Though the steadily-increasing light enabled them to find the shoe-prints, where the animals had moved about during the night and those made when they entered the plateau, not a trace could they find indicating the direction of their departure!
With blank faces, the two veterans stared at one another.
As they stood in baffled perplexity, of a sudden, from above, there rang out a mocking laugh.
Whirling, Colts ready, the scouts looked up.
Outlined against the sky, stood a powerfully-built man, red of hair and beard, wearing a scarlet shirt.
"Red Rogers!" gasped Jennings and Shaw, in chorus.
Another jeering laugh greeted the exclamation, then with a defiant wave of his hand, the figure disappeared.
CHAPTER II.
SCOTTY LEARNS SOMETHING ABOUT THE "SERVICE."