"I'd like to know the meaning of those smoke clouds[Pg 118] we saw," said Hodge. "They looked mighty queer to me."
They consulted together, finally deciding to halt in a shadowy valley and wait for the declining of the sun, which would bring cooler air.
They confessed to one another that they were lost, and all felt that the situation was serious. It was not at all strange that Hodge was very angry with the worthless old toper who had led them into this predicament.
"We may never get out of these mountains," he said. "Or, if we do, we may perish in the desert. I tell you, fellows, we're in a bad scrape!"
"Dear me!" sighed Ready. "And I anticipated great pleasure in surprising Merry to-day. Alas and alack! such is life. I know this dreadful sunshine will spoil my complexion!"
Gallup looked dolefully at the horses, which were feeding on the buffalo-grass of the valley.
"We're a pack of darn fools!" he observed. "We'd oughter sent word to Frankie that we was comin', an' then he'd bin on hand to meet us."
The "guide" had stretched himself in the shadow of some boulders and fallen fast asleep.
"I suppose I'm to blame for this thing, fellows," said Bart grimly. "It was my scheme to take Merry by surprise."
"Waal, I ruther guess all the rest of us was reddy enough ter agree to it," put in Gallup. "We're jest ez much to blame as you be."