u are telling me the truth?" And the Mexican captain turned a pair
of piercing black eyes on the youth.

"I am, sir; I have seen no soldiers for a week or more, and they were
nowhere about here."

Dan's frank manner apparently impressed the Mexican officer favourably,
for he breathed more freely. He paused for a moment, as if in deep
thought.

"What brought you here, boy?"

In a few simple words Dan told his tale. When he mentioned the white
mustang, two of the Mexicans smiled.

"I saw him," said one. "He was running like the wind, directly for
those soldiers, too."

"And who are the soldiers you speak about?" asked Dan.

"It is not for you to ask questions," answered the captain, abruptly.
"Sit down on yonder rock and keep quiet. A noise might betray us, and
then it might become necessary to put a bullet in you."

As there was no help for it, Dan walked still farther into the cave,
and sank down on the rock pointed out. He noted that there were but
four of the Mexicans, and that each had a mustang that seemed to be
much exhausted.

"I reckon I am worse off than I was before," was his mental comment,
after reviewing the situation. "These chaps are evidently in hiding,
and they won't let me go for fear of exposing them. Well, I sha'n't
stay any longer than I have to."

In the matter of eating, the Mexicans were as badly off as the youth.
"You have had nothing, eh?" said one. "Well, we are just as hungry, and
perhaps more so. It cannot be helped, and we must make the best of it."

"But we can't remain here and starve to death," insisted Dan.

At this the Mexican drew up his face into a scowl and turned away. To
comfort themselves, the men smoked cigarettes incessantly, being used
to the tobacco habit from childhood. Dan had as yet found no comfort in
the use of the weed.

While two of the Mexicans remained in the cave to care for the
mustangs, the others went out on guard, one stationing himself just
above the opening and the other below. The numerous rocks afforded both
excellent hiding-places.

From those in care of the mustangs Dan learned but little, yet, during
the Mexicans' talk, the youth managed to gain a bit of information
which led him to believe that there had been a battle, and the four had
become separated from their companions and had been pursued. The
Mexicans thought to remain in the cave until night, and then escape
under cover of the darkness.

As the hours went by Dan became more hun