e tried, therefore, to argue the point, and was still trying when one of
his men came rushing up, knocking over a Mexican as he came, and
shouting, "Cap, they've took every weapon I had while I was eatin'! And
they won't give them up."

"Will Senor Skinner do me the favor to tell his friend that this is by my
order?" The general smiled as he said it.

It was another half-hour before the different "messes" in all parts of
the camp brought up to "headquarters" each its angry and disarmed guest.

"It's no use, boys," said Captain Skinner to his crestfallen band. "It's
martial law, and we may as well submit. We'd best mount and ride now."

Again General Garcia felt called upon to smile and be very polite. His
command was greatly in need of horses. Those of the American caballeros
were just suited to cavalry use.

"Oh, if we only had our rifles, Cap!" exclaimed Bill. "Anyhow, we'll get
our saddles back."

More than one bearded face grew a little pale at the thought of those
saddles. The general's own chief of staff had attended to their transfer
from the backs of the splendid American horses to those of the wretched
little Mexican ponies, and he had noticed how heavy they all were. It
was his duty, therefore, to search them, and not a saddle among them all
was now any heavier than a saddle of that size ought to be.

"The ponies," remarked the polite Mexican, "are not strong enough to
carry all that gold bullion as well as those heavy Gringo miners."

It was a sad dinner-party for Captain Skinner and his miners. And it
turned out as he feared, for not an ounce of stolen gold was to be found
in the pockets of that ragged band within ten days of their "first
dinner."

CHAPTER XXX

The day the village was moved from the bank of the river was in many
ways unsatisfactory to Ni-ha-be, and so was the next and the next.
Nothing went to suit her, whether in camp or on the march.

Her father was continually having grave talks with Send Warning. Red
Wolf seemed to feel that he could not even ride out after deer or
buffalo unless he was accompanied by Knotted Cord. He declared that no
Apache "young brave" could surpass the pale-face boy in handling the
lance, and that he could even make a good use of a bow and arrows.

But all that was nothing to the remarkable conduct of Dolores.
Ni-ha-be was sure Rita had never before received such a degree of
attention and respect from the great cook. She had even seen