admiration toward the absent chum who so
heroically had thwarted Morales' attempt to betray their hazardous
expedition that he circled now above the two groups of lights which
marked the Calomares ranch and radio station.

Smaller and smaller grew the circles, as with engine shut off he
volplaned. The field was hard-packed and smooth and the plane alighted
finally with practically no jar. When it came to a dead stop at last,
Bob drew a long breath of relief. He had not been up for several
weeks. And night flying above strange country to a landing on
unfamiliar ground had been a strain upon him.

There were no mechanics running out to greet the alighting plane and
trundle it into its hangar. Had this been a well-appointed landing
field, such absence would have been suspicious. But to Bob and Jack it
meant only confirmation of Roy Stone's remark that they were a
"careless lot at the ranch."

"Now for it," said Jack, clambering out of the plane.

The two chums stared around them, trying to pierce the darkness. They
were in the middle of a long and wide field. A ring of low hills
encircled them, the tops clearly outlined against the velvety sky.
Overhead twinkled stars, brighter, warmer and apparently closer than
when viewed in their Long Island home.

The hills on either hand were close. So, too, was the rampart at their
back, over which they had flown. Those ahead were more distant, for it
was in that direction extended the valley. Behind them was the radio
plant with its tracery of tower and antenna against the sky and the
windows of the power house gleaming from the light within. Ahead was a
long, irregular clump of buildings set among trees. Some were dark.
But the main structure, which they knew from Stone's description was
the ranch house, was brightly lighted.

Try as they would to pierce the darkness, the boys were unable to
discern anything other than this. There was not a human figure in
sight.

They gazed with especial interest toward the ranch house, because it
was somewhere within those walls that Mr. Hampton was held prisoner.
Soon, if all went well, Jack would be making his way within in search
of his father. At the thought, his heart which heretofore had been
calm enough, began to beat rapidly and for a moment he felt as if he
were about to suffocate. His breath almost failed him. It was a not
unnatural feeling, and soon passed, but Bob noting the labored
breathing climbed from the airplane and put