True to Grant’s opinion the two strangers remained for the night at the camp.

They had not expected to be invited nor had Zeke or any of the Go Ahead Boys bidden them go on.  It was taken as a matter of course that they would be permitted to share the camp which they had found in the desert region.

“We’ve had a hard time,” murmured Grant when at last the boys were preparing for the night.  “It’s been one thing after another.  We’ve lost a boat, lost Simon Moultrie’s diary, lost John and Pete, and I’m not sure that we haven’t lost a good deal more by having these two tough-looking men come here and join the band as they have.”

“Why don’t you keep watch on them to-night?” suggested George.

“Because that’s one of the two things I can’t worry about,” replied Grant demurely.  “If they are going to shoot us I can’t help it and if they aren’t then there’s no need of lying awake nights.”

In spite of the anxiety of the Go Ahead Boys not many minutes had elapsed before all three were sleeping soundly.

Fred was utterly wearied by his efforts of the day and was the first to close his eyes.  George’s bruised leg was annoying though not especially painful, and it was not his suffering that caused him to lie awake long after his friends were sleeping.

His accident had made the boy somewhat home-sick.  Again and again visions of his faraway home now arose before him and he was almost willing to blame his father for permitting him to take this trip to the Grand Canyon without older members of the family going with him.  Indeed, the longer George thought over the matter the more he was inclined to pity himself and to blame some one else for his present misfortune.

He was well aware that there was nothing serious in the bruise he had received and that in all probability within two or three days he would be as well able to walk as ever he had been.  But he was tired and anxious and under such conditions his feelings naturally were somewhat depressed.  At last, however, George’s eyes slowly closed and he too was asleep beside his companions.

It was not so with Zeke, the guide, however.  Without betraying his fear he had been suspicious of the two men since they had first come to the camp.  Unknown to them he was mindful of their every act and frequently while he was engaged in his tasks he listened and overheard parts of their conversation which he was desirous of hearing.

Zeke had stretched himself upon the dry, warm ground near the Go Ahead Boys, but it was long before sleep was to come to him.  The slow moments passed and nothing was heard to break the tense silence of the wonderful region.  Indeed, the silence itself was almost oppressive.  It was George who had declared that “the silence was something you could hear.”  Strange as the expression is it is almost descriptive of the conditions under which the Go Ahead Boys now found themselves.