“None better than Bland here, sir,” was the half-hesitant reply.

“W-e-l-l, I need Bland just now.  Put some of the old hands and older heads on, and don’t let anything escape their notice.”

“Beg pardon, lieutenant, but what’s to be the line of direction?  When we started it was understood that we were to take the shortest cut for Ceralvo’s, and now we’re heading for the Picatch.”

“No, we make for the pass first; that’s the quickest way to reach the signal-station, then we learn where to strike for the Indians.  Did you ever hear of their being as far west as the Maricopa range before?”

“Never, sir, in the whole time we’ve been here, and since the lieutenant joined they’ve never been heard of crossing the Santa Maria valley.”

“What on earth could tempt them out so far?  There’s nothing to be gained and every chance of being cut off by troops from Grant and Bowie, even if they do succeed in slipping by us.”

“That’s more than I can tell, sir.  The men say the paymaster’s coming along this week; they heard it from the quartermaster’s train we passed at the Cienega three days ago.”

Trooper Bland was riding in silence on the left of the detachment commander as he had been directed.  The sergeant had come up on the other flank.

“What men heard this?” asked Drummond, quickly.

“Why, Patterson told me, sir, and Lucas and Quinn, and I think Bland here was talking with the train escort and must have heard it.”

“Did you, Bland?” asked the lieutenant, as he whirled suddenly in his saddle and faced the trooper.

“Yes, sir,” was the prompt reply; “several of the men spoke of it.  It’s about the most welcome piece of news they could give to fellows who had four months’ pay due.”

In the isolation of this mountain scouting business, when, as often happens, one officer is out alone for weeks with no comrades or associates but his detachment, it naturally results that a greater freedom of intercourse and speech is developed between the commander and some, at least, of his party than would ever be the case in years of garrison life; and so it happened that for the moment Drummond forgot the commander in the man.

“It is most extraordinary,” he said, “that just when a paymaster is anxious to keep secret the date and route of his coming the whole thing is heralded ahead.  We have no telegraph, and yet three days ago we knew that Major Plummer was starting on his first trip.  He ought to have been at Ceralvo’s last night.  By Jupiter! suppose he was—­and had but a small escort?  What else could that signal-fire mean?  Here! get those men out to the front now at once; we must push ahead for all we’re worth.”