they understood it, and mounted
upon their horses, came galloping out of the by streets and other places
where they had been concealed.

The whole armed crowd headed for the bank.

They thus cut off Jack and the sheriff.

To everybody's surprise, the moment Siroc arrived opposite the door of
the bank, Jesse turned him and sent him galloping right into the
building.

Pausing before the paying teller's window, Jesse thrust his two pistols
through, causing the man to yell and recoil.

"Hand me every bundle of bills in that draw before you!" roared the
bandit. "Quick, or I'll fire!"

"No--no--no!" gasped the startled man.

"I'll make you!"

And--bang! went his pistol.

The bullet grazed the clerk's head.

"I'm killed!" he screamed.

"No, you ain't, but you will be if you don't obey."

"For God's sake, don't fire again!"

"Will you give me that money?"

The cruel, wicked eyes were now turned upon the man in a manner that
made him writhe.

He saw that his doom was sealed unless he complied without wasting any
more time about it.

So out came the money.

There were stacks of it--hundreds of dollars.

The bandit kept the paying teller covered with one hand, and with the
other transferred the money to his saddle bag.

"Now, go!" he shouted.

Then he began to blaze away.

All the clerks dodged under the desk to escape the flying bullets.

Having emptied one of his pistols, and intimidated them, the bandit king
spoke to his steed.

Siroc turned and went thundering out to the street.

There an exciting scene was going on.

The gang, to cover Jesse's movements, had begun to fire their pistols
right and left, and the people in the streets and houses and stores
hastily made themselves scarce.

As soon as Jesse emerged, they closed in around him, dug spurs in their
animals, and went clattering away.

Jack and Timberlake had been baffled.

They witnessed the daring robbery.

Seeing that it was impossible to get through the lines of the bandits to
stop it, Jack signaled his friends.

No response came back.

Fearing trouble for the Terror they rushed away.

She was where they had left her, but Tim and Fritz had alighted, gone
away and were only just then returning.

"What's up?" panted Jack.

"Wood Hite escaped! We've been chasin' him!" Tim replied.

"Too bad! But never mind---"

"Vot's all dot shootin'?"

"The James Boys--they've beaten us!"

"Whar is they?"

"Running away! Get aboa