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diff --git a/old/53673.txt b/old/53673.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 1391c4c..0000000 --- a/old/53673.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6264 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Mercer Boys on a Treasure Hunt, by Capwell Wyckoff - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Mercer Boys on a Treasure Hunt - -Author: Capwell Wyckoff - -Release Date: December 6, 2016 [EBook #53673] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MERCER BOYS ON A TREASURE HUNT *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, MFR and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - THE MERCER BOYS ON - A TREASURE HUNT - - - By CAPWELL WYCKOFF - - Author of - "The Mercer Boys at Woodcrest," "The Mercer Boys' Cruise in the -Lassie," "The Mercer Boys' Mystery Case," "The Mercer Boys on the Beach - Patrol," "The Mercer Boys in Summer Camp." - - [Illustration: Series logo] - - THE - WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO. - Cleveland, Ohio New York City - - Copyright, MCMXXIX - _by_ - THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO. - - [Illustration: Publisher logo] - - _Printed in the United States of America_ - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I The Professor's Letter 3 - II The Story of the Phantom Galleon 13 - III A Royal Invitation 20 - IV The Professor is Attacked 29 - V The Prowler in the Night 41 - VI The Scene in the Moonlight 52 - VII Sackett's Raid 63 - VIII The Search is Begun 72 - IX The Ruined Castle 81 - X The Rope in the Dungeon 92 - XI The Underground Passage 101 - XII The Tolling of the Bell 109 - XIII A Forced March 119 - XIV History Repeats 129 - XV The Mountain Sage 139 - XVI The Landing Party 150 - XVII The Escape 159 - XVIII Treasure and Treachery 170 - XIX An Old Friend Joins the Party 182 - XX The Tar Barrel 191 - XXI The Cairn 201 - XXII The Den 211 - XXIII The Dragon's Last Stroke 219 - XXIV Ned Takes a New Overseer 237 - - - - - THE MERCER BOYS ON A - TREASURE HUNT - - - - - CHAPTER I - THE PROFESSOR'S LETTER - - -"I'd like to have a crack at that ball," said Don Mercer, with a grin. - -His brother Jim returned the grin as he said: "Let's go out on the field -and ask the kids to toss us one. They won't mind giving us one swing at -it." The two Mercer brothers were standing at the edge of a large vacant -lot near the center of their home town one morning late in June. They -had been home from Woodcrest Military Institute for a week now on their -summer vacation, and this particular day, having nothing more exciting -to do, they had wandered around the town, coming at length to a familiar -field where they had often played baseball. A number of youngsters were -on the ground now, tossing and batting a discolored baseball, and the -sight of them had caused the sandy haired, slightly freckled Don to -express his wish. - -The two boys walked across the field toward the boys and Don said: -"Wonder how much further I can hit it now than I could when I played -here as a kid?" - -"Hard to tell," returned Jim. "But we certainly got quite a bit of -practise this spring at Woodcrest." - -The small boys looked at them as they drew nearer, but as the Mercer -boys were well known the boys felt no alarm or resentment at the -approach of the larger lads. Don walked over to the boy who held the bat -and held out his hand. - -"How about giving me one crack at the ball, Charlie?" he asked. - -The boy smiled and extended the bat, a bit of embarrassment in his look. -"Sure, Don. Take a couple of them," he invited. - -"I guess one will be enough," remarked Don, as he turned to face a boy -who held the ball. "Put a good one over, Tommy, will you?" - -The boy addressed as Tommy grinned boyishly and turned to the youngsters -who stood far afield, waiting for flies to be batted to them. "Get way -out, you fellows," he cried. "This fellow can hit 'em!" - -The two fielders backed away and Tommy threw a fast ball to Don. The -latter easily batted it out and one of the youngsters caught it -triumphantly. Don handed the bat to Jim, who in turn cracked the ball -out along the ground. - -"Just one more, fellows," begged Don, taking the bat from his brother's -hand. When the ball had been turned over to young Tommy he wound his arm -up slowly and then pitched it with considerable force in Don's -direction. - -"Hit that!" he cried. - -It was traveling on a straight line and Don swung the bat around -sharply. There was a singing crack as the wood met the ball, and the -muddy spheroid sailed in a mounting curve up into the air. It passed -high above the fielder's head and made its way straight for the side -window of a small house that stood on the edge of the field. - -"Oh, boy!" shouted Jim. "Right through the window!" - -His statement was correct. With a disconcerting crash the ball smashed -the window to pieces. - -Don dropped the bat and shoved his hands into his pocket. "Well, I'll be -jiggered!" he exclaimed. "How is that for bad luck? Right through -Professor Scott's window!" - -"I hope the professor wasn't at home, and in that room," said Jim. -"Guess we had better go over and see about it." - -"Right you are," nodded Don. "Thanks for the hits, kids. Come on, Jim." - -Leaving the boys to gather and talk things over in awed tones the two -Mercer brothers made their way across the field in the direction of -Professor Scott's house. The gentleman mentioned had been their history -teacher while they were in grammar school, and they knew him quite well, -so they had no great fears as to the outcome. No one had appeared at the -window or at the doors, and Jim supposed that the professor was not at -home. - -"I guess not," Don returned, "or he would surely have appeared by now. -But we'll go over and see, and if he isn't we'll leave a note and tell -him who did it, and offer to pay for it." - -While the Mercer boys are making their way across the field something -may be said as to who they were. Both boys, fine, manly chaps, were the -sons of a wealthy lumber man of Bridgewater, Maine. They had lived the -life of healthy young men whose interests were centered in worthwhile -things. Of late they had had some adventurous events in their lives, -some of which were related in the first volume of this series, The -Mercer Boys' Cruise in the Lassie, when they ran down a marine bandit -gang, and later when solving a baffling mystery at the military school, -details of which were related in the second volume entitled The Mercer -Boys at Woodcrest. Together with their comrade, Terry Mackson, they had -faced many perils and adventures, and now they were home to spend, as -they thought, a comparatively dull vacation. Just how deeply mistaken -they were in their thought will be found later. - -They entered the front yard of Professor Scott's house and walked around -to the side, where the broken window faced toward the empty lot. There -appeared to be no one at home, but when they came opposite to the window -Don raised himself slightly on his toes and looked in. Then he dropped -down again and looked at Jim in astonishment. - -"The professor is at home," he said, in a low tone. "He's sitting there, -reading a letter!" - -"Reading a letter?" asked Jim, amazed. - -"Yes," answered his brother. "Look in." - -Jim raised himself and looked in the window. A tall man with bushy white -hair and a thick iron gray beard was seated at the desk in what appeared -to be a study, busily engaged in reading a letter. Near him, almost at -his feet, lay the boys' ball, and fragments of broken glass littered the -floor. The professor was apparently deeply absorbed in his letter. - -"Well, what do you know about that!" exclaimed Jim, softly. "Doesn't -even seem to know that the window is broken! We always knew that he was -somewhat absent-minded, but I thought he was more responsible than -that!" - -Before Don could reply there was a stir in the room and the next minute -the professor came to the window and looked down at them. He still held -what appeared to be a lengthy letter in his hand, and he recognized -them. - -"Why, Don and Jim Mercer!" he cried, showing strong white teeth in an -engaging smile. "I'm glad to see you home again. Did you come to see -me?" - -"I came to apologize for breaking your window, and to offer to pay for -it, Professor Scott," answered Don. "I was batting out the ball for some -boys, and I hit it harder than I expected to. I hope it didn't startle -you very much?" - -"I jumped a little bit," admitted the professor. "I did notice it!" - -"Notice it!" exploded Jim. "I should think that you might have! It -certainly made enough noise." - -"It did make some. I felt that it was some of the boys playing ball and -I was going to throw the ball back to them in a minute." He picked the -ball up and handed it to Don. "Throw it back, and then come inside, -won't you?" - -Don threw the ball back to the small boys, who were watching from the -field. "Are you sure we won't be breaking in on you, professor?" he -asked. - -"Not as much as you did a few minutes ago!" smiled the teacher. "Come -around through the back way." - -When the boys entered the professor's study he motioned them to chairs -and asked them a few questions about their school life and studies. All -the time he held the letter in his hand, and when he had finished -talking about their school he took the lead in the conversation. - -"I guess you boys wonder what is so interesting in this letter that I -hardly noticed a ball when it broke through my window," he began. "Well, -I remember how interested you boys were in history while in my classes, -and I'm glad you came along when you did. This letter is from my son -Ned, who lives in Lower California, and it contains one of the most -fascinating stories I ever came across!" - -Knowing as they did the professor's deep