It was almost noon and the sun was high in the sky as the gold-seekers stopped to rest and have lunch under one of the huge cottonwood trees that dotted the creek bank. Sourdough was cursing the devilish child who had taken the map he had risked life and limb to obtain. His luck was running bad, and his mood was getting worse. He was wracking his brain trying to remember what all he had seen when he had the map in his possession.
The group studied the marks in the journal trying to decipher their meaning. There was a drawing of a horse's head, the head of a goat, the arrow they had seen on the trail, a snake, a canoe, a tent, and several other symbols. Their meaning was lost on the bewildered circle of novice treasure-hunters. This was going to be a haphazard venture, and they would be extremely lucky if they found anything at all.
McAlister had tried to stay far enough behind the travelers that he wouldn't be seen, yet close enough to watch their every move. He guided his horse to the top of a hill where he had a good view of Marsh's wagon. There was a short-cut through the forest that would take him over to an old campground that had once been used by cattle drovers. He knew a couple of bounty hunters who used the camp on occasion, and if they were in the area they might be interested in helping him handle the group of foolish amateurs.
He was watching the five people enjoying their lunch when he noticed something in the distance. It looked like dust rising in the air along the trail. He squinted his eyes and could barely make out four figures riding in his direction. As they came nearer, he saw the gleam of a familiar silver saddle shimmering in the sunlight, and he knew that it was Blackjack Boughton and his gang. They were getting close to where Sourdough and his crew were relaxing.
McAlister pulled his rifle from its holder and prepared himself for a fight. He backed his horse down the hill and swung it around, keeping behind the trees as he stealthily made his way toward the picnickers. He would even the odds and worry about the gold later!
Marsh had heard the sound of horses coming and scrambled to get the wagon out of sight. Tracinda grabbed the journal while Sourdough and the others pulled their horses further into the trees. McAlister rode up just as Tracinda was shoving the journal into a crevice between two large slabs of feldspar. She whirled around, flabbergasted by the sudden appearance of the sheriff, and quickly sat down over the place where she had hidden the book. He slapped his horse on the rump and shooed the animal off into the underbrush as he knelt behind the stone where Tracinda was seated.
Frenchie, Molly, Marsh, and Sourdough all crept over to where McAlister had stooped behind the rocks. Tracinda slid down from her stone bench and crouched beside the others. She desperately wished they had brought more than the three guns they had. The sheriff signaled for them to be quiet as the four bandits drew nearer. Frenchie saw the glint from Blackjack's saddle as she held her breath and tried to scrunch down closer to the ground. Molly's heart was beating so fast she feared she would faint dead away! The four outlaws were a mere fifteen feet from them!
As they passed, totally preoccupied with their mission, McAlister heard Blackjack mention something about a book and a map, and what he was going to do to Sourdough when they got to Brisbee. The devious sheriff wondered if the book he had seen Tracinda hide was the same one Boughton was talking about. The frightened bunch, hiding behind the mass of rocks, had cramps in their trembling knees, and were praying that their horses wouldn't betray them. They could still hear the voices of the gang and the clopping sound from the hooves of their mounts on the hardened trail.
At last McAlister rose, stretching his legs, and motioned for the rest of the group to do the same. The resolute lawman, watching Tracinda closely, then ordered them to sit down. He walked over and removed Blackjack's journal from the crevice where Tracinda had placed it. He told the baffled quintet that he had a few questions for them, and he wanted some straight answers.
Tracinda and Sourdough exchanged woeful glances, Frenchie and Molly sat dumbfounded, and a feeling of uneasiness washed over Marsh.
