s Bluff, that Henry of
the ancient Ford had named, the major declared that it must have been
the Guadalupe Mountains a hundred miles to the east--and sure enough,
a government map showed such a town there.

So it was that presently the squadron lifted into the late afternoon
skies, with Major Hendricks in the leading plane, accompanied by the
two weary adventurers.

Swiftly the squadron winged eastward. They reached the mountains in
less than an hour, and circled them in search of that little wooden
shack which Prince Krassnov and his Cossacks had made their
rendezvous....

* * * * *

It was like finding a needle in a haystack, and for a time Stoddard
despaired of success. But those rugged mountains were an open book to
the planes circling high overhead, and with Martin's Bluff once
located, the rest was not so hard.

At last, as twilight was falling, they found the shack and brought
their planes to rest near it.

But as the party approached the shack, after posting a heavy guard
over their planes, they saw that it was deserted.

This, after all, was only what Stoddard had feared, but nevertheless
they forced their way inside--and there, had Major Hendricks had any
doubt of their story, it was dispelled.

As Stoddard had told them, it was furnished like an Oriental
hunting-lodge, with evidences of the recent occupation of the Russians
on all sides.

But where were they? Had they got away or were they hiding somewhere?

Proceeding from room to room until they had searched it thoroughly,
the party paused baffled.

But not for long, for suddenly Stoddard discovered something that gave
him a clue. It was a barred door, within a closet, covered over with
clothes and uniforms so as to be fairly well concealed. On battering
it in, they found that it led into a passage below.

* * * * *

As the party entered the passage, leaving further guards above, it
became obvious that what they had found was the shaft of an old mine.

It led down abruptly, for a while, then more gradually, with many
windings and twistings, and ending presently in another barred door.

This they in turn battered in--to be greeted suddenly by a volley of
rifle-fire that dropped three of them in their tracks.

Stoddard was one of those who fell.

Bending over him, Professor Prescott lifted up his head.

"Jack!" he called. "Where are you hit? Answer me!"

"I--it seems to be