al
cave, and there they were left, some food having been tossed down where
they could reach it. It was the most primitive sort of a prison, so
simple, in fact, that after a while Floyd said:

"What's to hinder us walking away from here, Rosemary? They aren't
watching us, and if we pack some of this grub--rotten as it is--maybe
we can get away, and reach Diamond X ranch."

"I'm afraid we'd have small chance of that," Rosemary answered wearily.
"What I'm in hopes of is that some one will come to the rescue. I'm
sure my note will bring us help."

"Yes, but _when_?" asked Floyd, a bit fretfully. "It may be too late.
I'm going to see if we can't get away. Stay here and I'll crawl up to
the top of the rock and see what the situation is."

"I think you'll find it isn't as easy as it looks," said his sister.

Nor was it. In the first place the climb up the jagged rocks was
wearisome, but Floyd managed it. But when he was at the top, and
looked over to see if there was a trail of escape, he was unpleasantly
surprised by a piece of stone hitting him sharply on the head.

At first he thought it was a fragment of rock dropping from above,
perhaps dislodged by his exertions. But there was no rock over his
head. He was at the highest peak in that immediate vicinity.

Then the lad's eyes roved about and he saw, sitting in a natural niche
of the stone, not far from him, a greasy Indian, who held his hand
poised to toss another stone at Floyd.

The Indian grinned and motioned to the captive to go back. Then Floyd
understood. This Indian was a sentry, placed on guard to prevent the
captives leaving.

"Well?" questioned Rosemary, as Floyd slid back to where she was
spreading out some blankets that had been tossed in with their food.

"No go," was the discouraged answer. "They've got us hemmed in."

"We'll just have to wait--that's all," said the girl. "I don't believe
they'll do us any real harm now. They probably want money for letting
us go. I expect they'll be having us write notes, soon, to Uncle
Henry, asking him to forward ten thousand dollars, or some amount like
that."

"Ten thousand dollars!" gasped Floyd.

"Mexican!" laughed Rosemary with a joking spirit she did not altogether
feel.

Thus left to themselves, in a sort of natural prison of the rocks, a
roofless cave, the captives spent the night, rolled in blankets. It
was cool without a campfire, but none was allowed them. Sore, stiff
and dishe