"No, really Jim, I appreciate you boys' friendship and I like to be with you, but I am getting too old for this exciting life and I must get back to my plateau and my books."
"I have given the captain one of my books to read," said Tom.
"Gee," laughed Jim, "I bet the captain will be thrilled when he reads about the dukes and dukesses and all those high-fliers."
"That will do, Jim," said the captain. "I value the book as a gift from Tom."
So nothing more was said on that line. We were now fairly launched for the remainder of our voyage through the mountains and we rode forward in good spirits.
CHAPTER XI
THE CAPTAIN DEPARTS
We traveled on for a week through the mountains with only the ordinary incidents of hard riding and quiet camps. We met with no extraordinary adventures, nor did we meet any wandering bands of Indians.
Although we saw the distant smoke of some large camps we did not seek any close acquaintance with the Apaches.