Three days later saw them on the trail. They had sturdy horses, used to mountain roads, a camping outfit and provisions that would last them two weeks, with plenty of ammunition, and each one carried a fine rifle.
They rode along for four days, camping at night in such sheltered places as they could find. The morning of the fifth day they awoke to find the mountain shrouded in fog.
"That shan't delay us," exclaimed Jack, though it was hard to see a rod ahead of the horse's nose. "We have a compass and we can follow the general direction Mr. Tevis gave us."
So they traveled on after breakfast, though it was dreary riding. They plodded on for mile after mile in silence. All at once Jack, who was ahead exclaimed:
"Doesn't that tree look familiar?"
He pointed to one that had been struck by lightning, and which had a peculiar spiral white mark running down the trunk. It was close to the edge of the trail.
"It sure does," admitted John.
"I remember passing that before," Nat said. "What of it?"
"It means that we have wandered around in a circle," Jack answered.
"We are lost on the mountains!"