n and bring the others--the door had been left open--and the trooper
hurried away.

Hal approached the room and knocked sharply on the door--three light
taps, followed by one loud tap. There came to their ears the sound of a
scraping chair, the door was unbarred and unbolted, and Georges peered
through. He recognized the three figures in the passageway, and threw
wide the door.

"Successful?" he asked eagerly as the three entered.

"Yes," said Chester briefly.

"_Bien_!"

The others in the room, of whom there were perhaps fifty, also crowded
around and patted Chester and Jean on the back, profuse in their
congratulations.

The three sat down at the table, where Chester, in response to Georges'
request, began an account of the supposed assassination.

"I suppose the chief will soon be here," he broke off to say.

"And then," said Georges, rubbing his hands, "we shall receive our gold.
Did you see the chief in the crowd?"

"Yes; he was there, all right," said Chester.

Now came to Chester's ears the sound of stealthy footsteps in the
passageway beyond the door, which Georges had barred and bolted
immediately they had entered. The lad got nonchalantly to his feet and
walked slowly toward the door.

Hal and Jean also had heard the sound of footsteps, and they now ranged
themselves on either side of Chester.

Suddenly the revolvers of all three flashed out and covered the crowd of
Apaches, as Chester's voice rang out sternly:

"Throw up your hands, all of you!"

Taken completely by surprise, the Apaches obeyed.

Without lowering his weapons, Chester called to Jean:

"Open the door!"

Jean sprang to obey, and as he did so the Apaches, realizing that they
were trapped, sprang toward the two lads with cries of rage. Right in the
face of the muzzles of the four automatics they came on.

"Halt, or we fire!" cried Chester.

Jean was struggling nervously with the door.

The Apaches paid no heed to the lad's cry.

"Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!"

The automatics of both lads spoke four times in rapid succession, and as
many men fell to the floor. For a moment the Apaches fell back. In this
moment Jean swung wide the door, and, picking up his revolver, rushed to
the side of the two lads, while through the door streamed, one after
another, the squad of French cavalrymen.

Some of the Apaches now produced revolvers and fired wildly at the
approaching soldiers, and these, leveling their rifles, returned the
f