d see, anyway."

"I'll run on ahead and see what's doin'," Jimmie exclaimed, darting away.

Ned caught him by the collar and drew him back, whereat the boy appeared
to be very angry.

"You little dunce," Ned said, "you'll get a bullet into your anatomy if
you don't be more careful. Now, you boys go on down the road toward
Gatun," he added, turning to the others, "and make all the noise you want
to. I'll go up to the old temple and see what is going on there. One of
you would better go with me--not close up with me, but within seeing
distance."

"That's me," cried Jimmie. "I'll stay near enough to see what becomes of
you, and go back and tell the boys if they're needed."

This arrangement was finally decided on, and Ned and Jimmie dropped into
the jungle while the others proceeded on the way to Gatun, making plenty
of noise as they walked. As they disappeared the two men who had been seen
just before made their appearance at a point half way up the hill.

They stood crouching in the moonlight for a moment, pointing and
chattering words which reached the ears of the watchers only faintly, and
then turned toward the old temple. They walked with less caution now, and
it was plain to the watchers that they believed that all the boys had gone
on to Gatun.

When Ned and Jimmie came within sight of the old temple half a dozen
shadowy forms were seen moving about on the uneven pavements which had at
one time formed the floor of a court. When the two Ned was following
approached they advanced to meet them.

A conversation lasting perhaps five minutes followed the meeting, and
then, leaving one man on guard, the others passed through the doorway
under the vines and disappeared from view. The man who had remained
outside was evidently the leader of the party, for the others had listened
when he talked and had obeyed his orders, as indicated to Ned by
gestures.

This man stood at the doorway behind the vines for a moment after the
others had gone below and then seated himself on a crumbling wall not far
away.

"Why don't you geezle him?" whispered Jimmie, who was not staying back
very far, much to Ned's amusement.

"I was thinking of that," Ned replied. "I shall have to circle around so
as to get in on him from behind."

"You wait a second," whispered the boy, "and I'll make him turn around so
as to face the other way."

Before Ned could offer any objections or restrain the boy's hand, Jimmie
launched a stone into t