grass burned out and the smoke became thinner the boy put on
more and sat listening patiently for some sound, watching intently for
an answering signal from the hills.

"I guess it's no good!" Sandy declared, mournfully, as the third supply
of grass burned down. "The chances are that the train robbers and the
imitation detectives have frightened Wagner and the kid out of the
hills."

"I don't believe he'll come if he does see it," Will declared.

After a time the boys permitted one of the fires to die out and began
preparations for supper. Tommy went back to one of the tents for the
knives and forks directly, and in a moment came rushing back without any
knives or forks but with a folded paper in his hand.

"Look here," he exclaimed excitedly, "while I was entering the tent
something hit me a clip on the back. When I turned around to see what
foolishness you fellows were up to, I found a piece of rock lying on the
ground at my feet and close beside it, this piece of paper."

"Do you think the paper was wrapped around the rock?" asked George.

"Of course it was!" replied Tommy. "You can see the folds now, and
there's the place where a a corner of the rock cut a hole!"

Will turned a searchlight on the paper, now held outstretched in Tommy's
hands, and burst into a laugh as he read the words written there:

"Nix on the help signal."

"The little rascal!" exclaimed Tommy, reading the sentence.

"He's wise, that boy!" declared Sandy.

"He thinks we're setting a trap for him," Will explained, "and I can't
say that I blame him much for sending just that kind of a message."

"Anyway," Tommy went on, "it shows that he isn't far away. If he'll only
hover around within reaching distance, we'll soon convince him that we
don't mean him or his father any harm."

"I wonder if he took any provisions with him when he ran away this
time!" laughed George. "I really hope he did. That is, if they haven't
got any in their own camp."

The boys looked at the provisions which had been taken out for supper,
and discovered that two loaves of bread and several tins of preserved
meats had been taken.

"Good for him!" shouted Tommy.

After supper it was arranged that two of the boys should watch the camp
until one o'clock, and then awake the others, who were to stand guard
until morning. Tommy and Sandy were to take the first watch.

"I don't think there's much use of anyone standing guard!" exclaimed
Will. "Our lovely burros o