To Charlie Nickerson, fresh from the salt air and colonial architecture of Cape Cod, the arid dustiness of La Junta, Colorado, seemed unpromising. . . until he met Buck, the local scoutmaster, and explored the history, legends and dances of the local Zuni Indians as part of his scout work. Charlie's participation helped Danny Maguire, a farm boy who needed to be able to swim to earn a scout badge. Charlie arranged for the boys to add enough salt to the local pool so that Danny couldn't sink. And after the troop tours doing Zuni dances, Charlie learns just how real the Zuni gods are to the local tribe. This is a competent story whose appeal will be chiefly confined to scouts in the Southwest.