ating.

"The nerve of the little rooster," guffawed the Captain. "I'll make a
real pirate out of you."

Tom struggled wildly, but it was no use, as Jack Cales and the mate
disarmed him. Just then there came a loud yell from up the trail.

"Haul in, Cap'n!" It was Old Pete's well known and melodious voice.

"Jack, go and see what the old cuss wants," ordered the Captain. "I
expect that the lad up there is trying to kidnap Pete."

When Jack arrived on the scene, he found that the Skipper had guessed
right. For Jo had been playing possum and was not nearly so badly hurt
as he had appeared to be.

He came near escaping from his keeper and it was only by a quick forward
lunge that Pete had grabbed him and then occurred a short struggle in
which Pete had called for help and just as Jo had wrestled himself
loose, Cales appeared and grabbed him. It took both Pete and Cales
quite a while to subdue him.

Finally it was accomplished and they made him go down the trail, one on
either side. At the foot of the incline he saw the bruised and battered
form of Jim lying on the ground and a big lump came into his throat.

"You fellows will pay for this," he said, rendered desperate by the
sight of Jim. But his captors only laughed, not realizing that the
Frontier Boys were apt to keep their word.

Then they joined the main gang and Jo saw to his dismay that Tom and
Juarez were in the coils as well as himself and that Juarez, too, had
been laid out and appeared dazed and only partially conscious of what
was going on. Thus there was little hope of escape with the two leaders,
Jim and Juarez, done for.

"Better search these beggars for their money, Captain," suggested the
mate.

"It hadn't slipped my mind," replied the Skipper.

Now the money and the jewels that the boys had found in Mexico were in
leather belts around their bodies. These were soon in the possession of
the Captain, but the crew knew full well that they would receive their
share and thus it was that the Skipper gave promise of living to a ripe
old age instead of being murdered for his money.

"It's about time to make a start, Cap'n," announced the mate, and the
Captain consulted his watch by the light of a lantern. He found that it
was half-past eleven.

"We won't be so long going back," he said. "We will use their horses."

This was easier said than done, for when any of the crew approached
Caliente, that noble animal became transformed into a tiger and as