Along one of these old trails the horse had come up from the valley, and hence it was down this same trail that Juan eventually led the two searchers for the horse's owner.
The ponies plunged down the rude path which wound among the ridges and cut banks, and at last emerged upon the flat, narrow valley traversed by the turbid stream, in that land dignified by the name of river.
Down to the water the thirsty horses broke eagerly, Juan following, and lying at full length along the bank, where he lapped at the water like a hound.
"_Que camina--onde, amigo_ ?" asked Curly in cowboy _patois_.

"Which way ?" The Mexican pointed up the stream with carelessness, and they turned thither as soon as the thirst of all had been appeased.

As they resumed the march, now along the level floor of the winding little valley.

Franklin was revolving a certain impression in his mind.

In the mud at the bank where they had stopped he had seen the imprint of a naked foot--a foot very large and with an upturned toe, widely spreading apart from its fellows, and it seemed to him that this track was not so fresh as the ones he had just seen made before his eyes.
Troubled, he said nothing, but gave a start as Curly, without introduction, remarked, as though reading his thoughts: "Cap, I seen it, too." "His footprint at the bank ?" "Yep.