zing
sternly at Tal.

"What is the matter, Senor?" asked the Indian in turn. "Is it that you
are afraid of the poisoned arrows? Be assured they will not harm you
unless you are scratched by them."

Tom and Ned found it difficult to comprehend all the rapid Spanish
spoken by their host, but they managed to understand some, and his
eloquent gestures made up the rest.

"We're not afraid," Tom said, noting that the oiled skin well covered
the dangerous darts. "But where did you get that?"

"I picked it up, after another Indian had thrown it away. He got it in
your camp, Senor. I will not lie to you. I did not steal. Valdez
went to your camp to steal--he is a bad Indian--and he brought back
this wrapping. It contained something he thought was gold, but it was
not, so he----"

"Quick! Yes! Tell us!" demanded Tom eagerly. "What did he do with the
professor's map that was in the oiled silk? Where is it?"

"Oh, Senors!" exclaimed the Indian woman, thinking perhaps her husband
was about to be dealt harshly with when she heard Tom's excited voice.
"Tal do no harm!"

"No, he did no harm," went on Tom, in a reassuring tone. "But he can
do a whole lot of good if he tells us what became of the map that was
in this oiled silk. Where is it?" he asked again.

"Valdez burn it up," answered Tal.

"What, burned the professor's map?" cried Ned.

"If that was in this yellow cloth--yes," answered the injured man.
"Valdez he is bad. He say to me he is going to your camp to see what
he can take. How he got this I know not, but he come back one morning
with the yellow package. I see him, but he make me promise not to
tell. But you save my life I tell you everything.

"Valdez open the package; but it is not gold, though he think so
because it is yellow, and the man with no hair on his head keep it in
his pocket close, so close," and Tal hugged himself to indicate what he
meant.

"That's Professor Bumper," explained Ned.

"How did Valdez get the map out of the professor's coat?" asked Tom.

"Valdez he very much smart. When man with no hair on his head take
coat off for a minute to eat breakfast Valdez take yellow thing out of
pocket."

"The Indian must have sneaked into camp when we were eating," said Tom.
"Those from Beecher's party and our workers look all alike to us. We
wouldn't know one from the other, and one of our rival's might slip in."

"One evidently did, if this is really the piece of oiled silk th