son."

"I am well aware of that fact. I knew it the moment I put my eyes on
you."

"The third thing I want you to bear in mind, is, that I shall not be
captured without a struggle; and that every chance I get I shall try to
escape. I am going to show those fellows that I have some spunk. I want
you to act natural, and to prevent me from getting away from you; but
you must not abuse me. You can treat the others as roughly as you
please. Do you agree to all this?"

"I do, and there's my hand on it," said Pierre. "I fully understand
your plans now, and know just what you want me to do; and, what's more,
I'll do it. If you have got through with what you have to say, you had
better be off. I have a good many enemies, and I am in danger as long as
you are here. Watch those boys closely, and keep Joaquin posted. I can
find out every thing I want to know from him."

"My plans are working nicely," chuckled Arthur, as he rode homeward.
"I'll teach these backwoodsmen manners, before I am done with them."

"Eighty thousand dollars!" said Pierre, gazing after the retreating
horseman. "That's a nice little sum to be divided among six of us."

This remark will show whether or not the robber intended to abide by the
promises he had just made to Arthur Vane; and, while we are on this
subject, it may not be amiss to say, that the scheme Arthur had
proposed, was one on which the robber had been meditating for many days.
During the time he had lived in the mountains, he had kept his brain
busy, and had been allowed ample opportunity to decide upon his future
operations. He had been astonished and enraged at his failure to secure
the twelve thousand dollars, and to make Frank Nelson a prisoner, and he
had resolved to make amends for his defeat by capturing Frank and all
his companions, including Arthur Vane. Pierre had plenty of friends to
assist him, but there was one question that troubled him, and presented
an obstacle that he could see no way to overcome; and that was, how to
capture all the boys at once. That must be done, or his plan would fail.
He could get his hands upon Arthur Vane at any time; but the others were
like birds on the wing--here to-day, and miles away to-morrow--and
Pierre did not know where to find them. Now, however, the difficulty was
removed. Frank and his friends were going on a hunting expedition,
Arthur would ascertain when they were going to start, and what road they
intended to take, and when the day a