and ran
toward the track side.

"Hoch! Hoch! Hoch!" he yelled, waving his china-bowled pipe about his
head. "Diss iss der bestest thing I've seen since I had idt der
Cherman measles, alretty yet."

As the brakes ground down, and with a mighty exhalation of steam and a
sigh from the air-brakes, the locomotive came to a stop, Jack leaped
from the cab and ran toward the German. To his astonishment, Geisler
almost recoiled as he drew near, and uttered a shout.

"Donner blitzen! I voss righdt den, idt vos a trap dot dose rascals
laid."

"What do you mean, Mr. Geisler? Where is my father?" gasped Jack, all
in one breath.

"Himmel!" sputtered the German. "Oh, diss is an onloocky day, py
chiminy. A young feller rode it to der mine, early to-day, undt told
your fader dot you vos wounded, and----"

"My father went with this fellow?" demanded the boy, his eyes blazing
with eagerness and anxiety.

"Ches. He thought dot idt vos all righdt, und----"

"It's a trick of Madero's to rush the mine!" exclaimed Buck, who, with
the others, came up as the German was ejaculating the last words.

"Dot is vot I dink idt. Listen."

Forthwith the German launched into a detailed report of what had
occurred, not omitting a full description of Harding, which was
instantly recognized by the boys.

"Harding, the scoundrel!" exclaimed Jack.

"I'd like to get my hands on him for just five minutes," breathed Walt
viciously.

Buck and the others, who were, of course, familiar with what had
occurred to the boys with Madero's column, were also incensed.

"Such men should be hanged!" exclaimed the professor, with what was for
him, a remarkable display of emotion.

"Budt come," urged the German, as he concluded his narrative, "vee hadt
better be getting inside der stockade."

He pointed down toward the miners' village, where men could be seen
hastening about, as if preparing to take action of some sort. What
that action was, they guessed too well. Acting in concert with Madero,
they meant to storm the mine, and break open the specie room.

Ralph ran the locomotive upon a switch and locked the throwing lever.
Then he followed the others through the gate of the stockade. As it
closed behind them, Geisler let fall a stout wooden bar into sockets
prepared for it.

"I guess dot holdt dem for a viles," he said, as the bar clattered into
position.

But Jack's thoughts were distracted, and his manner absorbed. His mind
was fix