r horses behind, and now found advancing on foot
no easy task. In spots, the undergrowth was so dense they had to
literally force their way through, and they also had to make two long
detours to escape swamps and treacherous bog-holes. The mosquitoes
and gnats were also bad and bothered them not a little.

"I guess we are earning all we are getting out of this," grumbled
Sam as he came to a halt after pulling himself through a tangle of
bushes and vines. "Unless we take care, we'll have our jackets ripped
off our backs."

"Do you want to turn back, Sam?"

"No, but I guess we had better go a little slower."

Dick was willing, and, as a consequence, by the time the edge of the
timber was reached, the sun was sinking over the hills in the West,
and it was growing dark.

Red Rock ranch was now in plain view, not over two hundred yards
distant. In front and to one side was a level stretch. The reddish
rocks were behind, leading to a small hill. There were numerous
outbuildings, and a heavy barbed fence surrounded the whole, excepting
at one point, where there was a wide-swinging gate of wire and boards.

"I think the best thing we can do is to work our way around to the
rocks," said Dick after studying the situation. "We can work up from
the rocks to the outbuildings, and so on to the ranch itself--if we
get the chance."

With caution, they skirted the woods and inside of quarter of an hour
reached the first of the series of rocks. As they crouched behind
these, Dick caught his brother by the arm.

"Keep quiet," he whispered. "I saw a man coming from the barn."

After that, they remained motionless for ten minutes. At a distance,
they saw two men coming and going from one building to another. They
were evidently caring for the horses, cattle and poultry for the night.

"They are gone," said Sam presently, as he saw the men walk toward
the ranch house and disappear.

"Wait--they may come out again."

They waited, but the men did not reappear, and now it was growing
darker rapidly. Look as hard as they might in all directions, they
could not see a single human being.

"The coast seems to be clear now, Sam."

"Yes, but it won't hurt to wait a few minutes longer," was the answer.

As it grew darker, they saw several lights lit in the ranch. One was
in the kitchen, one in what looked to be a bedroom and another in a
small room in the main part of the building. The curtain over the
window of the last-named room