u came in with Ned Nestor?" he asked.

"Sure I did."

"And you say he went back down the mountain to see who was signaling
down there?"

"That is what he said when he went away."

"What did he say about coming back?"

"Of course he'll come back," declared Jimmie. "He's needed here. Since
his departure the boy he left here with me has been geezled by some
one. I left him alone just a minute, and when I returned he wasn't
here. They're all lost but me, and I'm from the Bowery, so nobody can
lose me."

"Who was it that was taken from the camp?" asked the officer.

Jimmie hesitated, for he did not know what reply to make. These men
might be in quest of Fremont. Tempted by the large reward offered for
the capture of the boy, they might have crossed the river and followed
Nestor into the mountains.

On the other hand, if they were not in search of Fremont, they might
render valuable assistance in running down the men who had taken him
away. It was rather a hard place to put the loyal little fellow, but
he proved equal to the occasion by reserving his decision until further
information concerning the new arrivals should be at hand.

"His name is Smith," he replied, shortly.

"And why did these unknown people abduct Smith?" laughed the officer,
who understood from the manner of the boy that the name was a
fictitious one.

"I don't know," was the truthful reply.

"Well, we'll look into this later on," said the officer. "Just now
we've got to travel down this hill and see what Ned Nestor is about."

The officer talked with his men in whispers for some moments, and
Jimmie saw that they were all anxious about something. Finally,
directing two of his men to remain under arms at the tents, he set off
down the mountain with the other four. As they disappeared Jimmie
beckoned the drummer aside.

"What do they want of Ned Nestor?" he asked.

"They want some information he has," was the reply. "They were sent
here to confer with him. Did you think they were Greasers because they
wore the ragged clothes over their good ones? Huh! They had to do
that, and talk Spanish, too, in order to get in here. The insurrectos
think they're new recruits."

"Who are they?" asked Jimmie. "What do they want to see Nestor for?"

"They are United States secret service men," was the reply. "They are
here on a clue provided by Nestor, and they want to confer with him, as
I said before."

"Jere!" cried Jimmie. "I didn't