Onceup，Slonefoundhimselfuponawide，barrenplateauofglaringredrockandclumpsofgreasewoodandcactus。Theplateauwasmileswide，shutinbygreatwallsandmesasofcoloredrock。Theafternoonsunbeatdownfiercely。A
blastofwind，asiffromafurnace，sweptacrosstheplateau，anditwasladenwithreddust。Slonewalkedhere，wherehecouldhaveridden。Andhemadeseveralmilesofup-and-downprogressoverthisroughplateau。Thegreatwallsoftheoppositesideofthecanyonloomedappreciablycloser。What，Slonewondered，wasatthebottomofthisrentintheearth？Thegreatdesertriverwasdownthere，ofcourse，butheknewnothingofit。WouldthatturnbackWildfire？SlonethoughtgrimlyhowhehadalwaysclaimedNaggertobepartfishandpartbird。Wildfirewasnotgoingtoescape。
Byandbyonlyisolatedmescalplantswithlong，yellow-plumedspearsbrokethebaremonotonyoftheplateau。AndSlonepassedfromredsandandgraveltoared，softshale，andfromthattohard，redrock。HereWildfire\'strackswerelost，thefirsttimeinsevenweeks。ButSlonehadhisdirectiondownthatplateauwiththecleavagelinesofcanyonstorightandleft。AttimesSlonefoundavestigeoftheoldIndiantrail，andthismadehimdoublysureofbeingright。HedidnotneedtohaveWildfire\'stracks。HeletNaggerpicktheway，andthehorsemadenomistakeinfindingthelineofleastresistance。Butthatgrewharderandharder。Thisbarerock，likeafile，wouldsoonwearWildfire\'shoofsthin。AndSlonerejoiced。PerhapssomewheredowninthisawfulchasmheandNaggerwouldhaveitoutwiththestallion。
Slonebegantolookfarahead，beginningtobelievethathemightseeWildfire。TwicehehadseenWildfire，butonlyatadistance。Thenhehadresembledarunningstreakoffire，whencehisname，whichSlonehadgivenhim。
Thisbareregionofrockbegantobecutupintogullies。Itwasnecessarytoheadthemortoclimbinandout。Milesoftravelreallymeantlittleprogressstraightahead。ButSlonekepton。HewashotandNaggerwashot，andthatmadehardworkeasier。Sometimesonthewindcamealowthunder。Wasitastormoranavalancheslippingorfallingwater？Hecouldnottell。Thesoundwassignificantandhaunting。