interest in historic and -scientific studies and discoveries the boys found themselves interested -at once. The teacher went on, after a glance at the letter, "Ned owns a -small farm or homestead in Lower California near the mines at San -Antonio and Triunfo, where he tests the ores and carries on general -scientific studies. He tells me that the ores are refractory and not -easy to test, but he enjoys the work and is devoting his whole life to -it. I don't think he is quite as much interested in historic things as I -am, but knowing how eager I am for relics and information of the past, -he has sent me this remarkable piece of news. - -"Some time ago, a steam trawler, while fishing in 130 fathoms of water, -hauled up a piece of wreckage in its net. Upon examination it appeared -to be the bulwark of an ancient Spanish galleon, with parts of the -rigging attached. On the sides, plainly distinguishable, were designs in -hand-sewn leather. Some of those big, lumbering ships were decorated -quite extensively, you know, and this one was distinguished by its -hand-sewn leather covering. It was evident that somewhere in the -neighborhood a Spanish galleon had gone to the bottom, and it is always -a safe conclusion that where there is galleon there is also a treasure. -Those ships carried gold, silver and jewels from Old Mexico and Peru to -Spain, and this particular ship may have been going home after a trip up -the coast of California. That was the type of ship that the brave -English seamen of Queen Elizabeth's time whipped so soundly at the time -of the Spanish Armada, and there were hundreds of them in service along -the shores of the Americas and the Islands. - -"The spot was marked in the hope that treasure would be discovered, on -the presumption that it was a treasure ship, and shortly afterward -active operations were started by a California diving company. But -although they searched the shore under water in minute detail they found -nothing. The mystery is not that they didn't find any treasure, but that -they didn't find any more of the ship. You might think that perhaps that -particular piece had been washed there from some point further out, and -it is possible, but the piece, when netted, had been buried in the mud, -and it looks as though it had been there for centuries, though ships -haven't a habit of sinking in sections, one part at one place and -another part in a different place. However, they didn't find a thing, -and at last the whole undertaking was given up." - -"That is too bad," said Jim, who was deeply absorbed in the story. "So -it was a false hope from the first." - -"How long ago was that?" asked Don. - -"That was a little over a year ago," answered the professor. "And that -leads me to the second part of my story. Ned had given up all interest -in it even before the diving and salvage company had, and he thought no -more about it. The piece of wreckage is a treasure in itself and was -sent up to San Francisco, where it was subsequently placed in a museum. -Realizing that I would be interested in it all he first wrote to me at -the time it happened, and I read it and wrote for news, but as the thing -died down I forgot it, too. I have planned to run out to San Francisco -sometime and see the part myself, and I intend doing so soon. - -"Ned told me at the time that there had been some slight changes in the -coast line during the last few centuries. A number of creeks that -formerly ran into the ocean have closed up and disappeared, some of them -filled with shifting sand and soil. I don't know if you were ever aware -of the fact or not, but although Lower California has a dry climate and -is mostly barren, there are spots where it is tropical and jungle plants -and trees grow there in luxurious profusion. Although they have almost -no rain, they do have violent storms, and at such times are treated to -regular cloudbursts. At those periods the elements raise the old dickens -and it was during these spells that some creeks and small rivers closed -up. - -"Maybe you wonder why I'm particular to tell you all this. I do so -because I believe it has a direct bearing on the most amazing part of -Ned's letter. I believe it explains the disappearance of the Phantom -Galleon!" - -"The Phantom Galleon!" cried Don, while Jim stirred in eager interest. -"What is that, Professor Scott?" - - - - - CHAPTER II - THE STORY OF THE PHANTOM GALLEON - - -"Well," answered the professor, slowly. "Up until a very short time Ned, -and others, thought that it was only a legend. He hadn't been in the -country very long before he heard it, and he put it down as one of those -semi-historic tales that consist of half truth and half fancy. The tale -had been handed down for centuries and always by word of mouth, and this -is the story: - -"On a certain evening, hundreds of years ago, a huge, lumbering Spanish -galleon, loaded with treasure, fled along the coast of Lower California, -pursued by three English barks. In the long run there was not a chance -that the gold ship would get away, for the light English barks were much -faster, and it was only a question of time before they hauled down on -her and boarded. The way they were situated was this: one ship was in -the rear of the Spaniard, one was coming up in front of it, and a third -was moving in from the open sea. It was a regular trap, you see, and -merely a matter of time. - -"But fortunately--or unfortunately, I don't know which--for the galleon, -one of those rare tropical storms came up at that moment when capture -seemed assured for the gold ship. There was a furious rush of the wind, -the sky grew black and lowering, and finally, in one great maelstrom of -confusion the three ships and the galleon were blotted out of sight. The -storm only lasted for some half hour, which is unusually long for some -of them, and when it lifted the galleon was nowhere to be seen. The -English barks had had all they could handle and had been so busy holding -their own against the elements that they hadn't time to keep up the -pursuit, and their conclusion was that the Spaniard had gone to the -bottom of the sea. As it was built much higher and was much harder to -handle than the lighter ships, the conclusion was justified, and the -pursuers drew off and left the shore. - -"As I told you, that had happened in the evening, just as dusk was -coming down over the shore and the sea, and the high decked galleon, -with its spread of strained canvas and yellow streamers, its lofty -rigging and its ornamental work, looked like some strange phantom as it -fled down the coast. I don't know who saw it or how many saw it, but to -this day the story, half legend as it is, has persisted concerning the -phantom galleon. Some fantastic tales still linger about it appearing on -dusky nights and sailing swiftly along the shore, but they are idle -stories to which no one with intelligence pays any attention. Ned never -gave the whole thing much credit until a remarkable circumstance brought -it forcefully to his mind. - -"Near his little ranch there is a large old estate which belongs to a -once noble family of mixed Spanish and Mexican blood, and although they -keep pretty much to themselves, out of a lofty sense of pride, they have -been rather friendly to Ned, in their stately and exacting way. There -was an old man who was head of the place, his daughter, and one or two -servants. Lately the old gentleman died, and Ned kindly helped out with -the funeral and the management of the ranch affairs until a permanent -overseer was brought over from Mexico, and in her gratitude the young -senorita allowed him to roam pretty much around the house. I suspect -from his letter that he has of late become rather more than friendly -with the young lady, but that doesn't make much difference either way. -It seems that she had been left with quite a library, reading being an -important business in such a lonely place, and some of the volumes were -pretty precious, being hand written works of early settlers and priests, -who thus left interesting historic records. One of these books attracted -Ned's attention strongly. - -"It had been written by a priest in the year 1571, and it described the -Spanish treasure hunts, some of which were plain plundering expeditions, -and this particular book related them in detail. Ned wasn't unusually -interested until he came across the part relating to a chase that the -galleon had had from three English ships. According to the author they -had loaded with something like 100,000 pesos and a fortune in gold and -silver bars, to say nothing of jewels, and had sailed for Upper -California. But near the shores of Lower California the galleon had been -sighted by an English bark, which had instantly given chase. The -galleon, which had a good start, fled, but its chances of escape -suddenly became less as another English ship appeared before it, and -another bore down on it from the open sea. It was growing dark, wrote -the priest, and there was some hope that it would slip away in the -darkness, but something more to the point stepped in when a tropical -storm wrapped the nearby world in temporary darkness. The _Don -Fernando_, that was the name of the galleon, slipped into a nearby creek -or small river and ran hard and fast aground, the lofty masts and spars -crashing down, a total ruin. The creek seems to have been far enough -back for the wreck to have escaped the notice of the English, for they -were not molested, and the crew, after assuring themselves that the -treasure was safe, tried to make their way inland for help. - -"But somehow or other--the writer does not say how--they all perished, -and he alone escaped to Mexico, there to write down the story of the -flight of the galleon. He affirms positively in his journal that the -treasure was not touched, and he planned to raise enough men to go and -get it. Whether