! Here, see if you can get my girth tightened to this hole. This brute has been eating till he's as round as a tub."

"So has mine. I haven't got the girth as tight as it was last time by three holes."

"Oh! Then you needn't bother. I'm one hole better than you."

"All right, then. We shall have to tighten up two or three times to-day."

"Ready, boys?" cried the doctor. "That's right. Now sling your guns.

Are you loaded?"

"Yes, father--bullet in one barrel, shot-cartridge in the other."

"Now then, mount. You follow us, and Griggs will bring up the rear."

"That's right," said Chris in a whisper. "We can make him talk to us and tell us about how he got on when he was travelling before."

The start was made, and as soon as the marshy part was cleared there was no need to ride in single file. The doctor allowed his two friends to come up abreast, and Griggs urged his pony forward to get between the boys.

"Here we are, then," he said cheerily. "Now we can have a palaver."

"About Indians," said Ned eagerly.

"Indians? Not a bit of it. We don't want any Indians. I say, nice thing to find when we get back that they had raided the camp and cleared off everything, mules and all."

"Oh, I say, Griggs," cried the boys together, "don't! It would be horrible. Why, part of us ought to stop and guard the camp."

"Either of you like the job?" said the American. Chris and Ned leaned so as to gaze across Griggs' pony in each other's eyes.

"Bah! They won't find it, even if there are any in this neighbourhood,"

cried the American. "Nice country, ain't it? Rather better than the desert."

"But isn't it a pity that we are not going right up the mountain to-day?"

"Like to go all the way?" said Griggs.

"Yes, I should," cried Chris eagerly. "I want to get the gla.s.s and look round. I think I could make out the mountains on the old map if I saw them."

"Very nice if you could," said Griggs dryly. "But it's early morning yet. You wait till afternoon, and then see if you wish the same. I think you'll fancy we've had enough of it for one day, and want to get back to camp for supper."

"Oh, I don't know," said Chris merrily. "I'm not always thinking of eating like Ned is."

"Eh? Oh, I say! I like that! Why, I never do."

"Didn't you grumble just now about the time when we should have nothing but meat and water? Here--I say--Griggs, what's that--I mean those?

There's more than one."