ou, Walt," exclaimed Ralph, in comic petulance;
"you're the original laddie with a bucket of cold water. As we figured
it out last night, we shall be far away from here on our way to the
Esmeralda mine before Ramon and the real soldiers of fortune whose fame
we have appropriated are anywhere near here."

"I hope so, for our sakes," muttered Walt, half to himself. Practical
minded as Walt was by nature, he saw only too clearly the imminent
peril in which they were moving. "Sitting on the edge of a volcano,"
was the way Jack had put it. He had not stated the case a bit too
strongly. At any moment, for all they knew, Ramon or one of his men
might arrive with the true story, and then, where would they be?

At the conference in the tent the night before, the three lads had
agreed on a definite course of action. This was to get as close to the
Esmeralda as they could, and then make a bold dash for Mr. Merrill and
their friends. If Bob Harding chose to join them, well and good. If
he did not--well, they could not force him. Somehow, both Jack and
Walt had reached the conclusion that Bob, for all his vivacity and good
humor and apparent courage, would prove a "rotten reed" in a moment of
stress. How accurately they had gauged his character, we shall see.
This plan, as our readers will agree, was a sensible one, and,
moreover, had the merit of being the only way out of their dilemma.
But it all hinged on one thing, namely, on their departing before Ramon
or any of his followers arrived and denounced them.

Breakfast in the insurrecto camp was a peculiar meal. The officers
messed together, and, of course, the boys joined them. Once or twice,
Jack, looking up from his peppery stew, noticed one or another of the
insurrecto officers eyeing either himself or his companions curiously.

"They think you're awful youthful looking to have done all the things
credited to you," whispered Bob Harding.

After the meal was despatched, the boys expected some sort of orders to
emanate from the general's tent, but apparently he was in no hurry to
move forward till the errand upon which he had announced he meant to
send the Americans, had been accomplished. The morning was spent by
the three lads in strolling about the camp, striving their utmost to
appear at their ease, but starting nervously every time an out-rider
came into camp. Every hoof-beat upon the road was eloquent with
signification for them. Ramon could not be far of