little figure was shaking in a way suggestive of chills.

"Don't be in a hurry," Tom murmured. "We may be of some use to
some of these people."

"Tote those guns away, friends," spoke one of the revolver-armed
men with the automobile party, "and march yourselves under the
guns. Remember, we have women here."

"They can get away," returned one of the sullen-faced men with rifles.
"We won't hinder 'em. We'll give 'em two full minutes to get where
it's safe. Then we're going to turn our talking machines loose."

From the top of the low cliff came Tom Meade's drawling voice:

"Oh, I say, friends!"

Startled, all below glanced quickly upward.

"There seems to be trouble down there," Tom suggested.

"There sure is," nodded one of the armed men with the automobile
party.

"Now, it's too glorious a day to spoil it with fighting," Reade
went on. "Can't we arbitrate?"

"The first move for you, young man," warned one of the four men,
raising his rifle, "is to face about and git outer here."

"Not while there are women and children present who might get hurt,"
Tom dissented, with a shake of his head.

"Git, I tell you!" shouted the man, now aiming his rifle full at
Tom's chest. Git---before I count five."

"Save your cartridge," proposed Tom. "I'm too poor game, and
I'm not armed, either. Surely you wouldn't shoot a harmless orphan
like me." Saying which the young engineer, having found a path down
the cliff nearby, started slowly to descend.

"Get back there! Another step, and I'll put a ball through you!"
roared the man who had Reade covered with his rifle.

"That wouldn't prove anything but your marksmanship," Suggested Tom,
and coolly continued to descend.

"Going to get back?" howled the man behind the gun.

Without further answer Reade quickened his pace somewhat, reaching
the flat bottom of the gully on a run.

Though he felt that the chances were eight out of ten that he would
be shot at any second, Tom didn't betray any outward fear. The
truth was that even if he wanted to stop, he would have found it
somewhat difficult on that steep incline.

Where he landed, on his feet, Tom stood between the hostile parties.
Had hostilities opened at that moment he would have been in a bad
position between the two fires.

"Great Scott!" gasped the frightened Alf, peering down.

That youngster had thrown himself flat on his stomach his head
behind a bush. He was trying to make himself as small as