Page:Three Young Ranchmen.djvu/249

Rh deep and Allen had to draw back after looking into the awful depth.

"If a fellow should tumble here he would never live to tell it," said the young ranchman. "This would be a bad trail to follow in the dark."

Moving away from the spur of rocks overlooking the canyon, they turned to the northwest and plunged through a forest of cedar and hemlock. Here the wild birds were numerous and Allen was tempted to bring some of them down with his gun, but Watson demurred.

"No use o' makin' too much noise," he explained. "Remember, somebody may be on guard up at thet cave."

"Slavin said he thought only an old woman had been left in charge—a woman who claimed to be Darry Nodley s wife."

"Didn't know as how thet rascal hed a wife."

"That is what Slavin said."

"It might be the truth, and then ag'in, it might not. We don't want ter believe too much, Allen."

"I agree with you, Ike. But I think Slavin was really anxious to help us after we did him that good turn."

The old hunter shrugged his shoulders.