it to
be bound again, if I come out of the conflict alive."

"Do you think Pedro would murder an unarmed man, and a bound one, at
that?"

"Yes, the hatred he has for me is so great that he would take any
advantage of me."

Jimmie was getting the notion that there was something tragic in the air,
and was even considering the proposition seriously when there was a
movement at the open doorway.

"If he comes here," Gaga went on, "you must either kill him yourself or
let me. He will spare neither of us."

The boy was listening for a repetition of the sound at the doorway, when a
form lifted from the crumbling threshold and stood peering in. Gaga gave a
cry of terror and the intruder drew back for an instant.

The boy knew that the man whose figure he had seen outlined against the
star-sprinkled sky was the man he had seen standing by the couch of the
owner of the _Daily Planet_ on the night of the robbery, the man he had
seen later in the Chester camp in the jungle.

"For the love of Heaven!" the prisoner whispered.

The entreaty struck home to the heart of the boy. He had always prided
himself on his love of fair play. He knew that he could not successfully
defend the doorless, windowless room until the arrival of his friends, or
the return of the plotters. Pedro could hide in the thicket and rain
bullets upon himself and the prisoner until both were killed.

He could not make his own escape and leave the prisoner bound and at the
mercy of his enemy, nor could he shoot the intruder in cold blood when he
appeared in the doorway again. He was only a boy, and his inherent love of
a square deal conquered.

While the movements at the door continued, he slipped over to Gaga, ran
his knife through the cords which bound him, pointed to the weapons which
had been taken from him, and crouched down in a corner of the room, his
heart beating like a trip-hammer.

CHAPTER XIX.

A GUARDIAN NEEDING GUARDING.

Little realizing the danger in which Jimmie had been left, Ned made what
speed he could to Gamboa and there looked about for some means of reaching
Culebra without delay. It seemed important that he should reach the other
members of his party as soon as possible and send one of the boys back to
keep watch with Jimmie.

Besides, it was his intention to communicate with Lieutenant Gordon
immediately. He did not expect the lieutenant to call out a squad of
secret service men and place the big dam under guard. T