Seated within the opening, with their heavy blankets wrapped about them, the boys were thoroughly comfortable.

They had met with enough stirring adventure and had had sufficient rough experience to make the rest highly acceptable.

They naturally wondered when nine o'clock passed without bringing Hank Hazletine.
"Maybe he has lost his way in the canyon," suggested Fred, giving expression to a fancy which was not serious.
"You mean that he has forgotten where the stairs lead up to the top ?" "I guess that's what I mean, though I never thought of it before.

If that is the fact, he may have to pick his way for two or three hundred miles to the mouth of the canyon and then walk back to us." "That will delay his arrival." "Yes.

He can hardly be expected before morning." "Let me see," said Jack, becoming more serious; "Hank warned us that no matter where we went into camp, we must keep one person on duty as sentinel." "Suppose we are separated, and there is only one of us in camp ?" "Then, I presume, he must sit up and watch over himself.