hes which lay about. Such an act would have led to their discovery and
precipitated a struggle at once.

"See if you can't reach one of them bombs," Jimmie giggled, nudging Ned in
the ribs. "I want to eat it."

"I have about reached that stage myself," Ned replied. "I never was so
empty in my life. We'll have to do something before long."

"Suppose I start an' run?" suggested Jimmie.

"You'll get a breakfast of lead if you do," Ned replied. "Sit still."

Again the boys sat back in their corner to wait, huddled together for the
sake of companionship, and wondering what had become of their chums at the
cottage.

"They ought to be here by this time," Jimmie complained, in a whisper. "I
left plenty of instructions regarding the route."

The little fellow did not, of course, know that the boys were at that
moment in the ancient house near the Culebra cut, nor that an automobile
was speeding over a hill to the north of the old structure--watched by his
friends with anxious interest.

"Something may have happened to them," Ned said. "It seems to me that this
case is set on automatic springs. The slightest move on our part brings
out a bang from the other side. Our opponents are industrious chaps, and
that's no fabrication. They keep going every minute of the time."

"And they've won every trick so far," grumbled Jimmie.

"Yes, but the game is not out yet," Ned replied, hopefully.

"I should think these gazabos would get tired of waitin' an' go away,"
Jimmie said, after another long silence.

"They are taking turns sleeping," Ned replied. "I heard one of them
snoring a few minutes ago."

Jimmie settled back again, rubbing his stomach dolefully, and the place
seemed to grow darker before his eyes. When he awoke again Ned was pulling
at his arm, and there was a great shouting and pounding at the door.

"Wake up and get your gun out," Ned said. "There's going to be something
started here in a minute."

"What is it?" demanded the boy, sleepily.

"The others have come," Ned replied, "and there'll be lights in here
directly."

"I'm so wasted away with hunger," Jimmie said, "that they'll have to shoot
pretty straight to hit me."

One of the men by the forge now began stirring the embers preparatory to
lighting a torch, and the others made for the door.

It looked as if there would be open battle in a moment, but in that moment
a shot came from the outside, followed by a faint cheer.

The three men who had waite