en
trying to deceive you, read it yourself."

"I guess it's all right," said the chief. "At any rate, I'll run the
risk. I have treated you like gentlemen, and if you want me to continue
to do so, you must behave yourselves, and not try to play any tricks
upon me. Now, mind what I say. If any of you hear the others talking of
escape, and don't tell me of it, I'll pitch every one of you into that
gully."

Having given utterance to this threat, and emphasized it by scowling
savagely at his prisoners, Pierre turned on his heel and walked away.

By this time, dinner was ready, and the boys were invited to sit down
and help themselves. The principal dish was dried meat, but there were
luxuries in the shape of sandwiches, cakes, crackers, and tea and
coffee, which the cook had found in the pack-saddle, and which he did
not hesitate to appropriate. The table was the ground under one of the
trees, and the grass did duty both as table-cloth and dishes.

"Now, boys," said the chief, "here's a dinner fit for a king. Pitch in,
and don't stand upon ceremony."

"I don't think you will find us at all bashful," said Archie, dryly,
"seeing that the most of this grub belongs to us."

As the robbers and their prisoners were hungry after their long ride,
they fell to work in earnest. Archie sat on his knees in the midst of
the group, and, while his teeth were busy upon a sandwich, his eyes
wandered from one to another of the Rancheros, and finally rested upon
Mr. Mercedes, whose actions instantly riveted his attention. It had
evidently been a long time since the robbers had sat down to a
respectable dinner, and they all seemed determined to make the most of
it--especially Antoine, who devoted his attention entirely to the
eatables that had been found in the pack-saddle. He lay stretched out at
full length on the ground, one hand being occupied in supporting his
head, and the other in transferring the sandwiches from the table to his
capacious mouth. Two of the sandwiches would have made a good meal for
an ordinary man, unless he was very hungry; but they did not go far
toward satisfying the appetite of Mr. Mercedes, for, during the short
time that Archie sat looking at him, he put no less than half a dozen
out of sight, and seemed to have room for plenty more. Archie began to
be alarmed. By the time he could finish one sandwich, Antoine would have
swallowed every one on the table, and there would be nothing left but
the dried meat.