he did or not no one knows, but if he didn't that -treasure is still somewhere in a creek, in the wreck of that galleon, -perhaps buried below the level of the sand which has shifted. Ned thinks -that it is nearby and that is why he has written to me. - -"The tragedy of the thing is this: the priest wrote everything except -the name of the creek down which the phantom galleon fled. There are -several pages missing from his book, and it breaks off like this: 'The -ship with its fortune in gold and precious stones, its coin and bars, is -still buried in the sand in a creek called----' and there it -unfortunately ends. If the name was only there we could tell something, -for it is always probable that someone can be found who will recall the -name, no matter how ancient it may be, but as the name is lost, Ned -faces a blank wall. He inquired from Senorita Mercedes just where she -had obtained that book, but she knew nothing outside of the fact that it -had apparently always been in their house." - -"That certainly is interesting," said Don, as the professor stopped. -"Your son Ned thinks that it is somewhere near his place?" - -"Yes, he believes it is somewhere within a radius of a hundred miles. -The legend has it that the galleon vanished somewhere right on that very -shore, and that would indicate that the galleon ran up some creek very -near to his place. If no one ever did get back and take that treasure it -is probably in the rotted hold of the treasure ship, buried more or less -deeply in the sand, just waiting for some lucky one to discover it. Much -of the land near Ned's ranch has never been thoroughly explored, and it -may be that it is nearer to him than he has any idea of." - -"Has he made any effort to find it?" inquired Jim. - -"A somewhat feeble one, yes. He endeavored to enlist the aid of some -nearby ranch men, some half breed Mexicans, but although they started -with some enthusiasm they soon gave it up. They are the kind who would -not mind sharing in the rewards if someone else does the work. So he -gave it up, except that he patiently read every other book in Senorita -Mercedes' library in the hope of obtaining some clue, but the missing -pages were not to be located and he is still no nearer to finding out -the name of that creek than he was at first." - -"And he never did find out how that book came to be in the library of -the Spanish ranch?" asked Don. - -"No, but we can hazard a guess as to that. The Mercedes family have -lived in Lower California for at least a hundred years, but before that -they came from Mexico. It is very possible that the priest had escaped -to Mexico and fallen in some way in with this ancient Spanish family, -perhaps dying there and leaving the book with them. How the last few -leaves of the book came to be missing no one knows. But perhaps you can -see the possibilities?" - -"What do you mean?" asked Jim. - -"I mean that perhaps someone has already read that book, tore out the -sheets with the information on them, and has already found that -treasure!" was the startling answer. - - - - - CHAPTER III - A ROYAL INVITATION - - -They were somewhat dismayed at the professor's reasoning but at length -Don shook his head. "I don't see that it is necessarily so," he -insisted. "Of course, there is a big chance that such is the reason, but -on the other hand it may simply be that the pages have been lost. It can -be taken both ways." - -"Yes," nodded the professor. "It can. That is why I would never allow -myself any false hopes." - -"Then you are going out and help Ned look for this treasure?" asked Jim. - -"I'm going out more because he wants me to come than for anything else," -said Professor Scott. "And as much for the change as for anything else. -I've been studying pretty hard of late, and I'm sure a change of air and -scenery wouldn't hurt me a bit. I haven't any idea that Ned will ever -find that legendary treasure, but the fact that he found evidence that -the story of the phantom galleon is true interested me greatly." - -"But if you do go out there you will look around for it, won't you?" -inquired Don. - -"Oh, yes, Ned will see to that! He has the idea that he will run across -it, and nothing stops him once he gets an idea. I'll join in with him -and do some tramping around, but while he'll be looking for gold I'll be -looking for health. I'm rather more sure of finding what I am after than -he is." - -"Just the same," murmured Jim. "It is a dandy opportunity, and I -wouldn't mind having a shot at it." - -"You boys are greatly interested," remarked the professor, looking at -them keenly. - -"I suppose we are," admitted Don, smiling. "It appeals to us, and I -guess it would to any fellow. If you go, professor, we certainly wish -you all kinds of luck." - -"Thanks," said the professor. "If you went on such a trip, I suppose -you'd hunt the treasure with much energy?" - -"I guess we would," nodded Jim. "If it was anywhere near I guess we -would uncover it." - -"I don't doubt it," the professor smiled. He was silent a moment and -then he asked: "Now that you boys are home for a vacation, what do you -plan to do? Have you anything definite in mind?" - -Don shook his head. "We might do a little sailing," he replied. "We have -a fine thirty-foot sloop, and we may sail for a ways down the coast. -Last summer we did and we had a good time." - -"I know about that voyage," the professor returned. "That was the time -you ran down those marine bandits, wasn't it? I remember reading about -it." - -"That was the time," Don answered. "We don't expect to run down any -bandits this summer, but we may take a cruise." - -"That is fine," said the professor, somewhat absent-mindedly. "So you -two boys were interested in what I told you of Ned's letter, eh?" - -"We couldn't help being," grinned Jim. "I guess every fellow is -interested in treasure hunting." - -"I suppose that is true," the professor returned. "Well, that is the -contents of the letter which made me so interested that I paid very -little attention to the ball as it broke the window." - -"I'm sorry about that, professor," said Don. "How much is it, please? -I'm very anxious to have it repaired." - -"Forget it," said the professor. - -But Don insisted, feeling that it would not rightly do to accept the -professor's generous offer to put it in himself, and at length the -teacher agreed that Don should pay for the work. He rather admired Don's -spirit in insisting upon paying his own way through life, and although -he knew that the Mercer brothers had plenty of ready money he allowed -Don to pay for the broken glass more as a concession to his spirit of -the right thing to do than for any other reason. After Don had turned -over the money to the professor the boys took their leave. - -"Thanks for that interesting story, Professor Scott," said Jim, as they -were leaving. - -"Yes, we enjoyed it," added Don. - -"You are very welcome," smiled the professor. "I thought you would be -interested, and may--be--humph, well, let that pass for now. Good -morning, boys." - -The boys left the professor and walked slowly down the shady street, -discussing the letter and his story. It appealed to them greatly. - -"That sure was a strange thing, that finding of the old book relating to -the flight of the galleon," mused Don. "Looks like the hand of fate, -eh?" - -"It surely does," chimed in Jim. "Those fellows took that treasure -centuries ago, it lays buried in the sand for years and years, and then -a chance discovery points to where it is. Sort of like a dead man's -finger pointing at the treasure, isn't it?" - -"Somewhat," admitted Don. "I rather feel that if the treasure had been -found by someone else Ned Scott would not have come across that book. -Now, that is my own way of looking at it. Just as the professor says, -someone may have torn the valuable leaves, with the location of the -creek on them, out and have found it long ago. But I somehow just can't -believe it." - -"Nor I," said Jim. "I'd surely like to be along when Ned Scott unearths -that old ship and its treasure." - -"Provided that he does," smiled Don, as they reached their home. "There -isn't any guarantee that he will. It is always possible that the whole -thing happened miles down the coast, for if I remember correctly, from -my school map, Lower California is a mighty long stretch. Well, all I -hope is that he'll tell us if anything turns up. Just as soon as he -comes back, if we are home from school, we'll hunt him up and ask him -all about it." - -"Surely," agreed Jim. "If he isn't home by the time we are ready to -return to school we can see him during some vacation. Well, what do you -say, old man? Shall we go down and tinker with the boat?" - -"Don't think we have time," decided Don, looking at his watch. "That -visit to the professor took up the whole morning, and mother will be -waiting dinner." - -The boys entered the quiet but homelike little house which was their -home and prepared for dinner. When they sat down at the table Mr. -Mercer, a kindly and energetic man, was there. He worked in a local -office, where he ran his vast lumber business, and was generally home -for meals. Margy Mercer was also there, and the family was complete. - -"Well, what have you two fellows been doing this morning?" asked Mr. -Mercer, as he vigorously attacked a piece of steak. - -"Don's been breaking into people's houses!" chuckled Jim. "This was an -expensive morning for Don." - -Don related what had happened, and finding his family deeply interested -in the professor's letter, told them the story of the phantom galleon. -Mr. Mercer smiled as he finished. - -"I suppose you two wouldn't mind going along on a trip like that, would -you?" he asked. - -"I should say not!" exclaimed Jim. "We'd go without mother's apple pie -for a month to go on that trip!" - -"Hum!" said Mr. Mercer. "Score one for mother's pie! I imagine