e were no sheets to soil. Blankets alone formed the
coverings, and these the boys drew over them.

There was no lantern in the tent, but the moon sent a stream of light
in a little later, and by its gleam, in less than an hour after the
dose had been administered, Nort and Dick saw the Greaser's head bent
forward, while he had slumped down in a heap at the foot of the front
tent pole.

Nort coughed loudly, two or three times, but the guard did not stir.

"Dead to the world!" whispered Dick gleefully. "We could walk all over
him." He arose from the cot slowly, to silence as much as possible the
rattle and squeak, and started for the front of the tent.

"The back way!" whispered Nort. "We'll cut the canvas! If we go out
in front some one may see us. The back way!"

Dick comprehended, and turned around, picking up his range hat, an
example followed by Nort. The latter had opened his pocket knife,
which contained a large, keen blade, and, a moment later, a
right-angled cut was made in the back wall of the canvas house.

Before emerging, Nort looked carefully through the opening he had made.
The moon gave good light, but, fortunately, the tent was in the shadow
of some trees and the way of escape seemed clear.

"Come on!" whispered Nort to his brother. They paused a moment,
listening to the heavy breathing of the opium-stupefied Greaser and
then stepped out of the opening.

An instant later they stood beneath the starry canopy of the sky,
having accomplished the first part of their escape from the camp of
mystery.

CHAPTER XXII

BACK TO THE RANCH

Perhaps, after all, it was due to the peculiar natures of the two
professors that Nort and Dick were enabled to make their escape as
easily as the lads did. Primarily Professor Wright and Professor Blair
were scientists, whatever else our heroes accused them of in their own
minds. And though the men surrounding the mysterious prospectors might
be scoundrels, in a sense, they did not have orders to be extra
vigilant after Dick and Nort had been placed in the tent; so no general
guard was kept over the camp.

Thus it was, that as soon as the lads stepped out of the cut tent, they
found no one to oppose their progress. Too much dependence had been
placed on the Greaser guard. Who would have supposed that Nort carried
a bottle of paregoric?

Or, granting that it was known he had it, would you have imagined that
he would use it as he did? The whole af