a
pretty-looking outfit!"

"Come on, men. March 'em up the track. Then we'll come back,
or send someone else after the dynamite and other stuff. That'll
be handy as evidence."

Guarded by Fulsbee and his two detectives, the prisoners marched
along a few rods.

"Mr. Reade," called Dave, pointing, "you'll find your horse tied
to that tree yonder. I reckon you'll be glad to get in saddle
again."

Indeed, Tom was glad. He ran over, untying the animal, which
uttered a whinny of recognition. In saddle, Tom joined the marching
party.

"You don't seem to think us a very hard crowd to guard," remarked
'Gene Black curiously. "Why don't you call off the men you posted
around the thickets"

"I didn't post any," Fulsbee answered simply. "I sent these two
men of mine running around the thicket. Then they had to come
together and attend to handcuffing you fellows."

"And were you the only man who had the drop on us?" gasped 'Gene
Black.

"I was," Dave Fulsbee responded. "If you fellows hadn't had such
bad nerves, you could have escaped. But it's an old story. When
men go bad their nerves go bad with them."

As for Black's followers, now that they knew the nature of the
trick that had fooled them, several of them hung back.

"You fellows needn't think you can balk now," observed Fulsbee
grimly. "You're all of you handcuffed, and there are enough of
us to handle you. I promise you that, if anyone of you tries
to run away, I won't run after him until I've first tried dropping
him with a shot."

So the party proceeded, and in time reached Lineville. There
was great excitement in that little junction town when the citizens
first heard of the dastardly work that the prisoners had attempted.

Dave marched his captives into the waiting room of the station.
All outsiders were ushered forth politely. Mr. Newnham was hurriedly
summoned, and to him Tom Reade disclosed what he had learned of
the work of enemies along the line. Naturally the president of
the S.B. & L. was greatly excited.

"We knew something was wrong, from the nature of the telegraph
messages that came in," cried Mr. Newnham. "It was your friend,
Hazelton, who first suggested the idea of sending a full train
down the line, with a short pilot train ahead."

"Good, great old Harry!" murmured Tom admiringly.

Both Fulsbee and the president of the road tried to question 'Gene
Black. That treacherous fellow, however, steadfastly refused
to tal