e lad seized a small stone lying near,
laid the end of the line across a larger one and pounded vigorously in
an effort to sever a length of the lasso.

Almost as quickly as the task could have been accomplished with a knife
Dave had cut off the desired piece of rope with which to tie the
captives. In another moment he dashed through the thicket in which the
three prisoners were struggling.

Jimmie, hanging onto the lasso with grim determination and taking in
every bit of slack given by the struggling trio, was startled to hear
his companion emit a shriek of astonishment. A glance over his
shoulder told the lad that something unusual was happening beyond the
bushes.

"Hurry up, Dave!" he advised. "I can't hold 'em much longer!"

"Let go, let go!" cried Dave, laughing and dancing about.

"What's the matter?" asked Jimmie incredulously. "Gone crazy?"

"My word, but this is funny!" laughed Dave, gasping for breath. "Here
are the boys, who were looking for us, and instead of rescuing us we
have captured them. Let go that line and let 'em up!"

"What?" was Jimmie's open-mouthed question. "What's that?"

"Sure enough!" declared Dave, swinging his arms to indicate that he
wanted Jimmie to give more slack to the line. "It's the boys!"

"Say that again, please!" cried Jimmie, dropping the lasso and bounding
forward. "That's good news if it's true."

Jimmie lost no time in convincing himself that Dave was indeed correct
in his statement. One glance at the struggling trio and he sat down
upon the grass, where he doubled up with laughter.

"Well," was Jack's scornful admonition, "better stop and save some of
it for another occasion. You might need it."

"Oh, ho, ho!" laughed Jimmie. "This is the best joke yet!"

"Where's the joke?" asked Harry, struggling to his feet and throwing
off the loop of the lasso. "This is no joke for us!"

"It's the best ever!" declared Jimmie. "Here I was going to be shot at
sunrise for this 'lese majesty' business, and now in only an hour I
have a chance to make the capture of my young life!"

"Shot at sunrise?" queried Ned, joining the group. "What do you
mean--shot at sunrise? Is it another joke?"

"Well, it wouldn't have been much of a joke if they'd carried it out,
but the way things stand it is decidedly a good joke all round."

"Would you like to step down to the camp and tell us about it?"

"Just invite us and see!" declared the lad, reaching for the lasso and