Skeleton Lode by Ralph Compton Page B

search for the gold, and when we find it, we’ll have to settle with whoever’s still on our trail.”
     
    “We’ll give Paiute a couple more days,” said Arlo. “I doubt he’ll lead us to the mine, but he might get us to some point where the map begins to make sense.”
     

Chapter 3
     
    Arlo and Dallas arose at first light. Paiute was already up and had a fire going—the coffee was ready. Arlo opened the door and looked out toward Saguaro Lake.
    “They’re waitin’ for us, I reckon,” said Dallas.
     
    “They sure are,” Arlo replied.
     
    When they were ready to move out, they loaded the pack mule, saddled their horses, and pointed to Paiute. Mounting his mule, the Indian led out in the same direction he’d taken the day before.
     
    “Here we go again,” said Dallas.
     
    But it soon became apparent that Paiute didn’t plan a repeal of the day before. While they took the same torturous trail along the eastern flank of the Superstitions, their pace was almost leisurely. Those who pursued them were more mystified than ever. Again they turned west along the Salt River, reaching a point a little southwest of the Superstitions a good two hours before sundown. Paiute removed the blanket from his mule, turned the animal loose to graze, and stretched out beneath the willows that lined the river.
     
    “Might as well unsaddle the horses and unload the pack mule,” Arlo said. “This is where we’ll spend the night, I reckon. It ought to further confuse our followers.”
     
    “They’re not alone,” said Dallas. “It’s doin’ a fair job of confusing me. There’s still two hours of daylight.”
     
    “Let’s get our supper fire going,” Arlo said. “It’s too early to eat, but I could use some coffee. Something about that map’s been bothering me. Come sundown, I aim to check it out.”
     
    Paiute filled his tin cup with coffee, cut a slender willow pole, and headed downriver. There would be fish for supper. Arlo and Dallas settled down with their coffee and the map Hoss Logan had sent them.
     
    “Read this map to me,” said Arlo. “Tell me what you think it means.”
     
    “The jagged line is the horizon,” Dallas said. “The half circle is the sun, and the arrow points east or west, depending on whether the sun is rising or setting. The upside-down V is a mountain peak, and I reckon the death’s head means the mine with Spanish bones is somewhere in that mountain.”
     
    “Pretty good interpretation,” said Arlo. “First thing we need to know is whether Hoss is referring to the rising sun or the setting sun. Let’s saddle up and ride down the river toward Phoenix far enough that we can see the western rim of the Superstitions.”
     
    This activity wasn’t lost on Gary Davis and his companions.
     
    “These hombres ride along the river, Señor,” said Yavapai. “Do you wish we follow?”
     
    “No,” Davis said. “They’re not breaking camp, and it’ll soon be dark.”
     
    Arlo and Dallas rode west of the Superstitions until they could see a good portion of the western rim stretching away, to the north, then waited until the sun had slipped beyond the horizon, leaving only a crimson glow.
     
    “I reckon we just ruled out the sunset,” said Dallas, “unless we ain’t readin’ this like Hoss intended. I don’t see a single peak along the western rim that stands out enough to be the one the map points to.”
     
    “I didn’t think there would be,” Arlo said, “but I wanted to be sure. Now look at that western rim again. While none of the peaks stand out above the others, it is kind of a jagged line, like the line on the map Hoss drew. Why can’t that ragged rim of the Superstitions be the horizon behind the map’s setting sun?”
     
    “By God,” Dallas shouted, “that’s
got
to be it! Once we’re up there in the mountains with our backs to thewestern sun, we’ll be facing the peak Hoss drew on the map!”
     
    “Before you get too excited,” said