idea. My handkerchief is also good and strong."

"You do the pow-wowing and I'll do the shooting, if it's necessary,"
said Bill Badger.

Joe looked up into the tree again but could see nobody.

"Caven!" he called out. "I know you are up there and I want you to come
down."

To this remark and request there was no reply.

"If you don't come down we may begin to fire at you," went on our hero.

"Oh, say, do you think he'll shoot?" whispered Malone, in sudden alarm.

"No; shut up!" returned Caven.

"Are you coming down or not?" went on Joe.

Still there was no reply.

"I'll give 'em a shot to warn 'em," said Bill Badger, and fired into the
air at random.

"Don't shoot me!" roared Pat Malone. "Please don't! I'll come down!"

"Well, you come down first. Caven, you stay up there for the present."

After this there was a pause, and presently Pat Malone came down out of
the tree looking sheepish enough.

"Up with your hands!" cried Bill Badger, and confronted by the firearms
the hands of the rascal went up in a hurry.

Then Joe took his handkerchief and stepped up behind Malone. The hands
were lowered and crossed and our hero tied them firmly together at the
wrists.

"Now back up to that tree yonder," said our hero. "And don't you dare to
move."

"I'll do just as you say," whined Malone. "Only don't shoot me." He was
a coward at heart.

"Now, Caven, you come down!" shouted Joe.

"I don't think I care to," answered that rascal, coolly.

"If you don't come down I'll come up after you with my pistol," broke in
Bill Badger.

"Maybe I can do a little shooting myself," went on Gaff Caven.

"I'll risk that."

More words followed, but in the end Caven thought it best to descend and
did so. Yet his face still wore a look of defiance. He was compelled to
turn around, and his hands were also tied behind him.

"Now I want those mining shares, Caven," said Joe.

"I haven't got them."

"Where is the satchel?"

"I threw it away when you started after me."

"Down at the railroad tracks?"

"Yes."

"Don't you believe that," broke in Bill Badger. "At least, not unless he
emptied the satchel first."

"Show me the way you came," said Joe.

"Make him point out the satchel, or make him suffer," went on Bill
Badger.

"I've got an idea!" cried our hero, suddenly. "Perhaps he left the
satchel in the tree."

"That's so. Well, if you want to climb up and look around, I'll watch
the pair of 'em."

"Don't let