r the rough ground.

As the three moved away George swung up the slope on the other side and
came into view on the summit. The boy had cut a white pine climbing
staff from which the small boughs had not been trimmed away, and Tommy
saw that he was using this as a wig-wag flag. It was plain to the boy
that George thoroughly understood the situation below.

The detectives growled out several vicious oaths as they saw the boy
swinging his staff from the summit. They whispered together for a
moment, and then Katz, leaving Tommy threatened by Cullen's revolver,
moved toward the summit and the signaling boy.

When, in a moment, George looked down the slope to the east, he saw the
detective creeping stealthily toward him. The officer was some, distance
away, yet the boy knew that he was in danger from the gun in his hand.
He gave one last swing and dropped his staff.

"Come down here!" shouted the detective. "I want to see you!"

"Come up here, then!" answered George. "What are you doing to my chum?
You're always butting in on us boys!"

"If you don't come down instantly," shouted the angry detective, "I'll
fill your hide full of lead! I've got you covered!"

Seeing by the malicious look on the face of the detective that he was
really in earnest, George dropped quickly to the ground.

CHAPTER XIV

A PAIR OF PRISONERS

Tommy saw his chum drop and, supposing that he had been injured in some
way, started racing up the slope. Directly he found himself hampered by
Cullen, who was clinging to the tail of his khaki coat.

As the boy drew up George rose from the ground and moved down the slope
facing the east. Tommy saw that he was acting under instructions from
Katz, who held a revolver in his hand.

In five minutes the boys, unarmed now, were walking along by the side of
the detectives. A wink from George convinced Tommy that his chum had at
least succeeded in attracting the attention of the people at the camp
below. It might be that help would come before the detectives could lead
them to a hiding place in the hills.

What the boys appeared to need just at that time was delay, so they
asked all sorts of questions as they walked along, hoping that their
captors would pause to answer them. However, the fellows plugged
steadily along toward the opposite side of the ridge, and finally drew
up on a shelf of rock from which the caverns to the west could be
plainly seen. Here the officials sat down to watch and wait