see, Jim is nervous,
and the least thing frightens him."

"Something has startled him, at all events!" exclaimed Bob, running to
the door as a low, quick whistle was heard from the outside.

Dick, despite the rather contemptuous way in which he had spoken, also
appeared to think something serious had happened, for he joined Bob at
the door, looking very serious as both of them quickly unfastened the
bars, opening the door just as a young man ran in from the woods,
breathless and excited.

"What is it, Jim? What has happened?" asked Bob, replacing the heavy
bars instantly the newcomer was inside the building.

"Newcombe and five men have just turned into the path, coming down here
as if they knew just what they should find."

For a moment Bob and Dick were silent, and Ralph had an opportunity to
ask George:

"Who is Newcombe?"

"A man in the employ of the owners of the patent, and one who has
threatened several times to secure the arrest of Bob."

Dick's first act, after he fully realized what Jim had said, was to
cover the fire, at which they had been soldering, with ashes, in order
to prevent any smoke from escaping through the chimney, and by that time
Bob had recovered all his presence of mind.

"Even if they have at last found the hut, they will be puzzled to get
into it, or to get us out," he said, as he noted the fastenings of the
window-shutters, and uncovered a small aperture which served as a
loop-hole through which everything that occurred outside could be seen.

"You ought to have warned Pete," said George, not feeling remarkably
well pleased at the chance of being besieged as a moonlighter, but yet
anxious that his friends should elude arrest where the cartridges and
explosive fluid would be sufficient proof against them.

"There is no need of that," replied Bob. "He wouldn't show himself under
any circumstances unless we called him, and from the loft of the stable
he can see all that is going on."

Ralph was the most uncomfortable of the party. Not being so familiar
with the doings of the moonlighters, nor acquainted with the general
feeling of the public against them, the idea of being thus hunted like a
criminal was very repugnant to him.

It was as if his companions were engaged in some crime, instead of
simply infringing a patent, the legality of which had not been fully
tested, and, if he could have had his choice, he would have been miles
away from that spot just then.

"There they c