“I’m not denying that,” said Grant.  “I am quite sure I should have been lost if I had been where you were.  All I’m saying is that we aren’t going to lose any more.”

“Well, what are we going to do?” asked George.

“We’ve got to decide what we’ll do first,” said Grant.  “What do you think?” he added, turning to the guide as he spoke.

Zeke had been silent throughout the conversation.  It was plain that he was perplexed and perhaps downcast at the outcome of their first attempt.  However, the expression of his face was unchanged when he said, “I’ve decided one thing and that is that you boys are going to stay right here and watch a little while.”

“’Watch’?” repeated Grant.  “What do you mean?  What are we going to watch?”

“You’re going to be on the lookout,” was all that Zeke was willing to explain.  “There’s going to be some things goin’ on around here worth seein’, in my opinion,” he added, “but I don’t know just what and I’m not sure just where.  I do know though the first thing that’s going to be done.”

“What’s that?” inquired Grant.

“I’m going to get under the shadow of that big rock yonder and then I’m going to cook some dinner.”

“But it isn’t more than eleven o’clock,” protested Fred.

“I don’t care what time it is.  I’m going to cook the dinner if it’s seventeen o’clock to-morrow mornin’.”

“And after dinner what?” asked Grant.

“What I told you,” said Zeke.  “I’m going to leave you boys here on the lookout while I go down over the rim.”

“What are you going for?” asked Fred.

“Two things,” replied Zeke.  “I’m going to look first for those two pesky Navajos and then I’m going to have an eye on that ledge that Simon Moultrie referred to in his diary.”

“If you have one eye in one direction and the other in another, Zeke,” laughed Fred, “you’ll be getting cross-eyed the first thing you know.”

Fred’s laugh relieved the tension somewhat and when dinner had been prepared by the guides the spirits of all had risen once more.

“I’m suggesting,” said Grant before the boys arose from their seats, “that we form five big circles here, about twenty-five feet apart.  We’ll have a common center and then from there we will start out, every one covering the part that has been given him.  In this way we’ll be able to cover a good deal of this ground and find out whether there’s anything here to show that Simon Moultrie ever struck a claim.”

“Better not try that until I come back,” suggested Zeke.  “I will be back along about supper time and I may have somethin’ to report when I come.  If I do, it may change all your plans.”

“What do you expect to report, Zeke?” asked George.

“Just exactly what I find,” answered the guide solemnly, whereat the Go Ahead Boys all laughed loudly.

“Now, you mind what I say,” said Zeke a few minutes later.  “Don’t none of you go more’n a hundred yards from this spot.  It may be I shall need the help of every one of you and need it in a hurry too.  If I do, I want you on hand.  Besides, there isn’t any use in any more of you wanderin’ off into the gullies trying to lose yourselves.”