upper.

"Yes," replied the little Mexican. "For what is the use of being
strong if I could not tramp after more wood to-morrow?"

"We'll pay you well for all your trouble for us, _mi muchacho_"
(my boy) Tom promised.

"I am rewarded enough in being allowed to serve you, _caballeros_,"
Nicolas answered.

"And the queer part of it is that he means what he says," muttered
Tom, gazing after the departing little _peon_.

Very shortly a cheerful fire was crackling away. Tom and Harry
brought their campstools and sat down before it.

"I'll be thankful when we get back to the States," mused Tom.

"I hope it'll be soon, too," answered Harry, with a wistful glance
toward the north, where, several hundred miles away, lay their
country.

Nor did either one expect to be many days more away from home.
The young engineers had arrived at a somewhat surprising conclusion.
They had agreed to sign a suitable report and to stand back of
Don Luis in all the claims he might make concerning _El Sombrero_
Mine.

Much different would their feelings have been had they known all
that frightened little Francesca had overheard that they were
to be secretly slain, as soon as their usefulness in the swindle
was past.

Rather late into the night the young engineers sat up, talking
in such low tones that even Nicolas, squatted on the ground beside
a smaller fire, could not hear what they were saying. He would
not have understood, anyway, as the young engineers were talking
in English.

It was very late when the young engineers turned in that night.
It was eight in the morning when Nicolas aroused them.

"Is the stranger back in your tent, Nicolas?" Tom inquired, as
soon as his eyes were open.

"No, senor."

"Well, I'm not astonished. I didn't really expect him to return."

Tom and Harry were quickly astir, and ready for breakfast. Nicolas
served them carefully, as always.

"We're not through much too early, anyway," Tom murmured. "Here
come Don Luis and his artful shadow."

The touring car stopped, at a little distance from camp. After
the two passengers had alighted the chauffeur drove on two hundred
yards further ere he drew up to wait for them.

"Good morning," hailed Don Luis, cordially. "I see you are waiting
for us."

"We have been ready for you since we first rose," Tom answered.

"Is your answer ready?" Don Luis demanded, eyeing them searchingly.

"Don Luis," Tom replied, instantly, "the report that you wa