ushed out. Then the door was slammed to and locked behind
him.

"Nothing doing!" muttered Reade, in chagrin and dismay. "In fact,
much less than nothing! Harry and I will simply have to tramp
fifty miles further and find the railway. Great Scott! I doubt
if the conductor will even let us aboard his train without a pass
signed by Don Luis. Hang the entire state of Bonista!"

Deep in thought, and well-nigh overwhelmed by the complete realization
of his defeat, Tom stalked moodily back up among the rocks.

As he turned a sharp, jutting ledge, Tom suddenly recoiled, as
a brisk military voice called:

"Para! Quien vive!" (Halt! Who goes there?)

Reade found a Mexican military bayonet pressing against his chest,
behind the bayonet a rifle, and to the immediate rear of the rifle
a ragged, barefooted young soldier, though none the less a genuine
Mexican soldier!

Further back other soldiers squatted on the ground. In their
centre sat the scowling Gato, handcuffed and therefore plainly
a prisoner.

Harry and Nicolas were also there--not handcuffed, yet quite
as plainly prisoners.

CHAPTER XV

THE JOB OF BEING AN HIDALGO

"This must be a part of the army that Don Luis also owns!" flashed
through Reade's mind.

From behind the group stepped forth a boyish-looking young fellow
at whose side dangled a sword. He was a very young lieutenant.

"Are these your men?" inquired Tom.

"Yes," nodded the lieutenant.

"Why have they stopped me?" Tom demanded, calmly.

"On suspicion, senor."

"Suspicion of what?" demanded Reade, his eyes opening wider.
"Is it suspicious for a foreigner to be walking about in Mexico?"

"I am not here to answer questions, senor," replied the young
officer. "You will be good enough not to resist."

"I haven't any intention of resisting," Tom retorted. "I know
better than to think that I can thrash the whole Mexican Army
that is behind you."

"You are as sensible as I had hoped you would be, senor," continued
the lieutenant, with a slight bow.

"But I wish you would tell us why you are holding us," Tom insisted.

"I am not obliged to tell you, senor, and I am not certain that
it would be wise of me to do so," the officer answered. "However,
I will say that I found your party with a Mexican citizen as a
prisoner."

"And you seem to have made a prisoner of the same fellow yourself,"
Reade retorted.

"As an officer of the Mexican Army, senor, that is my privilege,"