his own. More than this, he felt sure
that Andy Jimson would shoot him at the first sign of trouble.

The wagon road wound around in the forest, and was in anything but
good repair, so that poor Sam was jounced about until he felt sore
all over. He did not dare to speak, and, truth to tell, he did not
know what to say. He realized that if he asked what was to become of
his brothers, nobody would tell him.

Presently the wagon began to climb a slight hill. The horses tugged
away manfully, but were exhausted when the top of the rise was gained,
and had to rest.

"Hullo, what's that?" exclaimed Dan Baxter as he gazed back in the
direction of the ranch.

"Shut up," answered the long-nosed man warningly.

Sam could not help but look back. The top of the rise was almost bare
of trees, so his view was a perfect one. The sight that met his gaze
caused his heart to sink with a sickening dread.

Red Rock ranch was in flames!

"Tom and Dick!" he murmured to himself. "If they are still prisoners,
what will become of them?"

CHAPTER XXVII

THE BURNING OF THE RANCH

Left to themselves, Tom and Dick scarcely knew what to do for the
time being. What was to become of Sam they did not know, but they
felt that the outlook was darker than ever.

"Dick, we must get out!" cried Tom at length. "I can't stand this
sort of thing."

"I can't stand it myself. But how are we going to get out? That door
is like the wall, for strength."

There was more noise overhead, but presently this ceased, and all
became as quiet as a tomb.

"What do you make of it, now?" came from the fun-loving Rover.

"I think they have left the ranch, Tom."

"Left--for good?"

"Perhaps. They know that James Monday will make it warm for them.
That letter put them on their guard."

"What a fool I was to deliver it, Dick! I ought to be kicked for
doing it. If we had only opened it and read it!"

"The others must still be on the watch."

"Yes, unless they, too, have been captured."

The boys returned to the hole in the wall and, to occupy themselves,
dug away at it harder than ever. Another stone was loosened and pulled
into the cell.

"We're making a little progress, anyway," sighed Tom.

"Hark! I hear something," said Dick a little later. "Listen!"

They stopped their work and both strained their ears. A curious
roaring and crackling came from overhead.

"That's odd," mused Tom. "What do you make of it?"

"I am almost afraid to say, To