to put him out.
Three seconds more and Jim would have landed the proper blow, had not
Jack Cales arrived upon the scene under cover of the melee. Before Jim
could turn to meet this new assailant, a stone crashed against his
head--and the frontier boys had lost.

The Captain had now recovered sufficiently to get on his feet, and the
fallen Jim was kicked until the Captain himself called a halt.

"Wait till we get him on board ship, lads," he said, "and we will finish
this job."

"Better get the other two, Cap'n," advised the mate.

So they dragged the prostrate Jim to the foot of the trail near where
the drinking pool was and went to look for Juarez and Tom. They saw a
small black object crawling towards them through the fog.

"What's this a coming?" asked Jack Cales.

"Why, it's my Mexican ferret," said the Captain. "What's the matter,
Manuello?" he asked as he turned him over none too gently with his foot.

"The big Senor throw me over his head and on the ground. I think I
crack the world open," he explained. The Captain roared with laughter.

"Where is the rest of this dangerous gang?" he asked.

"I will show you," he said, struggling to his feet. The presence of his
master gave him strength and confidence. "This way, Senor Captain."

He brought them to where Juarez lay upon the ground, partially held up
by Tom, who had been crying and endeavoring to bring his comrade back to
consciousness from the ugly blow that the Mexican had given him. I am
sure that none could blame Tom for tears upon this occasion for it was
calculated to try the heart of the stoutest.

"Why, this boy looks like an Indian," said the Captain regarding Juarez
closely.

"He lived with the Indians when a boy, Senor Captain," volunteered the
dwarf, who by subtle means of his own had become possessed of the
history of the four boys.

"He don't seem to be much more than a boy, now," said the Captain. They
had not paid much attention to Tom because he seemed a mere kid, but the
hunchback was not to be caught napping, for he had worked around back of
Tom, and as the latter aimed his revolver at the Captain, having worked
it cautiously out of his holster, the dwarf grabbed him in the nick of
time else the expedition would have lost its head.

Instead of being infuriated as one might have expected, the Captain was
decidedly amused at the temerity of the youngster, for that is all Tom
appeared to him, and, therefore, he did not hand him a be