mary calmly. "I am all right--just numb,
that's all! Don't get into a fight. They may separate us!"

Indeed that did seem to be the orders given by Paz, who rode up a
moment later. For Mike took Rosemary by the arm, and was leading her
away, while another Indian, dirty, greasy and with an evil grin on his
fat face, thrust Floyd to one side.

"Stop!" suddenly cried Rosemary. She swung free of Mike's grasp, and
in an instant that individual was looking straight into the muzzle of a
small but very serviceable automatic.

CHAPTER XIV

SURROUNDED

Bubbling over with mirth, at the manner in which they had gotten the
best of Del Pinzo and his gang, the outfit from Diamond X rode on the
trail again, once more intent on trailing the Yaquis that had captured
Floyd and Rosemary. And if Bud, Nort and Dick could, at that moment,
or thereabouts, have seen Rosemary boldly defying the evil-faced Mike
with her automatic, their admiration for the girl would have been
manifested by yells of approval.

But Bud and his chums, with their cowboy friends, were all unaware of
what was happening farther on in the desolate mountain whither the
Indians had led their captives. If they had been they probably would
not have ridden on in such comparative leisure. For they did not rush
at headlong pace, knowing they had a long, long trail ahead of them,
and must conserve not only their strength, but, what was more
important, that of their horses.

Without horses it would have been impossible to have gone on for more
than a short distance in that wild country. As I have explained motor
cars, even the marvelous little Ford, would have been out of the
question, so rough was the trail, so winding amid rocks, now down in
some narrow defile, hardly wide enough for a single rider, and again
ascending some slope tangled with brush and dead trees.

Knowing themselves to be thus dependent on their horses our heroes
saved their steeds all they could. It was for this reason that, much
as they hated Del Pinzo and his gang, they would not deprive these
outlaws of what was a means of life--their horses.

"But they won't ride after us, and I don't believe they'll give us any
more trouble," chuckled Bud, as he visioned the outlaws, used to their
comfortable if clumsy saddles, riding bareback. To a horseman this is
the limit of torture, for the horses of the west are no circus animals,
with broad, flat backs. Instead, they generally have a r