The Go Ahead Boys and Simons Mine | Page 7

interest to the coloring and the glory of the canyon itself.
With every changing angle of the sun the colors and shadings also
changed. Again and again the boys had marked the shadows formed
every morning and evening and they laughingly announced and
described the various resemblances which they had traced.
The Grand Canyon itself is only a part of the long canyon, in places a
mile deep and in certain places a score of miles from side to side,
through which the mighty river has forced its way.
The Colorado River starting in Southern Utah is formed by the junction
of the Green and the Grand Rivers. The former rising in Northern Utah,
traverses also a part of Wyoming, while the latter river traces the
western Rockies in Colorado.
Of this wonderful stream Major Powell, the first to descend the river,
wrote, "Ten million cascade brooks unite to form a hundred rivers.
Beside that, cataracts and a hundred roaring rivers unite to form the
Colorado, a mad turbid stream."
One distinguished writer, describing the mighty canyon, said it is "most
mysterious in its depth than the Himalayas in their height. It is true that
the Grand Canyon remains not the eighth but the first wonder of the
world. There is nothing like it."
Our special interest, however, is in the four boys and their two guides,
who now were assembled in the camp. Every boy was bronzed and
toughened by his exposure and labors. Packs were to be seen which had
been brought into camp on the backs of the various members of the
party. Each pack contained about sixty pounds of food and materials
necessary for the expedition. In addition, guns had been brought,
fishing rods were visible and other implements, which were a part of
the camp life were on every side.

Burros had been used to carry some of the burdens until the boys had
entered within the canyon itself. Then the burros with the Indian boy
who had accompanied them as far as the border, turned back to the
place from which they had come. It was not believed that sufficient
material would be left after the expedition was completed to require
again the services of the donkeys.
After supper the boys stretched themselves on the ground near the fire
which was still burning.
"We have kept together all the way as far as this," suggested Fred, "but
I'm wondering now if we wouldn't do better if we divided into two
parties."
"What for?" demanded Grant, sitting quickly erect.
"I've just been talking to Zeke and asking him whether he didn't think
we would need more supplies than we have before we came back."
"Nonsense," said John. "We have all we want. It isn't going to take us
more than a year to find that place Simon Moultrie told about. If we
don't get some trace of it within a few days I'm not in favor of keeping
up the search and for that reason I don't believe we'll want any more
supplies."
"Nobly spoken!" laughed George. "It sounds like the supreme wisdom
of Soc. What do you say about it?" he added, turning to Grant as he
spoke.
"I know just enough to know that I don't know anything about it,"
answered Grant.
"But what do you think?" protested Fred.
"I think we may need more than we have. What does Zeke say about
it?" replied Grant.
"Zeke doesn't think we had better divide again. He says that if we need

supplies we can go in for them, but the probabilities are that we shall be
back long before any such lack comes. He thinks we had better all keep
together. There's safety in numbers sometimes, you know."
"I agree," said Grant, "if that is Zeke's opinion. Still when we get on the
ground where our real search begins I'm of the opinion that we'll get
along better and faster if we make two parties instead of one."
"There will be time enough to talk about that when we have to,"
laughed Fred. "Look yonder," he abruptly added, pointing as he spoke
to two men who could be seen coming down the natural approach to
the camp. "Where did they come from? Who are they? What do you
suppose they want? You don't suppose it is somebody coming in with a
message of bad news for us, do you?"
No one replied to the questions of the startled boy, but every member
of the party at once turned and keenly watched the approaching men.
Both were walking, although Zeke explained in a low voice that
doubtless they had burros somewhere not far away.
In a brief time the two strangers approached the camp and immediately
made themselves known.
"I've seen both those men before," whispered Fred