No, wait!" he exclaimed eagerly.

"We have lots of time.

We'll ride south a little way and perhaps I can show you." As they rode away up the creek, Patches wondered much at his companion's words and at his manner, but the cowboy shook his head at every question, answering, simply, "Wait." Soon they had left the creek bed--passing through a rock gateway at the beginning of the little stream--and were riding up a long, gently sloping hollow between two low but rugged ridges.

The crest of the rocky wall on their left was somewhat higher than the ridge on their right, but, as the floor of the long, narrow hollow ascended, the sides of the little valley became correspondingly lower.

Patches noticed that his companion was now keenly alert and watchful.