fee myself."

As Jimmie spoke he glanced back toward Dave, sitting with the others.

"Now, you just sit there, Dave," Jimmie chattered on, "until I tell you
to move. Remember," he added, "I'm doing this part of it. All you are
to do is to follow instructions. You're better at the lasso than you
are at pouring coffee!"

"Yes, I guess that's the truth," admitted Dave with a mock sign of
resignation at finding his short-comings flaunted before strangers.

It was well that the meal was served in the open, for Jimmie poured
until every cup ran over, thereby wasting much of the liquid.

"Have some more, won't you?" he asked, grasping the coffee pot.

"Just a little more," replied Otto. "I never had better."

"Why," cried Jimmie in a surprised tone, "the pot is almost empty. I
guess you boys didn't make very much, did you? Here, Dave," he hurried
on, "you chase yourself up to the Eagle and get some of that coffee out
of the locker on the right-hand side. We'll brew another pot of it. I
haven't begun to eat yet."

"See how quickly you can lasso a cup or two of the real stuff and hurry
back here," commanded Jimmie. "We'll have more in a jiffy."

"Have a little of this stew while you're waiting," urged Ned, extending
the pot of stew toward the soldiers. "It's mighty good!"

Ned and Jimmie rattled on in a whirlwind of conversation to keep the
attention of the soldiers in their own direction. So absorbed were
Otto and Fritz in listening to the chatter that they failed to hear the
faint whistle of a rope through the air, and it was not until the noose
of Dave's lasso settled about their shoulders and they were jerked
incontinently backward that they suspected anything wrong.

Otto and Fritz were compelled to surrender to a superior force.
Lengths of small line secured from the Eagle were brought by Dave when
he saw that the two were securely held by his companions.

"Let me get at this chap's pockets a moment," said Ned, advancing. "I
think he has some spark plugs that would look better in another place.
We can use them to good advantage ourselves."

"Just the thing!" cried Jimmie, gleefully. "How thoughtful of him to
bring them back here so we could run the little old Eagle."

Ned lost no time in producing the plugs and fitting them into position.

"Now we 're off!" declared Jimmie. "Let's get the cooking utensils
aboard and beat it out of here. We won't want no wireless now!"

"For one, I want to ge