bout the finding of one of their
number in the canyon tied and gagged, and it was evident that it was not
a good time for strangers to visit the ranch of the Sebastians.

But Jim and Jo were dulled to danger and did not care what risk they ran
and so they called to the men in a friendly Spanish greeting. There was
instantly a great hubbub, and two men charged down upon them, preceded
by a couple of fierce-looking mongrels. These came dashing for them with
red, gaping mouths. The boys defended themselves gallantly with two
stout sticks that they had picked up. Then the two Mexicans took a hand.

"Look out, Jo," cried Jim, who was ever on the alert. "That fellow is
going to throw his lasso." Jo dodged just in the nick of time, but this
gave one of the dogs a chance, and if Jim had not stunned him by a
resounding crack on the head it would have gone hard with his brother.

Just then another man appeared on the scene, attracted from the vicinity
of the house by the noise of the encounter. He came full speed on a
splendid sorrel. It was Juan Sebastian, a dark, handsome young man, a
true son of Spain.

"What's all this?" he cried as he rode up. "Here, Sancho, Jan, you
brutes, come off." The dogs slunk obediently to heel.

"We found those insolent Gringoes," said one of the men, "coming
straight for the Senor's house. We undertook to stop them."

"Senor," said Jim, bowing low and speaking in his best Spanish, "we are
sorry, my brother and I, to have caused this disturbance. We are
strangers and unfortunate, and we have heard of your hospitality,
Senor"--Jim bowed again. He was not so simple, after all.

The Senor Sebastian returned the bow with more grace than Jim could
command.

"I regret, Senor--" he hesitated.

"Darlington," added Jim.

"Senor Darlington, that you have been attacked in this manner, but there
has been a party of desperadoes that have been overrunning this part of
the country for the past two days, and they took one of my men and bound
and gagged him and so you see, Senors," a smile and bow completed the
Spanish gentleman's apology perfectly.

"We have just escaped, not more than an hour ago, from these same
desperadoes," said Jim. "They have taken my brother and friend with them
towards the coast."

"We will saddle and overtake them," promised the Senor, "after we have
had breakfast."

Jim was stunned by this gentle sort of procrastination.

"But, Senor," he said gravely, "we will not be abl