He stayed where he was for about ten minutes, lying as quiet as a lizard on a sun-warmed log, and this is no idle comparison, for the sun did shine down with lots of force; then he slowly and very carefully moved backwards, and let himself gingerly down to the ground, while Jim watched him intently, sure that he had found out something of importance.
Not a word did Juarez say, but motioned Jim to follow him. When they had made their escape from the pocket, then Juarez spoke up.
“That was a close call that time, Jim,” he said.
“You had me scared for a minute, Juarez,” admitted Jim. “What’s the news? Those fellows were planning some devilment.”
“They were,” said Juarez. “They are going to attack our camp to-night, when we are asleep. Kill us and take our horses and supplies.”
“Oh! ho! Is that the ticket!” cried Jim. “I thought that rangy Maverick with the stick-up hair was a bad actor. Forewarned is forearmed. We will give that bunch a surprise party, but we will have to hustle, for it’s a long ways to our horses yet.”
“I reckon we will have a couple of hours’ leeway,” said Juarez, “to get things in some sort of shape.”
“There will be plenty to do,” said Jim briefly.
As they swung along down the mountain side, Jim’s mind was busy with plans of attack and defense. The two boys traveled like Indians with a swinging, easy stride that covered a lot of ground. How they did revel in the muscular exertion in that bracing air! It was fine to feel themselves equal to their task. Around and before them the scene was constantly changing.
Now they were going through the pine forests, then into a canyon’s depths with great walls that seemed to bear the blue skies above; next along a narrow trail, with flowering bushes hiding a little creek babbling a few feet below. Then, covered with dust, hands and faces baked brown with it, they came to the grove where they had left their horses tied.