are there--my
other brothers, my cousins, my relatives. They will all stand by me, and
they will be ready to avenge Pacheco. The wrath of my people shall fall
on the head of the impostor! You wonder why I warn you? I will explain.
You are bound far in the mountains, and the false Pacheco will follow.
If you are captured, he may turn back. I want him to follow you--I want
you to lead him into the snare. That is why I am here, and that is why I
have warned you, senors. It is done, and now I will go."

He arose to his feet, heedless of Bushnell's command to "keep still,"
and strode toward the horses. They saw an extra animal was there, and,
in a moment, he had flung himself on the creature's back.

"_Buenos dias, senores._"

A clatter of hoofs, the flutter of a poncho, and a crimson serape, and
Rodeo's horse was galloping up the ravine that still led deeper into the
mountains. Man and horse soon vanished from view.

CHAPTER XI.

THE AWAKENING VOLCANO.

Two days later, shortly after sunset, the party camped far in the depths
of the Sierra Madre Mountains.

The words of Rodeo, the half-blood, had proved true, for they were
pursued by the bandits, but, thanks to the skill of Bushnell, they had
been able to give the desperadoes the slip.

"By ther end of another day we oughter be able ter clap our peepers on
ther Silver Palace," declared the Westerner.

Professor Scotch was now as eager as any of them to see the wonderful
palace, all his doubts having been dispelled by Bushnell's
straightforward narrative of the discovery of the place by himself and
Jack Burk.

"I wonder what causes that column of smoke we saw rising amid the
mountains to the westward to-day?" said Frank.

Bushnell shook his head.

"Thet thar has troubled me some," he admitted. "It seems ter be fair an'
squar' in ther direction of ther Silver Palace."

"Maype dose pandits peen aheadt uf us und purn der balace up," suggested
Hans, with an air of very great wisdom.

"I scarcely think they would be able to burn a building made of stone,
gold, and silver," smiled Frank.

"Wa'al, not much," said Bushnell. "Ther palace will be thar when we
arrive. You needn't worry about thet."

They were very tired, and, feeling secure in the depths of a narrow
ravine, they soon slept, with the exception of Frank, who had the first
watch.

The moon came up over the mountain peaks, which stood out plainly in the
clear light, every gorge and fissure be