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 rivulet which drained it to a raging torrent which boiled out of its banks and swept the flat. These freshets were freighted with débris and rocks. The lighter driftwood was carried on but the stones were deposited when the force which carried them was dissipated by spreading over the flat. This had formed a rock bar, thrown fanwise from the mouth of the gorge. Behind it, just within the grim walls, the timber grew again, standing dense and tall.

The two men retraced their steps. Flash could not understand this sudden change of front but he knew it for the better course. No good could result from penetrating this dim canyon in the light of day.

They rode down the Yellowstone to its junction with the Thoroughfare and up the latter stream to camp.

“To-morrow we can locate the head of that canyon,” Vermont said as they rode. “But before we go prowling along the rims I want to go back to camp and tell the boys where that place is. There’s always a chance that they may spot us just a second or two before we spot them. That gulch is probably rimrocked the full length so there’s no trail out except at the head. But