ed.

Ferralti hugged his revolver and awaited his opportunity. It seemed to
Uncle John that he might have had a hundred chances to shoot the
brigand, who merited no better fate than assassination at their hands;
but although Ferralti was resolved upon the deed he constantly hesitated
to accomplish it in cold blood, and the fact that he had three days
grace induced him to put off the matter as long as possible.

He came to regret most bitterly his indecision; for something in the
young man's eyes must have put the brigand on his guard. When they awoke
on the third morning, which was the fifth since their imprisonment, some
one had searched their rooms thoroughly. The revolver and the knife were
both gone, and the loss rendered them absolutely helpless.

CHAPTER XX

UNCLE JOHN PLAYS EAVESDROPPER

It now seemed to Uncle John that further resistance to the demands of Il
Duca was as useless as it was dangerous. He resented the necessity of
paying a ransom as much as any man could; but imprisoned as he was in a
veritable "robbers' den," without means of communicating with the
authorities or the outside world, and powerless to protect his life from
the vengeance of the unprincipled scoundrel who held him, the only safe
and sane mode of procedure was to give in as gracefully as possible.

He formed this conclusion during a long walk around the valley, during
which he once more noted the absolute seclusion of the place and the
impossibility of escape by scaling the cliffs. The doctor was fishing
again by the brook, but paid no heed when Uncle John tramped by. The
sight of the dapper little man gave Mr. Merrick a thought, and
presently he turned back and sat down beside the fisherman.

"I want to get out of this," he said, bluntly. "It was fun, at first,
and rather interesting; but I've had enough of it."

The physician kept his eye on the line and made no reply.

"I want you to tell me how to escape," continued Uncle John. "It's no
use saying that it can't be done, for nothing is impossible to a clever
man, such as I believe you to be."

Still no reply.

"You spoke, the other day, of earning enough money to go home and live
in peace for the rest of your days. Here, sir, is your opportunity to
improve upon that ambition. The brigand is trying to exact a large
ransom from me; I'll give it to you willingly--every penny--if you'll
show me how to escape."

"Why should you do that?" enquired the doctor, still int