"Yassir, nassir."
"Did you get drowned?" asked Tad with a grin.
"Nassir, yassir, I done—"
"He doesn't know what happened to him," scoffed Ned.
"You come along with us. There's work to be done today and if you don't do your share, I shall have something besides words for you," threatened Butler.
They made the guide walk until they came up with his pony. Chops grinned broadly, delightedly, when he discovered his horse browsing contentedly beside the stream.
"Wah-hoo-wah!" he shouted, flinging his arms above his head.
"Who would have thought him to be so near human?" cried Ned.
"Yes, there's hope for Chops yet. But we shall see," answered Butler.
It was considerably past noon when they reached their companions on the return journey. A few of their belongings had been picked up in the pass, but not enough to relieve their critical situation.