For one thing, Coyote Pete alone, of the party, possessed any sort of wardrobe. The professor was clad in his “barber pole” pajamas. Ralph boasted a shirt and Walt Phelps possessed the same with the addition of a pair of socks, which latter hardly fulfilled requirements so far as a covering for his nether limbs was concerned.
From time to time the Border Boys had to look at each other and burst out laughing. Only the professor viewed the matter in a serious light.
“Suppose we should meet some ladies,” he asked indignantly.
“Reckon thar ain’t many of ’em hereabouts,” ventured Coyote, spreading a big slice of beef on a bit of soggy bread. “The burros is ther only representatives of the gentle sex fer a good many miles, I opinion.”
The burros, relieved of their packs, which had been swept away, wagged their ears appreciatively at this, and continued browsing on the short, coarse grass which grew in patches here and there, and which the boys were delighted to see seemed also to be palatable to the horses.
Ralph and the others had already related how the terrified animals had been recaptured without difficulty early that day. In fact, a circumstance which has often been noted was their good fortune, namely, that panic-stricken horses in lonely, wild countries, will actually seek human companionship,—provided, of course, that they have already been domesticated. As for the burros, their loud “hee-haws” had resounded all night.
Ralph also explained how the idea of the mirror heliograph came to him. The lad who, as has been explained, was a bit of a dandy, was horrified to discover the abbreviated state of his wardrobe. But a search of his shirt pocket revealed his pocket-mirror with its folding brush and comb fittings. The railroad king’s son had at once set to work to make himself presentable about the head at least, and was combing his hair neatly and wondering how Jack and Pete had fared, when the sun caught the mirror and it flashed blindingly into his eyes. This gave him the idea of flashing it in all directions in the hope that the others, if within sight, would catch its glint. Then came the happy thought of telegraphing with the bit of glass by alternately covering and uncovering it. The idea had met with the warm approval of the professor and Walt Phelps, although, perhaps, even they had not been over sanguine of results.
“Well,” said Jack at length, after the events of the night and the following incidents had been discussed and re-discussed, “what are we going to do now?”