Timberlake gave a slight start and now said:

"Do you know that the James Boys generally prefer to make their camp in
just such hollows as this is?"

"Is that so?" asked Jack. "Then you have an idea that by following the
lone horseman we have accidentally run into the outlaw's encampment?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, I'm going ahead to see."

"I'll go with you, if you like."

"Very well; arm yourself."

They procured a pair of deadly pneumatic rifles and revolvers of Jack's
invention that hurled explosive ballets.

Then they left the stage in Tim's care.

Alighting, they crept toward the hollow.

In a few minutes they reached it.

The lone horseman had disappeared.

Jack and the sheriff proceeded with the caution of two cats, and slowly
worked their way down into the hollow.

They presently neared the fire, when a startling scene met their view.

CHAPTER VII.
THE SHERIFF'S MISFORTUNE.

Jack and Timberlake had reached the bottom of the verdure clad hollow,
and were lurking behind a clump of bushes.

It was darker down there, if possible, than it had been above, but the
ruddy glow of the camp-fire lit up a patch in the scene.

Around the fire were grouped a dozen ruffians, among whom Jack
recognized the two James Boys.

Among the others were Jim Cummins, Wood Hite, Clell Miller, Cole Younger
and his three brothers, John, Jim and Bob, Dick Little, Jack Keene, Ed
McMillan, Bill Chadwell, Hobbs Kerry, Charley and Bob Ford and Oll and
George Shepard.

The horses belonging to the gang, most of which had been stolen, were
tethered to the nearby tree.

An exciting dialogue was going on among the bandits, and Jack and the
sheriff heard Jesse say:

"Yes, Timberlake has got the Governor at Liberty to league Jack Wright
against us. It's been hard enough to fight the sheriff's posse and the
military reserve but it's going to be a blamed sight harder to get the
best of that inventor. Wright owes me a grudge. He has soured on me for
doing him out of that $5,000 in Wrightstown."

"That machine of his'n must be a wonder," said one of the men.

"You have no idea what a dangerous article it is," promptly replied
Jesse, with a fierce expletive. "Ripley and Barker had a taste of it,
though, when the machine chased them on Siroc and Jim Malone. It was
awful the way the electric engine overhauled them, I can tell you. Our
only salvation now lies in leading them to places where the Terror can't
run."

"If Barker ha