But the trail was broad and good, and they made good time as compared
with a slow cattle drive.
Early in the afternoon Ted became conscious, in that remarkable way of
his, that not far ahead some one was on the trail.
Stella was riding behind him, for the boys had taken turns in carrying
her so as not to burden any one horse too much, and he transferred her
to Kit's pony, and, telling the boys to move forward slowly, rode on
ahead to scout.
Ted wanted to see for himself this wonderful Silver Face, who was
impervious to bullets, and who could fire them from his chest with no
apparent effort on his own part.
Ted was also affected as the others had been who had seen him; that is,
by the mystery of the creature.
He had ridden quite a distance ahead of the party, and had just entered
into the pass of a canon which seemed to broaden out into a respectable
valley farther on, when he was brought to a halt by the scream of a
rifle ball close to his head.
This was warning enough, and he scurried into the shelter of a huge rock
that jutted from the canon wall.
In a few minutes he emerged from it and rode back over the trail.
When the party came up with him he told them of the shot.
"It's my opinion," he said, "that Silver Face and his men and our cattle
are in that canon or valley, but how to reach them I don't know.
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