here."

"Shust oxactly vot I vould haf suggestet, Vrankie."

"We will lose no time about it."

"Vell, I guess nod!"

"But Carlos--Carlos, my cousin. It is very strange, but Professor Scotch
does not mention him."

"Py shimminy! dot peen der trute!"

"And I am certain it was Carlos that captured the professor. I heard the
fellow laugh--his wicked, triumphant laugh!"

"I heardt dot meinseluf, Vrankie."

"Carlos must be with the band."

"Yah."

"And Pacheco is carrying this matter out to suit my cousin."

"Yah."

"Hans, it is possible you had better remain behind."

"Vot vos dot?" gurgled the Dutch lad, in blank amazement. "Vot for vos I
goin' to gone pehindt und stay, Vrankie?"

"I see a trap in this--a plot to lead me into a snare and make me a
captive."

"Vell, don'd I stood ub und took mein medicine mit you all der dimes?
Vot vos der maddetr mit me? Vos you lost your courage in me alretty
yet?"

"Hans, I have no right to take you into such danger. Without doubt, a
snare will be spread for me, but I am going to depend on fate to help me
to avoid it."

"Vell, I took some stock dot fate in meinseluf."

"If I should take you along and you were killed----"

"I took your chances on dot, mein poy. Vot vos I draveling aroundt mit
you vor anyhow you vant to know, ain'dt id?"

"You are traveling for pleasure, and not to fight bandits."

"Uf dot peen a bard der bleasure uf, you don'd haf some righdt to rob me
uf id. Vrank Merriwell, dit you efer know me to gone pack mit you on?"

"No, Hans."

"Dot seddles dot. You nefer vill. Shust count me indo dis racket. I am
going righdt along mit you, und don'd you rememper dot!"

Frank laughed.

"Hans," he said, "you are true blue. We will stick by each other till
the professor is saved from Pacheco and Carlos Merriwell."

"Yah, we done dot."

They clasped hands, and that point was settled.

CHAPTER VII.

THE CAMP IN THE DESERT.

Without unnecessary delay, they took the train from Mendoza to
Zacatecas, which was a much larger place.

In Zacatecas they set about the task of finding a reliable guide, which
was no easy matter, as they soon discovered.

The Mexican half-bloods were a lazy, shiftless set, and the full-blooded
Spaniards did not seem to care about taking the trip across the desert.

Till late that night Frank searched in vain for the man he wanted, and
he was finally forced to give up the task till another day.

Such a delay m