if -anything spectacular comes out of the professor's treasure hunt the -newspapers will have it." - -The two boys went for a brief sail in a small catboat during the -afternoon and later worked at the bench in their boathouse, turning out -the sides for some bunks which they planned to place in their little -sleeping cottage at the end of the yard. They already had three beds in -the little place, but lately Jim had hit upon the idea of constructing -regular ships' bunks and they were now busy making the pieces. They -stuck to this job until the time of the evening meal, and after that -they remained at home, listening to the radio entertainment. - -Don, who was sitting near the living room window, idly looking out, -suddenly uttered an exclamation and straightened up. - -"What's the matter, Don?" asked Jim, quickly. - -"Here comes Professor Scott!" Don exclaimed. - -"In here?" demanded Jim. - -"Yes, he's coming up the walk." And Don got up and went to the door, to -open it for the teacher. - -"How do you do, Professor Scott," he greeted. "Won't you come in?" - -"Yes, thank you," nodded the professor. "Is your father at home?" - -"Yes, he surely is," said Don. "Come right on in." - -He showed the professor into the living room, where the Mercer family -greeted him, and after a few minutes of pleasant talk Mr. Mercer guided -him to his study, where they might talk in quietness and alone. Jim -looked inquiringly at Don. - -"What in the world do you suppose he wants with dad?" he whispered. - -"Jiggered if I know," shrugged Don. - -In less than half an hours' time the two men returned, both of them -smiling, and Mr. Mercer turned off the radio. Then, as they sat down the -father looked with mock sternness at his two boys. - -"I want your promise to at least make an effort to keep out of trouble -while you are with Professor Scott," he said. - -"With Professor Scott!" echoed Don, while Jim stared. "Where are we -going with Professor Scott?" - -"Out to tramp all around the sands of Lower California, I think," Mr. -Mercer returned. - -"No!" shouted Don, leaping to his feet. - -"No? Well, all right. I thought that you wanted to go, but as long as -you don't why----" - -That was as far as he got. "Of course we want to go," cried Jim. "By -George, this is great. What made you decide to take us with you, -professor?" - -"It's a protective measure," smiled the professor, pleased at their -enthusiasm. "I saw how interested you boys were when I told you about it -this morning, and I was wondering if you would care to go and if I could -persuade your father to allow you to go. You see, I want to go out there -for a rest, and I'm afraid Ned will insist upon dragging me all over the -country in search of Spanish treasure, so I'm taking you boys along as -buffers, to help him in his mad adventuring." - -"Well," smiled Mrs. Mercer. "We'll let them go if you'll try to keep -them out of trouble, Professor Scott. They have a very bad habit of -getting into plenty of it." - -"I guess Ned will keep them so busy that they won't have time to get -into any scrapes," said the professor. - -They sat and talked for another hour, the boys unable to believe their -good fortune, the suddenness of which had stunned them. The professor -took his leave at last, telling them that he planned to start at the end -of the coming week. After he had gone they sat and talked some more, the -boys excited at the prospect of their coming trip. - -When at last they went up to bed it was not to sleep immediately. They -discussed the event for more than an hour. - -"Dad and mother say for us to keep out of trouble," chuckled Jim. "We'll -try hard to obey orders, but I do hope we have some exciting times." - -"Don't you worry," chuckled Don. "I wouldn't be a bit surprised if we -did!" - -The two boys fell asleep, worn out by the events of the day. It is -doubtful if they would have slept so peacefully had they been able to -foresee the events which loomed before them. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - THE PROFESSOR IS ATTACKED - - -After three days of preparation the boys and the professor were ready to -leave for the west coast. They were to go to San Francisco and take a -steamer there down to the settlements in Lower California. It was a -bright Saturday morning when they waved out of the window to their -friends on the station platform. - -"Well," remarked Don, as the train moved out of the station. "We are off -for new scenes at last." - -The journey across the continent was uneventful. They enjoyed it -thoroughly, never growing tired of the endless views which unfolded as -the train sped westward. The professor, with his varied knowledge of -places and people, his understanding of scientific facts and his -historic incidents, proved to be a most delightful companion. In a few -days they left the train at the great city of the coast and the -professor hunted up a hotel. - -Professor Scott had never been to California, although he had been in -many other cities in the United States, and his interest was as keen as -that of the boys. One of his first tasks, after they had been installed -in a good hotel, was to hasten to the water front and inquire concerning -a steamer to take them down the coast. When he returned he reported his -findings to the boys. - -"There is a steamer named the _Black Star_ that will take us down the -day after tomorrow," he said. "I went aboard and arranged for our -passage. It isn't a passenger boat, but I didn't have any trouble in -persuading the captain to take us as passengers. The boat is a fruit -steamer, but they have one or two extra cabins for our use." - -They turned in early that night and the next day took an extensive tour -of the great city. A great many of the foremost buildings and places of -interest were visited, and they obtained their longed-for view of the -piece of wreckage of the Spanish galleon of which Ned Scott had written -them. It was a huge piece, worn by the action of the waves, with studded -leather on the sides and pieces of rigging still clinging to it. It -occupied a prominent place in the city museum. - -"If that thing could only talk," the professor remarked, as they walked -around it. "What a story it could tell!" - -"I guess it would be very helpful to us, in our search," smiled Jim. - -When evening came the boys were tired, but strange to relate, the -professor was not. His interest in places and men amounted to a passion -with him, and he loved to study them at every opportunity. The boys were -sitting around in the hotel room and the professor, after walking around -restlessly, suddenly faced them. - -"Are you boys too tired to do some more walking?" he asked. - -"Well, I'm pretty well played out," admitted Don. "But if you'd like us -to go with you, anywhere, professor, we'll gladly go." - -"Oh, no," replied the professor, hastily. "I just wanted to ask you if -you'd care to take a stroll down near the water front. There are some -very quaint places down there, and I'd like to visit some of them. But I -don't want you boys to go out if you are tired." He reached for his hat -and went on: "I'm going down there for a stroll. I'll be back shortly." - -"If you want us--" began Jim, but the professor cut him short. - -"No, no, not at all. You boys stay here and I'll wander a bit myself. -See you later." - -"Take care of yourself, professor," called Don, as he went out. - -"I will, thanks. Don't worry; I'll be right back." - -Once on the street the professor struck off for the water front at a -brisk pace. In the hotel room Jim looked inquiringly at Don. - -"Do you suppose it is alright for him to go?" he asked. - -"I guess so," nodded Don. "He is pretty well able to take care of -himself." - -The city was wrapped in darkness when the professor began his wandering, -a darkness which was broken by the bright lights on the business streets -and the more feeble ones on the side streets. The professor headed for -the wharves, where the masts of the medley of crafts could be seen -rising above the low houses which fronted the bay. Down in this section -the savant found some queer crooked streets, lined with rows of box-like -houses and cheap eating places. Groups of men and women sat on the -doorsteps and fire escapes, children whooped and played in the streets, -and scraps of music, jarring one on the other, came from phonographs and -radios. Sailors and business men walked back and forth in the narrow -streets, and the professor found much to study. - -He strode along the docks, examining with interest the multitude of -ships there, ranging from huge ocean steamers to small private boats. -Liners, tramp ships, battered steam boats, sailing vessels, schooners, -yachts, sloops, catboats, yawls and power cruisers lay side by side with -tugs and ferries. An army of stevedores worked under blazing arc lights -loading and unloading, and the air vibrated with the rattle of -machinery, the hoarse cries of the men, and the thump of boxes and -crates. So deeply engrossed was the professor in the scenes which he was -witnessing that he forgot the passage of time. - -He had wandered far down the shore line when he came at last to a street -more narrow and crooked than the rest. It was in fact nothing more than -an alley, flanked by tall seamen's houses, with restaurants and pool -parlors on the ground floors. The professor looked at a sign post and -saw that it was named Mullys Slip. - -"Mullys Slip, eh?" thought the teacher. "This is the quaintest of them -all. I think I'll stroll up it." - -Accordingly, he walked up the narrow sidewalk, looking with interest -into the stores and eating houses as he passed by, listening to snatches -of conversation as he passed groups who sat out taking advantage of the -cool air. When he had walked to the end of the Slip he walked back, and -seeing a well-lighted eating place near the dock, entered it