n the
waste, he cried:

"Bah, Gringo dogs! You cannot harm me! I will see you again,
_Americanoes_. This is not the last."

With an angry exclamation of disappointment and anger, Bushnell flung
his empty revolvers on the sand at his feet.

"Dern me fer a fool!" he roared. "Ef I'd done my shootin' first an' my
talkin' arterward, he wouldn't got away."

But Ferez had escaped, and they could only make the best of it.

When this was over and the excitement had subsided, they sat about the
fire and discussed the situation. Frank then showed the golden image
which Burk had given him, and explained how the dying man had told of
the Silver Palace.

Bushnell listened quietly, a cloud on his face. At the conclusion of the
story, he rose to his feet, saying:

"Ef Jack Burk made you his heir, thet goes, an' I ain't kickin' none
whatever. Old Jack didn't hev no relatives, so he hed a right to make
any galoot his heir. But thar's goin' ter be plenty of worry fer anybody
as tries ter reach ther Silver Palace. How'd you 'spect ter git 'crost
ther chasm?"

"As yet, I have not taken that into consideration. The kidnaping of
Professor Scotch has banished thoughts of everything else from my mind."

"Wa'al, ef Jack Burk made you his heir, you're entitled ter your half of
ther treasure, providin' you're ready ter stand your half of ther
expenses ef we fail ter git thar."

"You may depend on me so far as that is concerned."

"Wa'al, then, you see I hev three hawses. One is fer me ter ride,
another is ter kerry provisions, and ther third is ter tote ther
balloon."

"The balloon!"

"Thet's whatever. I hev another balloon with which ter cross thet thar
chasm. It's ther only way ter git over. In crossin' ther balloon will be
loaded with a ballast of sand; but when we come back, ther ballast will
be pure gold!"

CHAPTER IX.

THE PROFESSOR'S ESCAPE.

They did not expect to reach Huejugilla el Alto without being molested
by bandits, for it was presumed that Pacheco's lieutenant would carry
the word to his chief, and the desperadoes would lose no time in moving
against them.

Knowing their danger, they were exceedingly cautious, traveling much by
night, and keeping in concealment by day, and, to their surprise, the
bandits made no descent upon them.

Huejugilla el Alto proved to be a wild and picturesque place. Being far
from the line of railroad, it had not even felt the touch of Northern
civilization, and the boys