"My gracious, Dave, you're right! This sure is luck!"

"I know what I'm going to do," decided our hero, quickly. "I'm going
to send both of the boats adrift. Then, no matter what happens, those
rascals won't have any easy time of it getting back to Mexico."

In feverish haste Dave sent the flat-bottomed boat out into the creek
once more. Roger assisted him, and a few strokes of the oars brought
the craft alongside of that which had been used by the Porton party.
Then the chums leaped ashore, threw all the oars into the water, and
set both of the rowboats adrift.

"Hi there! What are you fellows up to?" came suddenly from Packard
Brown, who had happened to look behind him. "See, Jarvey, those two
fellows have cast our boat adrift!"

"Who are they?" demanded Jarvey Porton, and looked in some bewilderment
at the two figures approaching, each with a handkerchief tied over the
lower portion of the face.

"Uncle Dunston! Ben!" cried Dave at the top of his lungs, and at the
same time whipped the handkerchief from his face. "Here are Ward
Porton and his father! We must capture them!"

"Hurry up! Don't let them get away!" put in Roger, as he, too,
uncovered his face.

As he uttered the words Roger drew his pistol, an action which was
quickly followed by our hero, for both understood that the criminals
before them might prove desperate.

Of course Dunston Porton and Ben Basswood, as well as Frank Andrews,
were greatly astonished by the calls from Dave and Roger. But our
hero's uncle, while out hunting in various parts of the world, had
been in many a tight corner, and thus learned the value of acting
quickly. He had with him his pistol, and almost instantly he drew this
weapon and came forward on the run, with Ben and Frank Andrews at his
heels.

"Stop! Stop! Don't shoot!" yelled Ward Porton in alarm, as he found
himself and his companions surrounded by five others, three with drawn
pistols.

"We won't shoot, Porton, if you'll surrender," answered Dave.

"Oh, Dave! has he got those miniatures?" burst out Ben.

"He sure has, Ben!"

"Good!"

"I haven't got any miniatures," growled the former moving-picture
actor.

His father and Brown looked decidedly uncomfortable. Once the former
army officer made a motion as if to draw his own weapon, but Dunston
Porter detected the movement and instantly ordered all of the party to
throw up their hands.

"Oh, Dave! are you sure he has those pictures?" queried Ben, and h