and sat -down at a round table. While he ordered a sandwich and coffee he looked -around him. - -It was a long, low room, the air of which was nearly obscured by tobacco -smoke, half filled at the time with men who evidently came from the -ships. Most of them were eating, the rest were smoking and talking, and -a few slept, hanging over the tables. The professor ate his sandwich and -sipped his coffee, content and easy in his mind, until, looking across -from him into a narrow corner, he found the eyes of two men fixed upon -him. - -One of the men was a powerful individual with a heavy, unhealthy looking -face, whose eyes, set close together, looked slightly crossed. The other -was tall and thin, with long and dangling arms. Both of them were -dressed in rough black clothing, which gave no real hint as to what -business they were engaged in. They might have been sailors or -stevedores, and both showed unmistakable signs of hardy, adventurous -lives. They had evidently been talking about the professor, for their -eyes were bent on him with earnest scrutiny, and when they observed that -he had seen them they hastily resumed their conversation. - -The professor paid no attention to them at first, but went on eating, -looking around with keen eyes and mentally cataloguing the men in the -place. But when he once more looked across at his neighbors they were -bending the same intent look upon him. Vague doubt began to stir the -mind of professor Scott. - -"I don't altogether like the looks of those fellows," decided the -professor, as he called a waiter and paid his small bill. "By the way -they look at me I'd say they were talking about me. All in all, I'm in a -pretty rough neighborhood, and perhaps the sooner I get out of it, the -better." - -He went out of the place at once, casting a single look back of him as -he did so, and he was not made to feel any easier as he noted that they -were following him with the same steady look. He was not greatly -alarmed, for he did not carry much money with him, but feeling that he -would be better off on a well-lighted thoroughfare, he made his way back -along the dark street. It was now growing late and the lights were being -extinguished. He found his road darker than it had been when he had -followed it earlier in the evening, and so he hurried on, bent on -reaching the business section. - -He had covered two blocks when he began to think that he was being -followed. It was as much of a feeling as an actual fact, for each time -he looked around he was unable to see anyone who looked as though he -might be trailing him. He fancied once that he saw a shadow dart quickly -into a doorway, but though he looked keenly in that direction he was -unable to make sure. - -"Humph, I had better get back to the hotel," mused the teacher. "I think -I'm beginning to imagine things." - -On the block beyond a number of dark alleys opened from the houses, and -the professor was compelled to pass them. Either the houses were -deserted or there was no one up at the time, for he saw no one as he -crossed the corner. Only far ahead of him, on the opposite side of the -street, a battered old car was pulled up to the edge of an empty dock, -and a man sat looking out over the water at a group of three-masted coal -carriers. - -Just as the professor was passing a wide alley he thought he heard a -step beside him. He turned his head quickly, and then gasped. Two -shadows seemed to detach themselves from the passageway and bore down on -him. Before he could utter any cry a powerful pair of arms was thrown -around him and he was strained close to the body of a big man. At the -same time, without loss of a moment, the second man dipped his hands -into the professor's trousers pockets and into his inside coat pocket. - -Taken completely by surprise the old teacher for a second did not offer -any kind of resistance and when he did it was rather feeble, for his -arms were pinned close to his sides, and he was fairly standing on his -toes. But his feet were free, and he managed to kick the man who held -him a smart blow in the shin. A low, growling curse was his reward, and -a blow of considerable force followed, landing on his shoulder. By a -sudden twist the professor squirmed from the arms of the man who was -holding him, and strengthened by his indignation, which was kindling -into hot wrath, the savant punched the second man full on the mouth. - -The first man, who was none other than the narrow-eyed individual of the -restaurant growled in his throat. "I'll bust your head, you old -windjammer!" he roared, and swung his fist at the professor. The blow, -which landed on the teacher's neck, felled him instantly to the -sidewalk. - -"Grab him up," ordered the second man, stooping over the professor, who -was somewhat dazed. "We'll dump him in the bay." - -Both men leaned down to pick up the form of the professor when there was -an interruption. The young man who had been sitting in the nondescript -automobile had had his attention attracted by the beginning of the -struggle, and unnoticed by any of the principals he had jumped out of -the car and was now upon them. Although he did not know one from the -other he could see that two were against one, and noting, under the -faint light from a nearby lamp-post that the lone fighter was an elderly -man, threw himself without hesitation upon the two wharf-men. His active -fist jarred against the jaw of the heavyset man. - -"Take that, with the compliments of the lone star ranger!" he muttered. -"Don't know what it's all about, but that's my share." - -His blow infuriated the man, who drove at him with an angry roar, but -the professor was scrambling to his feet, and the second man grasped his -leader by the arm. He spoke to him in a low tone, and the two, with a -slight hesitation, turned and fled up the alley. Convinced that pursuit -would be useless, the young man turned to the professor. - -"Are you hurt, sir?" he asked, quickly. - -In the faint light the professor saw that he was a boy of twenty or -thereabouts, tall and somewhat lanky, with red hair and a lean face, on -which freckles had taken up a permanent home. The professor shook his -head. - -"No, thanks to you. Those fellows were going to throw me into the water. -Were you in that car?" - -"Yes," grinned the boy. "That is my private chariot, called 'Jumpiter,' -because of its habit of doing something very much like jumping! Have you -been robbed?" - -The professor felt through his pockets and nodded. "Yes, a few dollars -and a letter has been taken from me. I don't care much about the money, -but the letter was from my son Ned, and I valued that somewhat. I would -like to thank you sincerely for your timely arrival." - -"Don't mention it," begged the young man. "Let's get out of here. I'll -drive you to wherever you want to go." - -When they entered the battered car the professor told the boy the name -of the hotel at which he was staying and they rolled away. Then the -teacher asked the name of his rescuer. - -"Mackson is my name," replied the boy. "Terry Mackson, from Beverley, -Maine." - -"Why," exclaimed the professor. "I come from Maine, too. I am a history -teacher in Bridgewater!" - -"In Bridgewater!" cried Terry as they entered the business section. -"Then you must know the Mercer brothers." - -"Know them!" laughed the professor. "I have them here with me!" - -"Here, with you? Well, I'll be jiggered! They are my very best chums!" -said Terry. "Last summer I was in Bridgewater, sailing with them, and we -go to Woodcrest together, in fact, we room together. What are they doing -here?" - -"We are going down to Lower California to visit my son Ned, on his -ranch, and make some scientific studies, and perhaps look up a treasure -that Ned feels sure that he can find nearby. How did you come to be out -here?" - -"I didn't have a thing to do this summer," explained Terry. "My mother -and sister went to visit friends in New Hampshire, and so I decided to -tour the country in my car. I've been out here for the last two days, -and I was going to head for Mexico tomorrow." - -"How very strange that we should meet," commented the professor. "You -must step up and see the boys. They will be glad to see you." - -"I won't be a bit sorry to see them," returned Terry, heartily. "They -certainly will be surprised." - -They drove on until they were almost at the hotel, and then Terry, who -had been thinking deeply, suddenly began to chuckle. Then, as the -professor looked inquiringly at him, the red-headed boy spoke. - -"Professor," he said, "how would you like to help me in a little joke?" - - - - - CHAPTER V - THE PROWLER IN THE NIGHT - - -A few minutes later the professor entered the rooms which he and the two -boys had engaged together alone. He found Don and Jim reading some -magazines which the hotel management furnished. - -"Hello, professor," greeted Don. "Safely back, eh?" - -"We were beginning to think that you had been lost," smiled Jim, putting -down his magazine. - -"I was not lost," returned the professor. "But I have had a most -extraordinary adventure." - -"What was it?" they asked, in chorus. - -"I came across a very distressing thing," the teacher continued. "I -wonder if you boys will help me? Outside, on a lonely street, I met a -young man wandering, and it appears that he has amnesia!" - -"Amnesia!" cried Don. "That means loss of memory, doesn't it?" - -"Yes," answered the professor, seriously. "He could not remember who he -was nor where he came from. I questioned him at length, and while he -answers rationally enough, he simply cannot remember a thing past a week -ago." - -"That surely is tough," murmured Don. "What did you want us to do?" - -"I have the young man outside here," replied Professor Scott. "I -wondered if you two would help me question him? If we ply him with -questions we may be able to suggest something that will make him -remember who he is and some details of his past life." - -"We'll be glad to help," said Jim, heartily. "Where is he?" - -"I'll bring him in," replied the teacher, and he left the room. - -"That's mighty hard luck," commented Don. "I hope we can do something to -help." - -A moment later the professor returned, gently leading someone with him. -"Come right in here, young man," he said, loudly and gently. "There are -only friends in here, so don't be afraid." - -"Thank you sir," a voice replied. "Oh, if you can only do something for -me!" - -Professor Scott appeared in the room, leading with him a dazed-looking -young man with red hair and freckled face, at the sight of whom Don and -Jim sprang to their feet with a cry. The boy looked at them dully and -swallowed. - -"Terry Mackson!" they shouted. - -"What!" cried the professor, in amazement, as he pushed the boy down -into a large chair. "Do you know this boy?" - -"We certainly do!" Don shot out. "This is Terry Mackson, an old chum of -ours. We room with him at school." - -The professor looked down at Terry, who stared in puzzled wonder at Don. -"That is very strange. He doesn't appear to know you." - -"Perhaps he has been hit on the head," suggested Jim, coming forward. - -"This is fierce," said Don, worry on his face. "Terry, don't you know -me?" - -"'Shoot if you must this old gray head, but I don't remember you, she -said,'" was the unexpected reply, and the corners of his mouth, which -had been quivering, expanded. The professor burst into a roar of -laughter. - -The Mercer boys stood for a moment rooted to the spot, while Terry and -the professor laughed in unrestrained glee. After the first moment of -disgust their eyes narrowed and two determined chins were thrust -forward. - -"Jim," said Don, quietly. "Put out the light. I don't want the world to -witness the awful thing that is going to happen here!" - -"Put it out yourself!" retorted Jim. "I am due for a first class murder, -and I'm late now!" - -And with that the two brothers threw themselves in mock fury onto the -body of their laughing friend and bore him to the floor, where they -punched him soundly, finding their task an easy one, for the red-headed -boy was weak from laughter. When they had tired themselves they jerked -him up and pushed him into the chair, the professor enjoying it all -hugely. - -"That was positively the most low trick I ever saw," declared Don -disgustedly. - -"I'd like to have a look at the brain that would think of such a thing," -chimed in Jim. - -"Oh, boy!" laughed Terry. "If you could ever have seen the kindly, -anxious looks in your eyes as you bent over me to help restore my -fleeting memory! My friends, I thank you! If ever I do lose my identity -I shall request that I be taken to the Mercers, who will surely restore -me!" - -"Oh, shut up!" said Don, beginning to smile. "We admit that we were -completely sold that time. Where in the world did the professor find -you?" - -"I didn't find him," put in the teacher. "Luckily, he found me." And he -related the events of the evening to them. - -"You aren't hurt, I hope, professor?" asked Jim, anxiously. - -"No, just bruised a bit. I would have been severely wet if it had not -been for Terry's timely intervention. It was while on the way over here -in Terry's--er--remarkable car that he proposed the trick that was -played on you." - -"I'm surprised you would go in for such a thing, professor," said Don. -"But you can be excused because you don't know Terry. But in the future -never do anything that he suggests. If you don't get in trouble you will -be sure to lose all respect for yourself, so I advise against it." - -"Oh, I don't know," smiled the older man. "I enjoyed that little scene -in which Terry lost his mind!" - -"The part we enjoyed," returned Don, grimly, "was the thumping part." - -"You say your letter was taken from you, professor?" asked Jim. - -"Yes, and I wanted that more than anything else. However, it won't do -anyone else any good, so I suppose it is not such a loss, after all." - -For the next hour they talked and Terry related his experiences during -his trip across the country. He spoke of going on down into Mexico, and -the professor listened, his eyes fixed on the newcomer thoughtfully. At -last he spoke up. - -"Terry," he said. "Why don't you come along with us?" - -Terry grinned. "I was hoping you'd say just that," he admitted, frankly. -"I have no definite plan in mind, and I would certainly hate to miss any -fun that Don and Jim are in. But on the other hand I wouldn't want to -put you out any." - -"You wouldn't," said the professor, heartily. "Ned has plenty of room -for all of us at his ranch. I'm really taking the boys along so that I -won't have to tramp all over the country looking for Ned's treasure, and -you can come along to help in that line." - -After some talk it was agreed that Terry should store his car away until -such time as they should want it again. It was late when he left them, -agreeing to meet them on the following day and go to the steamer with -them. The professor and the Mercers slept soundly that night and the -next day were ready to begin their trip down the coast. - -Meeting Terry in the morning they all went down to the steamer, a small -fruit carrier, and the captain consented to add one to the party. -Although the steamer was not scheduled to start until evening the -friends went aboard early in the afternoon and settled themselves in -their cabin, a good sized room which was plain but clean. After that -they wandered over the ship, keeping out of the way of the men who were -storing crates, preparatory to their cruise southward to load fruit. The -smell of different grades of fruit was a permanent part of the black -steamer, and it was by no means unpleasant. - -In the evening, just before sailing time, Don and Jim stood out on the -deck, watching the men at work. The professor and Terry were in the -cabin. Just before the gangplank was hauled in a heavyset man walked -confidently aboard and spoke to the mate. The captain was nowhere about -at the time. Although not particularly interested the boys noted that -the man had a shifty, watchful look, and that his eyes were set close -together. The mate appeared to know him and engaged him in conversation, -talking in low tones and looking around sharply while doing so. At the -end of their short conversation, during which both men looked at the two -boys, the newcomer went forward and they saw no more of him. - -The steamer cast off and headed south, swinging out in a wide arc, and -the voyage was on. Terry and the professor came on deck at the sound of -the last whistle and together they watched the purple coast line fade -from sight. Supper followed and they made a hearty meal of it, eating -with the captain at a private table in sight of the main mess tables. - -The evening was spent in talking in the cabin and in pacing the deck. -The night was clear and calm and the sky dotted with a myriad of stars, -and the steady throbbing of the huge engines made almost the only sound -as they ploughed through the blue waters of the Pacific. Quite early -they turned in and soon fell into a deep sleep. - -It was Terry who woke up with a sense that all was not right. He was a -lighter sleeper than the others, and some slight noise had awakened him. -He sat up in his bunk, peering across the room at a shadow which seemed -out of place there. Thinking it might be one of his chums stirring he -spoke. - -"Hello there! Who's prowling around?" - -His words, spoken quietly, had an effect that astonished him. Someone -moved out of the shadows and for a second into the faint light which -streamed in through a port hole. Instantly Terry recognized one of the -men who had attacked the professor on the previous night. - -The man ran to the door, jerked it open and darted along the narrow -hallway that led to the companionway ladder. Terry swung his feet over -the edge of his bunk. - -"All hands to repel boarders!" he yelled, and without waiting to put on -shoes or clothing, dashed out of the door after the fleeing man. - -The others woke up instantly, to see Terry streaking down the hall. -Terry ran rapidly up the ladder and saw the intruder slipping over the -rail. The steamer was close into the shore, and without hesitation the -man dropped over into the water and struck out for the shore, just as -Terry gained the rail. - -While he watched the man swimming for shore the others ran up, followed -a moment later by the captain and the mate, a lean-jawed man with a -hooked nose and wide mouth. To their excited inquiries Terry explained -what had happened. - -"No use trying to catch him with a boat," decided the captain, seeing -that the man was almost to the shore. "What did he look like?" - -Terry described him, and the professor and the boys were astonished to -find that it was one of the men who had attacked the professor on the -previous night. The captain broke out in an exclamation. - -"Sackett!" he cried. - -"You know him?" asked the professor. - -"Squint Sackett is one of the worst bay bandits we have," said the -captain. "He is a noted river pirate, and the police would give a whole -lot to lay hands on him. Mr. Abel, how did that man get on board?" - -"I don't know, sir," said the mate, promptly. - -"You don't know?" asked Jim, in amazement. "Why you let him on board -yourself. My brother and I saw you talking to him this afternoon, just -before we sailed." - -"It's a lie," shouted the mate, darting a bitter glance at him. - -"Oh, no it isn't," said Don, coldly. "We saw you. After you and he -talked this man Sackett went forward, and you didn't make any effort to -stop him." - -"I've had my suspicious of you for sometime, Mr. Abel," growled the -captain, "and now I know you are crooked. You get off my ship! The first -port we come to you sling your pack and get out. I can't prove