towed in the absence of a surgeon.

"What next?" asked Frank.

"Peking!" answered Jack. "We can't heal these wounds by remaining here,
and we can help by going on and sending a surgeon back."

"But my orders are to remain with you," Captain Martin said.

"Then leave most of your men here and come on," Ned replied.

This plan was agreed upon, and would have been carried out at once had
not something not on the program of the night intervened. Captain
Martin had detailed two men to sit with the wounded and stationed the
others in a circle about the house when a shot was fired off to the
east.

"I didn't think they would have the nerve to attack the house openly
before we got away," Captain Martin remarked.

All listened intently, but there was no more shooting.

"That sounded to me more like a signal than anything else," Ned
observed. "I wonder if they are out in force?"

"I think I'd better call the men in," Captain Martin remarked.

The words were hardly out of his mouth when a skulking form appeared in
the dim light which now fell from the stars. The fellow was creeping
from the house outward.

"A spy!" Jack whispered. "Shoot, some one. I haven't my gun with me.
Shoot!"

The skulking man appeared to hear the words, though they were spoken in
a very low tone, for he sprang to his feet and dashed away at full
speed. In a second he was lost to view in the thicket.

"Say, but that chap is some runner!" Jimmie cried. "He went so fast I
never thought to wing him!"

"Where did he come from?" asked Frank. "I'm certain he was not in the
house. Perhaps he was up to some deviltry."

"He wasn't here with any bouquets," Jimmie answered. "I'm goin' out an'
run around the house. Perhaps I can find out where he was hidin', an'
find his mate there."

No objections being offered to this, the little fellow left the group
and started in on a tour around the old house. He was gone perhaps two
minutes, then came dashing back, his face white and horror-stricken in
the circle of light which met him.

"Grab 'em! Grab 'em an' get out!" he shouted.

"Where did you get it?" demanded Jack.

"You're scared stiff!" Frank laughed.

"Grab the wounded men an' beat it!" Jimmie repeated. "This ranch will
go up in the air in a second!"

"That's cheerful!" Jack cut in, half believing that Jimmie was up to
another trick.

Jimmie dashed into the house, seized one of the wounded men by the
shoulders and tried to drag