e ribs.

"Wha-wha--" stuttered Rolling Stone.

In answer Snake pointed toward Bud and his cousins, on whose faces were
looks of grave alarm as the new acquisition to their forces spoke thus
of the fierce character of the Yaquis.

"Don't get 'em to worrying too much about that there young lady an'
gent what these Indians have carried off," whispered Snake, and it was
well it was he who spoke, and not Yellin' Kid, or our heroes would have
sensed what was up. "Keep it dark," advised Snake. "Keep it dark!
Don't take the heart out of 'em!"

"Oh!" exclaimed Rolling Stone. "I see!"

"Pity you wouldn't," snapped out the cowboy leader. "You got to have a
little consideration for the young fellers!"

Rolling Stone nodded, and then, as if to make amends for what he had
said, he added:

"Course I'm not saying _all_ Yaquis are alike. There may be some half
way, or maybe a quarter way decent. And maybe they've captured this
young lady and gentleman just for ransom. In that case they'll take
good care of 'em."

"Do you think so?" asked Bud, for, truth to tell, he had been greatly
alarmed as he thought of the possible fate of Rosemary and her brother
in the hands of the unprincipled Yaquis.

"Oh, sure!" asserted Rolling Stone, with more conviction than he felt.
"They're after money, these Indians are, or what money will buy. And
they like good U.S. money instead of Mex. dollars which are worth about
fourteen and a half cents a pound just now. So it's to their interests
to treat their captives well, so they'll bring a good price in the
market."

"Good price?" exclaimed Nort. "Do they put them up at auction?"

"No, I didn't mean just that," Rolling Stone hastened to add. "I mean
if they ask a ransom they're bound to keep the prisoners in good shape
for if they don't produce 'em in that same fashion they're likely to
slip up on the reward."

"Then they won't harm Rosemary or Floyd?" asked Dick, whose vivid
imagination had pictured his cousins as being subject to the tortures
of the burning stake.

"Well, of course they won't have feather beds to sleep on," spoke
Rolling Stone slowly, "but I take it your cousins are used to roughing
it, and it will be no worse than a scouting trip for them."

"Yes, I s'pose Floyd is used to camping out," admitted Bud. "But as
for Rosemary--"

"Don't worry, son," advised Snake. "Rosemary is a western girl and you
know what your sister is."

"That's right!" and Bud visibly