Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-07
CONTINUED FROM PRECEDING PAGE

vas Juen ABOUT mlunlgnJy anu ~ ""' !
that all except the boys should form circis
around the villains by stealing out beyond
them on the plain.
They could remain under partial cover py
lying fiat on the ground, and when IT shoulu
be sufficiently light, Kirk was to dlscharse
one barrel of his gun. This would, OF COURSE
attract the attention Of the robbers LOT
moment, during which time those in nldihg
could draw bead on the outlaws, VINO Wouiu
thus be forced to make complete surrender
AS silently az they had come, the men,
twelve in number, took their departure nan
going one wav and half another, Bart wall
ing behind to whisper TO the boys
You stay inside here, no matter what nap
pens You couldn't do any good, and' II you
should come out before everything. was oVer'
you might do a great deal of harm,
"But, Bart said Kirk, holding him by the
arm to detain him, "the men can't be out
there, for, if they were, they'd be on the LOOK,
out to-keep up from getting away Ii tney
been watching, you couldn't have got IN 50
easily"
Don't you fear but that they're there. AS
matter of fact, they would be mighty gla9
If You did get out of here, for then they coulu
easily track you down, whereas, so long as , you
stay here you're out of their reach linen,
again, they know that you wouldn't start OH
in the night across the plain. We shall hno
them easy enough, for they're all there, walt
ing until you have to come out for water
Then Bart was gone and the TWO ooys
were alone once more, but with sense Oh Sc
curity in their hearts that took all fear from
them.
Nnile the miners had been laying their
plans, it was decided that no one should re-
turn to the ledge after he had left 1T; there
fore, the boys must continue their watch'
and fire upon the first one they heard ap-
preaching
After talking of the probable success OF
the miners in making the road-agents prls-
oners, Dory lay down and went to sleep
again, and Kirk did not waken him, even
when it was time for him to stand his
watch.
As the hour drew near for the attempt at
capture to be made, Kirk had no desire TO
sleep, and he remained on duty until, by the
gray light of morning he could see everything
distinctly.
"Get up!" he said to Dory. I'm going TO
give the signal now"
AS soon as Dory was on his feet, Kirk dis
charged the weapon. In an instant the three
road-agents sprang up, and almost at the same
time twelve forms, ranged in half-circle, ap-
peared behind them.
Cup with your handsl" shouted a dozen
voices, and, with low cry of rage, the men
obeyed, as they turned to see in whose power
they were.
It would have been worse than foolish for
them to have made any resistance, with the
odds so much against them,, and they realized
it fully
They stood like statues, with their hands
held above their heads, while two OF the party
advanced, and fastening their elbows from
behind lashed all three together
"Well get right along to Silver Cliff said
the leader of the miners, "and if the folks
up there think it will be any trouble to keep
these fellows, we'll give the boys little hang
ing party"
"We'll follow you," said Bart, as the miners
marched past the cave, two guarding the fet-
tered prisoners, while the boys from the
TOP of the ledge saw their enemies, SO tri-
umphant few hours before, again disheart-
ened.
Tom was not among those who had been
captured He had probably been left behind
when the others started, owing to the fact
that he was stiff and lame from having been
bound so long in the canyon.
The chances were that he would attempt to
reioin his companions during the day, behev-
ing that he should find them at the ledge;
but the miners were not disposed to wait for
him. They had captured three, and the
fourth would be harmless alone.
When the boys turned the burros loose the
night before, they had no expectation of ever
were still reveling among the cactus, and be-
fore the miners and their prisoners were
out of sight, Bart's party were ready to start,
none the worse for the series of adventures
that had befallen them since leaving Canon
City. ,.;,- ;., -.