ings of a plan in mind. But first I
must get more information from Rollins. Then I'll talk to you again."

Jack looked him squarely in the face.

"Mr. Temple," said he firmly, "I'm desperate. Father is everything in
the world to me. I'll wait to talk with you. But I tell you frankly
the only plan that appeals to me is to ride into Old Mexico and rescue
him."

The eyes of Bob and Frank, who had turned to listen, lighted up, and
they nodded vigorous approval. Mr. Temple stood off and looked at the
trio of husky fellows as if seeing them for the first time.

"Perhaps," said he, "that is what you will soon be doing."

CHAPTER XV

TO THE RESCUE

"I may be wrong," said Mr. Temple, thoughtfully, "in giving my
sanction to this plan to rescue Mr. Hampton. But I do not believe so.
And, all things considered, it seems the best if not the only way out.

"I have been accustomed to regard you as mere boys, but the conduct of
every one of you in our adventures lately shows me you are able to
think and act for yourselves. Yet I don't know. Jack, you and Frank
are motherless. But--if anything happened to Bob--his mother never
would forgive me."

"Say, Dad, forget it," grumbled the big fellow to hide his emotion. "I
can take care of myself."

His father's eyes lighted approvingly as they surveyed his truly
heroic frame.

"Yes, I guess you can," he said. "And you carry a cool head, too. At
any rate, I've given my approval."

He smiled whimsically, then looked from one to another of the three
eager young fellows.

"My daughter Delia was right," he said. "When I left home she said I
was wrong to think of you any more as youngsters, and that the first
thing I knew you would be making use of your wit and ingenuity to take
care of me. And now her words in a measure are coming true."

All four were grouped around the dining room table. For several hours
plans for the rescue of Mr. Hampton had been discussed and rejected.
Out of it had grown a plan which called for a daring invasion of the
enemy's territory by the boys.

Mr. Temple had impressed upon them the necessity for preventing the
United States government from being involved in the situation. He had
explained a number of angles not made clear before. Among other
considerations, he said, was the fact that practically all the Central
and South American republics were jealous of their big Yankee
neighbor.

"If our government were to make a hostile move toward Me