when they were going
to a dubious and uncertain fate.

"You boys come with me," called the Captain gruffly.

"How about me, Cap'n?" asked Jeems Howell, the lanky shepherd.

"What's your business?" inquired Captain Broom briefly.

"Looking after the sheeps."

"Then attend to it," said the Captain grimly.

"Certainly, Cap'n," replied the shepherd, who was incapable of taking
offense.

"You come, Jake," called the Captain, to one of the sailors, "and be
quick about it, we haven't much time." Tom shivered, for in the gloom
and tired as he was he felt that his time too was short.

Then with the Captain in the lead, carrying a lantern, which was muffled
in his great coat, they started, the sailor bringing up the rear.

"Look out sharp, that these lads don't spring something on you, Jake.
They are a bad lot."

"Aye, aye, sir," replied the sailor, "they'll have to be quick to get
the jump on me, sir."

"It's the Injun one's the worst. Don't let him scalp you," warned the
Captain jocosely.

"I'm no Indian," said Juarez, hoarsely and utterly reckless of his fate,
"I'm an American, and was proud of it, till I found you were one, you
cursed yankee barnacle."

"Ho, ho, lad!" roared the Captain, "you won't talk so tall in a few
minutes. Nothing like a slow fire for stewing the nonsense out of a
fresh kid."

"How far is this cave of yours, you are taking us to, old salt horse?"
said Juarez insolently, and utterly unwise.

This was too much for Captain Broom, and with an imprecation he turned
to strike Juarez. This was what Juarez was looking for and as the
furious Skipper whirled facing him, Juarez dodged his huge fist, and
sent a fierce hook to the Captain's jaw. There was anger, desperation
and strength behind that blow and the Captain fell, striking his head on
a rock. That time the Frontier Boys scored.

"Follow me, Tom," yelled Juarez, and he sprang away through the
darkness. It seemed like a hopeless undertaking to make an escape with
the sea on one side and the cliffs on the other, and a desperate enemy
near at hand. But Juarez thought it was best to take a chance. Anything
was better than captivity, that was seemingly just ahead of them.

One thing he was determined on and that was, that he would not be taken
alive. He ran splashing through the water, leaping rocks, with the two
sailors in fast pursuit. Not far ahead to the right was the white dash
of the breakers that shut off escape in that direction, t