Once or twice the line halted as the leaders heard some sound that
roused their suspicions, and several times Sandy and Nails dropped
back. But nothing untoward occurred, and late in the afternoon
they descended into the valley that was the headquarters of the
raiders.
"We're in time; there's no one here," announced Lawrence after an
examination of the ground for fresh horse or cattle tracks.
Remembering their guide's statement about the cliff on which the
lookout was posted when the raiders were at the mine, die boys
sought it with their eyes. But though they scanned both sides of
the mountains, all they could see was trees.
Horace was on the point of mentioning the fact when the word was
passed back to dismount, and, leading their horses, they were soon
within the protection of the woods.
"Any of the ponies likely to whinny?" asked Lawrence as they halted
in a glen.
"Yes, Blackhawk," answered Horace. "It was he that gave warning of
Jeffreys' approach."
"Then we'll take them all pretty well up into the woods. He won't
be able to scent when he's above where Megget and the others will
enter the valley."
"Which way will they come?" asked Mr. Wilder.
"The opposite end from the way we did," responded the former
raider. "That's why I'm taking our ponies to a place on this side."
"Seems to me we're leaving too much to this fellow who's gone back
on his former pals," whispered the owner of the Three Stars to Mr.
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