With many a whoop and hurrah, the boys dashed into the home camp in the early forenoon of the following day.
Lige had left them three miles down the trail, that he might make a short cut to Eagle Pass for the purpose of getting word to the parents of the boys, that their trip had been concluded, and asking that directions for their further journeys might be sent to them at Denver, where they were to travel by easy stages.
The trail to camp being clear and easily followed, he felt no apprehension in allowing them to go on alone.
"Halloo the camp!" shouted Ned, hurling his sombrero on high, riding under and deftly catching it as it descended.
"Why, there's no one here!" exclaimed Tad Butler, looking about inquiringly, as they rode in.
Walter swung from his pony, and, hurrying to the tents, glanced into each in turn.
"That's queer. Looks as if no one had been here in a month. Well, suppose we unpack and wait."
"Somebody has been through these tents in a hurry," declared Tad after having made a hasty examination on his own account. "Did you notice that everything in the Professor's tent had been fairly turned inside out? There are our bows and arrows lying out there near where the camp fire was."
Now, the boys began to feel real concern.
"Tether the ponies and we will go out and see if we can find them," commanded Tad Butler.