anything -on you, but I won't have any mate of mine having relations with a man -like Squint Sackett. D'you understand?" - -"I'll break these kids in two!" shouted the mate, advancing. But the -captain, who was bigger than the mate, quickly barred the way, his heavy -fists raised. - -"You touch these boys and I'll bust you over the rail!" he roared. "Get -down below and pack up. Tomorrow you're clearing this ship. Now get!" - -Muttering angrily to himself the mate obeyed, and when he was gone the -captain turned back to the party. "I'd advise you to look out for that -mate," he warned. "I'm glad you found out what you did. Did Sackett -steal anything from you?" - -A hasty examination of the cabin revealed that Sackett had been in the -act of going through the professor's inside coat pocket at the time he -was surprised by Terry, but nothing had been taken. Putting the whole -affair down as an attempt at robbery the captain left them to -themselves, assuring them that no further harm would come to them. - -"We'll have to keep our eyes open for this Sackett," said Don, as they -went back to their bunks. "For the life of me, I can't see why he should -take the trouble to come aboard and try to rob us. He must have a -mistaken idea that there is a lot of money in this crowd." - -"That may be it," agreed the professor, somewhat doubtfully. "But it -does seem strange that he should take such pains to follow us." - -"Wonder how he knew we were on this particular boat?" mused Jim. - -"That's not so hard," Terry explained. "Perhaps he hangs around the -docks and saw us come aboard today. But that mate must surely be one of -the gang." - -"No doubt of it," said Don, yawning sleepily. "Well, he's gone, and we -probably won't see anything of him again." - -But if Don and the others could have even guessed at the plans which -were at that moment being formulated in the evil brain of Squint Sackett -they would have had much food for thought. They were destined to see him -again, and not in the distant future. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - THE SCENE IN THE MOONLIGHT - - -The sail down the beautiful California coast was uneventful. The fruit -steamer was a staunch old boat, though somewhat battered, and it kept -its course steadily. After the boys and the professor had tired of -exploring it from end to end and looking in on the huge engines which -drove it with throbbing energy they spent most of their time on the deck -watching the passing shore line, enjoying the warmth and brilliant -sunshine. The nights, they found, were cold even in that particular time -of the year, and they were not sorry to use blankets even in the shelter -of their cabins. They became quite friendly with the captain, who told -them stories of many exciting voyages and some unusual storms. Nothing -further was seen of Sackett and the mate went sullenly ashore at the -first port. - -No storms broke the monotony of fair weather and quiet sailing, and when -at last they entered Magdalena Bay and approached the settlements they -were almost sorry to leave the fruit steamer. At ten o'clock one bright -morning they climbed into the cutter and were pulled away to the shore, -landing at length on the sandy soil of the small town of Quito. - -Ned's ranch lay several miles inland, and the only means of travel was a -lumbering wagon which went to the mines. Learning that this vehicle was -to start out the following morning they hunted up the driver, a Mexican, -and arranged to drive with him. A small hotel provided them with a place -to put up over night and after a satisfying supper they wandered around -the town, seeing the sights. The steamer had gone on its voyage after a -brief stop. - -The population of the town was very small, and exceedingly sleepy. Terry -remarked that they slept all day in order to recruit strength enough to -play on guitars at night. The population was composed of Spaniards, -Mexicans, and a few Americans, whose interest seemed to be chiefly -centered in the inland mines, and a number of halfbreeds. Droves of -dogs, whose seemingly endless variety astonished the boys, roamed the -streets. - -"Gosh," exclaimed Jim, as they came around a pack of them. "I used to -like pups, but I don't know as I do after seeing these. Guess I'll look -under my bed when we get back to the hotel and see if there are any -there!" - -Soft lights gleamed from most of the houses when evening came on, and -the sound of guitars was to be heard on every street. There were no -lights along the streets, but the night was warm and bright, and the -Americans had no difficulty in walking around the town. Quite early they -returned to their hotel and after drinking some cold orange drink, went -to bed. - -Bright and early in the morning they were up, as they had been told that -the mine wagon was to leave at six, and after a hearty breakfast went -out and loaded their bags on the vehicle. The driver appeared shortly -afterward, rolling a cigaret with amazing skill between two fingers. -Terry eyed him in admiration. - -"By golly!" he muttered. "I don't smoke and don't know as I shall, but -if I did I'd give a lot to be able to roll 'em like that! I couldn't -roll one that way with both hands." - -Later on, when in the course of their journey the Spaniard yawned, Terry -pretended to be enthusiastic. Without bothering to take the cigaret out -of his mouth the driver yawned heartily, and the cigaret, clinging to -his upper lip, simply hung suspended until he closed his lips again. -Then he resumed smoking, the operation being none the worse for the act, -and Terry again shook his head in envy. - -"Wonderful people!" he whispered to Don. "Too lazy to do anything at -all! Wonder what happens to a cup of coffee when he yawns!" - -"Probably he keeps right on pouring it down and doesn't waste any time," -chuckled Jim. "Great labor savers, these people!" - -"I guess their hardest work is to keep from doing any work," smiled -Professor Scott. - -The wagon was a large open affair, with two long boards like benches on -the side, and the boys and the teacher sat on the seats with their -baggage at their feet. The driver sat slumped forward on the front seat, -smoking, yawning and dozing by turns, muttering in broken exclamations -sometimes to the horses and sometimes to himself. Although they tried to -talk to him they received only weary shrugs of his narrow shoulders, and -they soon gave it up and talked among themselves. - -The country through which they were passing led up in a gradual sweep -from Magdalena Bay, and they soon drew out of sight of that broad sheet -of blue water and plunged on into the more open country. The soil was -somewhat sandy, with an almost tropical vegetation, and small brooks -spread like silver ribbons toward the sea. As they continued to work -further inland the country became more and more open, with rolling -plains and afar off darker stretches marked the hills in which the mines -were located. - -"Ned's place is off in that direction," said the professor, pointing to -the southwest. "He tells me that it is in a basin between two small -ranges, so we'll probably come across it all at once." - -At noontime they halted in the shade of a spreading tree which was more -of an overgrown bush, a species that the professor did not know, and in -which he speedily became interested. The driver immediately sat in the -shade and proceeded to eat his lunch from a black box which he had, -paying not the slightest attention to them. The boys, wishing to make -some coffee, cut some mesquite bushes which were nearby and kindled a -small fire. Jim set the coffee to boil and they ate some sandwiches -which they had been wise enough to bring with them. - -When the coffee was made Don took some to the Spaniard, who accepted it -with a brief nod of his head. Terry poked Jim. - -"That means thank you," he said. "Too much trouble to say it!" - -Immediately after the noon meal the driver toppled over silently and -went to sleep, a movement that afforded Terry much amusement. On this -particular occasion, however, the boys could not blame him very much. It -was hot, so much so that they were glad to stretch out and nap -themselves. At the end of an hour the driver got up suddenly, resumed -his seat and clicked his tongue at the two horses. The wagon, with its -crew, rumbled on. - -It was five o'clock when they topped the final rise and looked down on -the Scott ranch. As the wagon rolled down to the place they had a good -opportunity to study it closely. There was the main ranch building, a -single story affair, constructed of plain boards that showed up gray and -sordid against the declining sun. Two large barns flanked the house and -an inclosed field with some scattered patches of grass afforded a ground -for a half dozen horses. In back of the ranch was another frame -building, which they afterward found out was Ned's laboratory, in which -he tested metal from the mines. - -Ned Scott was at home when they arrived, in fact, he had seen the wagon -top the rise, and came riding out to meet them. They saw him swing -carelessly onto the back of a horse and dash up, and Jim, who was used -to riding a cavalry horse at school, admired the grace and ease with -which he did it. Then, having greeted his father enthusiastically, Ned -Scott was introduced to the boys. - -He was a young man in his early thirties, broadly built, with black hair -and eyes and a serious look. For some years he had lived in practically -what was solitude, seeing a few white men from the mines and a good many -halfbreeds and Mexicans. The sight of three boys somewhat near his own -age was welcome, and he looked forward to some interesting days to come. - -When greetings had been exchanged the young engineer led the way to the -ranch, where the boys alighted from the mine wagon, and paid the driver. -The man took the money unemotionally