ght; but underneath them all was the grim probability that would
not down that he was probably bound on his last journey.

His tortured thoughts turned back to Bert and Tom. He could see them now
in his mind's eye, chatting and laughing on the edge of the ravine, while
the men shored up the tottering trestle. Presently they would turn back
and idly wonder what had become of Dick. A little longer and their
wonder would change into a certain uneasiness. Still they would not
permit themselves to think for a moment that anything could have happened
to him. They would guess that he might be in the smoker or the buffet
and would saunter leisurely through the various cars. Only then when
they failed to find him would they become seriously alarmed. And he
could see the look of fierce determination and deadly resolution that
would leap to their eyes when they realized that he must have met with
disaster.

For they would come after him. He had no doubt of that. Some time, some
way, they would come upon him, dead or alive, unless their own lives were
lost in the effort. He knew that they would stick to the trail like
bloodhounds and never falter for an instant. They had faced too many
perils together to quail at this supreme test when his life was at stake.
Dear old Bert! Good old Tom! His heart warmed at the thought of them
and a mist came over his eyes.

But what chance did they have of finding him? They were in a strange
land where even the language was unknown to them, and where the natives
looked with suspicion on everything American. The country through which
they were passing was of the wildest kind, and the hard sunbaked trail
left little trace. The woods were thick and at times his captors had to
use their machetes to cut a way through the dense under growth. In
places where streams were met, they walked their horses through the water
to confuse the trail still further. They were evidently familiar with
every foot of ground, and no doubt their camp had been located in some
place where it would be practically impossible for pursuers ta come upon
them without abundant warning. The chances of success were so remote as
to be well nigh hopeless. There was no use in deluding himself, and Dick
pulled himself together and resolutely faced the probability of death.

He did not want to die. Every fibre in him flamed out in fierce revolt
against the thought. Why, he had scarcely begun to live. He stood at
t