" sneered the leader. "But come on inside. There's no use of
standing chinning here."

Two of the men muttered sullenly to themselves, but ceased abruptly as
the leader's frowning gaze fell on them. They all shuffled into the
cabin, and the black-moustached man shut the door with a bang.

"Say," whispered Bob, "we've got to listen in on this pow-wow, fellows.
I'm going to sneak up to the window and try to hear what they're saying.
They must have some purpose in meeting here like this."

"Well, be mighty careful, Bob," said Joe anxiously. "They're a tough
crowd, and we've got to watch our step. If they discover you, head for
here, and if we can't get away we'll put up a battle."

"If I have any kind of luck, they won't discover me," Bob assured him.
"Just sit tight, and I'll be back in a jiffy."

Very cautiously he crept through the underbrush toward the cabin. In
spite of all his care a branch snapped under him and the second time the
door was flung wide and the ill-favored leader of the gang stepped out
and peered about him.

Bob flattened out as close to the ground as he could get and lay tense,
while the outlaw gazed suspiciously at the bushes amid which he was
concealed.

"What's the matter, Blackie?" called one of the gang. "Did you think you
heard somethin'?"

"I know I did!" exclaimed the other. "But I suppose it was only some
animal prowling around."

"Bein' alone in this shack has got on your nerves, maybe," taunted one
of the gang.

"Nerves, my eye!" exclaimed the other. "I don't own such things! But
I've got a notion to take a look through those bushes, anyway," and he
started in Bob's direction.

"Come on back, Blackie," urged another of the gang. "We can't be foolin'
around here all day. Be yourself, can't you?"

The others chimed in to the same effect, and their leader reluctantly
abandoned his search and returned to the cabin. Had he gone another
twenty feet he would inevitably have discovered Bob, who had been on the
point of springing to his feet and giving battle. It was a narrow
escape, and the radio boys heaved sighs of relief as the door of the
cabin closed on the formidable figure of the leader. They knew that
these men were desperate criminals, heavily armed, who would not
hesitate at murder to avoid capture.

Bob resumed his advance, an inch at a time, and at length reached the
edge of the clearing. Before him lay a stretch of perhaps twenty feet of
open ground, and should one of