already told you everything which can possibly interest you!"
Will answered. "We have nothing more to say!"

"Then bring out your rope, boys!" the sheriff shouted.

Seth threw a hand back to his pistol pocket and faced the sheriff
angrily. The sheriff's eyes flashed vengefully.

"I protest against this murder!" Seth exclaimed.

"If you don't want to take a hand in the proceedings, get out!" ordered
the sheriff. "We can do the work without you!"

"I don't propose to see these Boy Scouts murdered!" Seth declared.

Every member of the party now held a gun in his hand, and it seemed to
the boys that a desperate battle must take place. They drew their own
revolvers and stood side by side with their defender.

"Take those guns away from the kids," shouted the sheriff, addressing
two of his men. "We ought to have attended to that before this!"

"Don't you try it!" Seth said calmly. "I'll shoot the first man that
lays a hand on one of them!"

While the two parties stood facing each other, each ready to begin
shooting at the slightest provocation, a volley of shots came from up
the gorge. The angry men turned their eyes toward the entrance to the
cavern and the sheriff threw up his hand in a command for an armistice.

"The train robbers may be out in the gulch shooting up some one now!" he
exclaimed. "We ought to see about this!"

"Yes," Seth exclaimed, "there's no use of our coming to blows over this
matter. If the robbers' hiding place can be found, we can make them tell
whether these boys are mixed up in their affairs or not."

"That's right!" exclaimed another member of the party. "If the boys will
give up their guns and promise to make no attempt to escape, we'll
investigate this shooting and give them the benefit of every doubt there
is in the case. Will you do that, boys?"

The lads handed their weapons to Seth and moved out toward the gulch.
When the party passed out of the cavern they found no one in sight.
While they stood listening and watching more shots came from the south
and they all moved up in that direction. The moon was now shining
brilliantly and the whole gulch was in view.

"Strange where that shooting is!" Seth exclaimed.

"It's in the caverns up to the north, and that means that the train
robbers have been brought to bay!" exclaimed the sheriff.

As the party started up the gulch, Will drew Seth aside and whispered a
few words into his ear.

CHAPTER X

ONE DANGER TO ANOTHER