It was nearly noon while they were still involved in this perplexing region, and as none of the party had ever seen the country before, none could tell how long it might be before they would emerge from it.

They pushed on in silence, intent upon what might be ahead, so that when there came an exclamation from the half-witted Mexican, whose stolid silence under most circumstances had become a proverb among them, each face was at once turned toward him.
"Eh, what's that, Juan ?" said Curly--"Say, boys, he says we're about out of the sand hills.

Prairie pretty soon now, he says." "And will ye tell me, now," said Battersleigh, "how the haythen knows a bit more of it than we oursilves?
He's never been here before.

I'm thinkin' it's pure guess he's givin' us, me boy." "No, sir," said Curly, positively.

"If Juan says a thing like that, he knows.