That night the Overland party was treated to another deluge of bullets, but the firing did no damage, beyond putting a hole through the pup-tent occupied by Ike Fairweather. All hands, despite their loss of sleep, were up early on the following morning making preparation for their journey to the homes of the ancient Cliff Dwellers where an exciting day awaited them.
CHAPTER XXII
RELICS OF AN ANCIENT RACE
THE Gordons and Cartwrights had engaged a conveyance to take them to the point on the Apache Trail where they must turn off and walk about a mile to reach the homes of the Cliff Dwellers. The Overland Riders preferred to ride their ponies, Ike taking his team to carry himself and the rations for the day.
Tucked away with the equipment was a strong rope several hundred feet in length, Ike, at Grace’s request, having provided this and other equipment without asking too many questions.
An early start was made, both parties reaching the turning-off place at about the same time, and shortly thereafter a merry company, carrying picnic baskets, was ascending the steep, narrow trail that led to the Tonto Cliff Dwellings.
They found the first of the two main groups of prehistoric community dwellings free of tourists, and the Overton College girls stood in awe as they gazed on the massive masonry of this relic of an unknown past.
“Are you familiar with the history of these cliff dwellings, Mrs. Gray?” asked the general.
“I must confess that I am not wholly familiar with the subject, sir. Will you tell us what you know about them?”
“No one knows of their beginning, nor of the people who inhabited them. We do know that Coronado’s Scouts discovered them nearly four hundred years ago. The Coronado Scouts, it is said, believed that they found the frontier fortresses of that rich kingdom of Tontonteac, which was one of the seven they sought.”