It  must  have  been  that  he  reasoned  that  no  such
cause  as  the  real  one  could  exist,  so  close  to  the  other
horseman,  and  such  belief  on  his  part  was  one  of
the  most  reasonable  things  in  the  world.
But  be  all  this  as  it  may,  it  was  high  time  that
the  scout  effected  a  change  of  base.  Wonderful  as


80  TEE  YOUNG  SCOUT.
was  the  good  fortune  that  had  attended  him  thus
far,  it  could  not  continue  indefinitely :  disaster
impended.
It  was  not  far  to  the  stream  which  he  was  so  anx-
ious to  reach,  and  yet,  despite  the  peril  involved
in  remaining  where  he  was,  he  decided  it  was  not
so  dangerous  as  to  try  to  leave  the  spot  while
Geronimo  and  his  men  were  so  near.  He  was  now
effectually  hidden  in  the  sand,  for  he  drew  more  of
the  particles  about  his  head  until  little  more  than  his
hair  and  eyes  was  visible.
The  keen  vision  of  the  hostiles  was  likely  to  be

V

drawn  to  the  spot  if  he  resumed  his  backward
movement  toward  the  water.  It  will  be  remem-
bered, too,  that  the  banks  of  the  stream  were  so  low
and  flat  that  they  could  give  no  concealment,  and
the  agitation  that  must  follow  his  entrance  into  the
shallow  creek  was  certain  to  catch  the  notice  of  his
enemies.
And  so,  on  the  whole,  he  did  the  best  thing  pos-
sible, risky  as  it  must  be,  by  staying  where  he  was.
