They would of course follow directly on his trail, their practiced eyes picking it out of the many that crossed the level stretch to the south of the ranch buildings. And like bloodhounds on the scent, once they had started, they would keep it up to the end.
As the aeroplane pushed on, and neared the border of the desert, so plainly marked below, Andy gave an ejaculation that caused Frank to look expectant.
“A pony, Frank, yes, two of them feeding there, and without saddle or bridle to show that they have been ridden. Whatever can that mean?” he called out, so as to be heard above the humming of the motor.
“I think I can guess,” replied the other, quickly. “This has been a deep-laid scheme, and no sudden fancy. Jose has made all sorts of preparations for carrying it out with success. He knows that perhaps his life would pay the penalty for any failure. So, you see, Andy, chances are, he left two fresh ponies staked out here and ready for use when he came along after riding the others for these twenty or more miles. A quick change of saddles and bridles, and then he and the little girl were away again, this time striking out straight across the sand, and headed for the nearest point of the Mexican border.”
“That sounds like you had guessed it first pop out of the bottle, Frank,” the other went on to say, “and if it’s so, then we’re bound to come up on him before long.”
Andy once more started to glue his eyes to the end of the field glasses. Carefully did he scrutinize every object he could pick out along the horizon ahead. If he had any idea that it moved, he would stop in his shifting movement to concentrate his gaze long and earnestly upon that one spot; but only to give a grunt of bitter disappointment, and once more continue to scan the waste of sand beyond.
So it went on for some time. The minutes must have seemed unduly long to the ever anxious lad. Frank, more inclined to take things as they came, always hoping for the best, was better able to control his emotions. It had perhaps been twenty minutes since they reached the border of the desert, and now on all sides they could see actually nothing but that same dead glare of the burning sun beating on the absorbing sand.
Frank was himself thinking that they must have reached the limit of distance which the fugitive could have covered, even though he had a fresh relay of ponies to help him along; when once again he heard his cousin give utterance to that bubbling little cry that seemed to announce a fresh discovery.
CHAPTER XX—WHAT ANDY SAW FROM ALOFT
“No false alarm this time, eh, Andy?” asked Frank, quickly.