rate efforts, reached the side of Rex, just as he
was about to plunge into the passageway between Crooked Arm Gulch and
Lot's Canyon; and one of his great hands closed down on the excited
man's shoulder just in time to stop the reckless act.

"Cautious! Cautious!" warned Ham, as he jerked Rex back. "If them skunks
have got th' camp, 'twill be death to sot foot on that big limb."

"But, dad--"

"'Twon't help him none for you tew git killed. I'll take a look first,"
and the great strength of Ham forced Rex back, while he himself began
cautiously, yet rapidly, crawling through the narrow opening.

In a moment he had reached the limb of the Big Tree, and, carefully
parting the branches so as to make no noise, he cautiously looked down.

The camp had been pitched under the Big Tree almost directly beneath
him; and the first look showed him everything apparently safe and
undisturbed. The next look--and, with the cry: "Come on, everybody, as
quick as th' Lord will let you," he sprang out on the limb and began
working his way down the tree so recklessly that more than once he was
in danger of falling. The moment he reached the ground he leaped toward
an object that lay tightly bound up in a blanket on the ground near the
trunk of the tree; and, with a swift hand began cutting the ropes that
were tightly wound around it from head to foot, in a manner exactly
similar to that in which they had found Mrs. Dickson on the night she
had been so mysteriously bound in her tent.

By the time Rex had reached his side he had uncovered Frank Holt, with
his hands bound behind him and a gag in his mouth, but otherwise unhurt,
except for a big lump on the back of his head. In a moment more Rex had
pulled the gag out of his father's mouth and Ham had freed his hands.

"Pedro!" Holt gasped and staggered a little dizzily to his feet. "He
struck me down from behind, and tied and gagged me, as you found me.
Where is Pedro?" and he looked excitedly and a bit wildly around. "Ah,
now I remember," and his face cleared. "He has gone for the rest of the
gang. I overheard him and another man, after I had recovered my senses
and lay tightly bound up in the blanket, planning how he would go and
get the rest of the gang, while the other man climbed the tree and kept
guard over the narrow opening. Their plan was to capture the camp and
hold the Big Tree, so that none of you could get out of Crooked Arm
Gulch, and then starve you into surrendering everyt