Burk. He
spoke of the mountains to the west of Zacatecas. Pacheco threatens
to mutilate me and forward fragments to you if you do not follow to
the point specified. He is watching me as I write, and one of his
men will carry this letter to Mendoza, and deliver it. The
situation is desperate, and it strikes me that it is best to comply
with Pacheco's demands in case you care to bother about me. If you
want me to be chopped up bit by bit and forwarded to you, do not
bother to follow. I have no doubt but Pacheco will keep his word to
the letter in this matter. I am, my dear boy, your devoted guardian
and tutor,

"HORACE ORMAN TYLER SCOTCH."

That this letter was genuine there could be no doubt, as it was written
in the professor's peculiar style of chirography; but it did not sound
like the professor, and Frank knew well enough that it had been written
under compulsion, and the language had been dictated by another party.

"Poor old professor!" murmured the boy. "Poor old professor! He shall be
saved! He shall be saved! He knows I will do everything I can for him."

"Yah, but he don'd seem to say dot der ledder in," observed Hans, who
had also read every word.

"Huejugilla el Alto is one hundred and ten miles west of Zacatecas."

"Vere you belief they findt dot name, Vrankie?"

Frank did not mind the Dutch lad's question, but bowed his head on his
hand, and fell to thinking.

"We must have horses, and we must follow. 'Remember Jack Burk.' Surely
the professor put that part of the letter in of his own accord. He did
not speak of the Silver Palace, but he wished to call it to my mind.
That palace, according to Burk, lies directly west of Zacatecas,
somewhere amid the mountains beyond this place he has mentioned. The
professor meant for me to understand that I would be proceeding on my
way to search for the palace. Perhaps he hopes to escape."

"Yah," broke in Hans, "berhaps he meant to done dot, Vrankie."

"We would be very near the mountains--it must be that we would be in the
mountains."

"I guess dot peen shust apoudt vere we peen, Vrankie."

"If he escaped, or should be rescued or ransomed, we could easily
continue the search for the palace."

"You vos oxactly righdt."

"We must have horses and a guide."

"We can ged dem mit money."

"We had better proceed to Zacatecas, and procure the animals and the
guide t