he fiddler, who was thrust in
so violently that his body collided with that of Stubby and nearly
knocked him over.

"That's all right," laughed the remittance man, recovering from the
shock. "You mustn't escape, you know, Dan'l, for we depend on you for
the music."

He closed the door as he went out and they all heard a bolt shoot into
place. Yet the broad window, scarcely six feet from the ground, stood
wide open to admit the air.

Dan'l stood in the middle of the room, motionless for a moment. Then
he raised his wrinkled face and clinched his fists, shaking them in
the direction of the living-room.

"Me!" he muttered; "me play for dese monkeys to dance--me! a
maestro--a composer--a artiste! No; I vill nod! I vill die before I
condescention to such badness, such mockery!"

They were the first words he had spoken since his arrival, and they
seemed to hold all his pentup indignation. The girls pitied the old
man and, recognizing in him a fellow prisoner, sought to comfort him.

"If the dance depends upon us, there will be no dance," said Patsy,
firmly.

"I thought you advised submitting to the whim of these ruffians," said
Uncle John in surprise.

"Only to gain time, Uncle. And the scheme has succeeded. Now is our
time to plot and plan how to outwit our enemies."

"Goot!" cried Dan'l approvingly. "I help you. Dey are vermin--pah! I
vould kill dem all mitout mercifulness, unt be glad!"

"It won't be necessary to kill them, I hope," said Beth, smiling. "All
we wish is to secure our escape."

"Vot a time dey make me!" said Dan'l, more calmly. "You see, I am
living peacefulness in mine bungalow by der river--ten mile away. Dot
brute Tim, he come unt ask me to fiddle for a dance. I--fiddle! Ven I
refuse me to do it, he tie me up unt by forcibleness elope mit me. Iss
id nod a crime--a vickedness--eh?"

"It certainly is, sir," said Uncle John. "But do not worry. These
girls have some plan in their heads, I'm sure, and if we manage to
escape we will carry you home in safety. Now, my dears, what is it?"

"Oh, we've only begun to think yet," said Patsy, and walked to the
window. All but Myrtle and Dan'l followed her.

Below the window was a jungle of cactus, with hundreds of spines as
slender and sharp as stilettos sticking in every direction.

"H-m; this room is burglar proof," muttered Uncle John, with marked
disappointment.

"It also makes an excellent prison," added Patsy. "But I suspected
something of th