“We might get lost in such a great city,” giggled Joan.
“Lost in wonderment, maybe,” retorted the Ranger. “There’s a little mission church said to have been built way back in 1600; and the ruins of a prehistoric Indian Pueblo named Cicuye—it is worth photographing. Then there’s the Pecos Ruins halfway to Valley Ranch. A view of this real Mexican town is well worth the trouble of going to see it. The house where you will stay to-night, with its whitewashed walls glistening in the sunshine, will make a good picture, too.”
That night the scouts stayed at Apache Inn as planned, and early the next morning they started off, with Ranger Johnson leading up the Pecos Cañon. The trail ran close to the edge of the cliffs, but the walls of the Cañon were heavily wooded to the bottom where ran the Pecos River, hence the danger, if one went over the edge, was not so great.
Camps and cabins with visitors from everywhere dotted the groves or parks wherever a good camp-site was to be found along the trail of the Pecos River. There were many Cañons which forked off from the main one, and upon the wooden level knolls one could see the tents or the portable bungalows of the summering visitors.
The trail zig-zagged up through the forest of aspens and sentinel pines, close by sparkling waterfalls and glistening cascades, past many a cool trout pool, till the top of Baldy Pecos loomed up far ahead.
“How far is this from Pecos Town, Mr. Johnson?” asked Mr. Gilroy.
“Folks will tell you it is only twenty miles—straight up. But who ever came up here straight! An aëroplane might do it, but not a Mexican pony! Just think of the way we zig-zag and go round the bluffs.”
“What is our objective for to-day’s trip, Ranger?” asked Julie, gazing at the peaks which seemed so near but were actually miles farther north.
“Why, I plan to take you to Grass Mountain, where my friend and I have charge of the branch station. To-morrow I will take you to Panchuelo, where you will be able to see a view that will never be forgotten. From the U. S. Forest Rangers’ observatory you can see the entire Pecos Valley, as well as get closely acquainted with the Santa Fé Range on the other side of the Pecos Cañon. We’ll spend the night with my friends at the lookout and start you on the trail early in the morning.”
The air was most exhilarating, but it got to be so cool that the Captain called a halt in order to make the girls don their heavy sweaters. Even the men took advantage of the stop to get out their cardigan vests and slip them on under their coats.