It was in the early hours before dawn, when the darkness if anything becomes more intense. A chill nipping wind long since had caused the boys to unroll the rubber ponchos strapped to the back of their saddles, and drape them over their shoulders. As they stood now in the eerie darkness, striving vainly to locate the landmarks of tree and rock which Tom had given them, the howl of a hunting coyote floated down the wind. The sensitive Frank shivered.
"That sends the gooseflesh up my spine," he said.
"Are you scared?" asked Bob.
"I'm scared stiff," averred Frank. "My hair is standing up so straight I wonder how my sombrero stays on."
"Me, too," said Bob.
"Liar," said Frank.
"You're another," said Bob. "You're not scared. I know you too well."
They grinned affectionately at each other. Jack who meantime had been investigating, turned with a worried expression.
"I've followed Tom's directions faithfully," he said. "He said to lay our course south by south-west and showed me what he meant on my compass. I haven't deviated a hair's breadth. Somewhere about here should be the first landmark—three rocks shaped like a camel lying down. But I can't see them."
"Nothing to worry about in that," said Frank. "Probably we haven't gone far enough. Let's push on."