ent to
the leading hotel of the place. Here they found their baggage, which,
thanks again to the thoughtfulness of Melton, had been taken from the
train and sent there to await their coming--that coming which had been
so doubtful a little while before. They saw to it that the Chinaman had
food and drink and a place to sleep. Then a goad supper, a hot bath, and
they piled between sheets, to await the coming of the morrow.

It was long after sunrise the next morning, when they awoke. They had
slept soundly, and, if any haunting recollection of their experience had
taken form in a dream, there was no trace of anything but jubilation, as
they dressed and breakfasted to an accompaniment of jest and laughter.
Melton, who had risen earlier and was smoking on the veranda, rose and
threw away his cigar, and after a hearty handshake, went with them to the
office of the consul.

"Thank God, you're back," he cried fervently, as he shook hands with
Melton. "And these, I suppose," he went on, as he turned toward the boys
and greeted them warmly, "are the young rascals who have given me so many
anxious moments lately. By Jove, I can't tell you how glad I am to know
that you got out of that scrape all right. There aren't many who have
fallen into the hands of El Tigre that ever came back to tell the story.
Sit down now and tell me all about it."

He was a fine example of Uncle Sam's representatives abroad, keen,
strong, determined, and the boys warmed toward him at once. He listened
intently, while Melton told all that had happened, and his eyes lighted
up, as he learned how they had rushed the camp.

"It was splendid," he exclaimed. "It's almost a miracle and I wonder
that you pulled through alive."

"It was a narrow squeak," admitted Melton, "and, at that, I'm afraid we
wouldn't have got away with it, if the troopers hadn't come up just when
they did. The bandits had got over their surprise and were surrounding
us. I tell you, that squad of soldiers looked mighty good to me."

"So I imagine," rejoined the consul. "And that reminds me that we ought
to go round and see the mayor. You can thank your friend here," he went
on, turning to the boys, "that the mayor got busy at all in this matter.
It was that 'hand on the hip pocket' idea that did the trick. It scared
him stiff. He thinks a good deal of that precious skin of his, and he
didn't like the idea of having it shot full of holes. I don't believe he
ever hustle