buildings in a clump at
one end, an' the radio station with its big tower supporting the
antenna at t'other. Both places will be all lighted up, for Calomares
lives like one o' them old-time barons an' he's always got so many
men around the place he needn't fear nobody, so why put out lights?
He likes light. He's a bug on it, in fact."

"Suits me," said Bob. "That gives me some beacons to go by."

From the foregoing it will be seen that the boys had changed
materially their original plan of riding in as adventure-seeking
American youths to enlist in the rebel forces, and wait their chance
to effect the rescue of Mr. Hampton. As matters now stood. Bob and
Jack were to land in the airplane, and while Bob stayed by it, Jack
was to make his way to the room where his father was held prisoner,
free him, and guide him back to the airplane, when they would fly for
the border.

Of course, the plan would not be so easy of execution as it sounded.
To find the ranch and make a safe landing would be a fairly easy task.
The ranch was not more than fifty miles distant by air line, and in
that sparsely habited country there would be no other similar group of
lights to puzzle Bob. Once they had alighted, however, the
difficulties would be encountered.

At first the boys had considered the advisability of waiting until a
late hour to make their attempt. Rebel headquarters then would have
retired for the night, and they would run less danger of encountering
anybody on landing. In that event, however, they soon realized, ranch
and radio station alike would be dark and Bob would have no beacons to
guide him to a landing.

No, there was only one thing to do, and that was to arrive at an early
hour. Moreover, there would be this advantage attached, namely, that
sentries would be lax and that, with many persons coming and going in
and about the ranch, the passage of a familiar figure, such as they
would take Jack to be, would arouse no comment. Jack might be halted,
of course, by some one desirous of conversation. But he could make
some excuse to pass on. As a matter of fact he planned to wrap a
handkerchief about his jaw and pretend to be suffering from toothache.
This would serve the double purpose of partially hiding his features,
and of excusing him from indulging in extended speech.

"All right," said Jack, finally, as he finished donning his disguise
by clapping Morales' hat on his head. "Let's go."

"Ya, ya," said Bob, doing a