and drove off, having only -exchanged a word in Spanish with Ned. - -"Well," said Terry, as they watched him drive off. "That man is a -treat!" - -"How is that?" asked Ned. - -"He is so calm," replied Terry, solemnly. "And he is a splendid example. -After seeing him I don't think I'll ever be fussed or excited over -anything again!" - -Ned Scott led them into the ranch building, a rough but comfortable -place, with a wide, hospitable living room, a big dining-room, kitchen -and a number of small bedrooms, all on the one floor. There was a small -loft above for storage purposes, but no real upper floor. After they had -stowed their things away and had made themselves comfortable Ned took -them around the ranch and showed them the place in detail. - -As his chief interest was centered in the mines he did not raise cattle, -but he had one man to take care of his horses and generally help about -the place. There was also an Indian cook, who was blackened by the sun -and wind until his skin glowed with a dull color. Ned explained that the -man who kept the horses and the barns was a mestizo. - -"What is that?" asked Don. - -"A man of mixed Spanish and Indian blood," explained Ned. "Sometimes he -is very funny. The Spanish in him gets very dignified at times and he is -almost stately, and at other times he is just plain Indian, not much of -anything. However, he has a passion for the horses and he is faithful, -and outside of the fact that I have to drive him to work in the barns he -is all right. I call him Yappi." - -Yappi was seen presently, a tall old man with curiously mixed white and -black hair, a skin that was a mottled yellow, and dull black eyes. He -bowed to them and passed on, apparently not at all curious. They -inspected the barns and looked with considerable interest through Ned's -laboratory and the metals from the mines. - -Supper was well served by Spanci the cook, and in the evening they sat -on the long low porch talking until it was time to turn in. After a good -sleep they were up, taking a trip with Ned to the mines. He led them -through the tunnels and explained the complete workings to them, showing -how the silver and lead was mined. This took up most of the day and they -were thoroughly tired when night came. - -Ned was not impressed by the loss of his letter. "Those fellows who -attacked you have probably thrown it away," he said. "I'll write you -another one sometime, dad!" - -He asked the boys if they could ride and was delighted to find that they -could. Jim, being a cavalry lieutenant at Woodcrest, was somewhat better -at it than the others were, but they soon got accustomed to it. On the -third day of their visit Ned proposed that they take a moonlight ride -that night. - -"The moon, as you noticed last night, is beautiful just at this time, -and there is a lot more fun riding in the coolness of the night than in -the heat of the day," he said. "I think you will thoroughly enjoy it." - -After supper they mounted and rode out of the ranch grounds, the -professor refusing to accompany them. It was a beautiful night, with a -glowing moon and a sky splashed with stars and they rode for miles -across the open country. The air was clear and cool, the mountains dark -and mysterious near at hand, and the boys from Maine enjoyed every -minute of it. As they were returning Ned spoke up: - -"When we get to the top of the next hill I'll show you the ranch of my -neighbor, Senorita Mercedes," he said. - -His tone was casual, but the boys, remembering what the professor had -said about Ned's interest in the senorita, felt that he was himself -interested in looking at the place where she lived. He had not mentioned -her name since they had been there, and Terry did not know anything -about her. Nor had they discussed the treasure as yet, thought the boys, -but that would no doubt come soon. - -They topped the rise and paused to rest the graceful, lively horses -while Ned pointed to a small white ranch which gleamed brightly in the -moonlight. The house itself was small, but the outlying barns were -large, and Ned explained that the senorita was at present raising -cattle. - -"Not many of them," he went on. "Just enough to keep her alive and -eating regularly. She has three ranchman and an overseer." - -Near the ranch some trees and mesquite bushes grew and Don was looking -toward this clump fixedly. He thought that he had detected some movement -there but was not sure. Ned pulled the rein and turned his horse's head. - -"Well, I guess we had better be getting back," he said. - -"Wait a minute," called Don, in a low voice. "There are two men coming -out of that clump of trees near the ranch and creeping toward the -house." - -Ned spun around in his saddle and looked closely. Two men were crossing -an open space toward the house, taking care to keep as much as possible -in the shadows. Gaining the side of the house they crept to a window and -one of them reached up and pushed it. Instantly it swung open. - -"Are those fellows her ranchmen?" asked Terry. - -"I don't think so," said Ned. "That is the library window they just -opened. By George, I think they're going in that window!" - -"I suppose that's what they are opening it for," nodded Jim. - -Ned dug his heels into the flank of his horse. "Then come on," he -shouted, as the first man slipped through the window. "We've got to see -what is going on in Senorita Mercedes' ranch!" - - - - - CHAPTER VII - SACKETT'S RAID - - -They galloped down the long sloping hill rapidly, unobserved by the two -men who were entering the Mercedes ranch. The second man had leaped -lightly in the window and disappeared from sight. It was evident that -they feared no interruptions for they did not even glance out and the -party of boys arrived in the yard without having warned the men of their -coming. - -But once in the yard the ring of the horses' hoofs on the hard packed -soil reached the ears of the men inside the house. Two heads appeared -swiftly at the window, at the same time that a candle flickered -upstairs. The men, seeing the party of boys, jumped from the window with -one accord. - -"Sackett and Abel!" cried Don, as he jumped from his horse. - -All the boys had dismounted, which was precisely the wrong thing to do, -for the two men began to run swiftly for a small patch of trees and -bushes which stood at the edge of the senorita's property. Ned rushed -forward and seized Sackett, who promptly felled him with a blow on the -chin, while Abel kept on going and entered the grove several yards ahead -of his pursuers. Sackett soon joined him, and before Terry, who was in -the lead, could reach him, he had joined Abel, who was already on -horseback with a second rein in his hand. Sackett tumbled into the -saddle and the two men thundered away across the plains. - -"Shall we go after them?" shouted Jim, as the senorita appeared on an -upper balcony. - -"No," cried Ned. "They have too big a start, and I want to find out what -they were doing here." - -Somewhat reluctantly the boys turned away, while the two outlaws put -greater distance between themselves and the ranch party. The senorita, -recognizing Ned in the moonlight, hurried back to her room and soon -appeared at the side door of the ranch house. - -"Senor Ned, what is it?" she called, and the boys were attracted by her -soft and gentle voice. - -Ned and the boys walked to the steps, taking off their hats, and Ned -spoke up. "We were riding by at a distance, senorita, and we paused to -look down at your ranch. While we were looking these two men that just -rode away broke in a side window and entered the house." - -Ned then went on to introduce his friends, to whom the senorita bowed -with a stately grace. They were quite taken with her beauty and charm, -her fine olive skin and her flashing black eyes. She drew their -admiration, for she was not the least bit terror stricken by what had -happened, but only thoughtful and puzzled. - -"In the library you say, Senor Ned?" she puzzled. "But why do you think -they should want to go in my library? What is it that is in there?" - -She spoke remarkably good English, with only a slight accent. Ned shook -his head. - -"Senorita, I do not know. May we inspect your library and see if -anything is missing?" - -"Certainly. Do come right in, and welcome," she replied, and led the way -into the small library of the Mercedes ranch. - -It was a square room filled with books, in cases reaching to the -ceiling. A single table was there, and two comfortable chairs. Upon -examination the boys found that a few books, in a section which was -filled with ancient, hand-written manuscripts, had been handled by the -men. - -"It is evident that those fellows were about to steal some of your -valuable manuscripts, senorita," remarked Ned, after they had made an -examination. - -"Yes," nodded the girl. "But I wonder how those men knew that I had any -books?" - -"I'm very much afraid you are wrong in your ideas," spoke up Don, who -had been considering deeply. And Jim nodded, for his ideas were running -along the same lines of those of his brother. - -"What do you mean, Don?" asked Ned, quickly. - -"You remember that your father was attacked in San Francisco by this man -Sackett, who took away your letter to him? Well, that letter contained -your ideas about the treasure and that ancient book which came from this -library. Those men are taking that matter seriously, and they have been -here tonight to try and find the other half of that Spanish manuscript -and learn the exact location of the wreck!" - -"Ah, ha!" cried Senorita Mercedes sharply. "The senor is right!" - -"I certainly believe that you are!" cried Ned. "I had never thought of -it all in that light, but that is surely the answer. Sackett is a -freebooter who will turn his hand to anything that promises profit, and -he has done as you say, taken that letter seriously. I wish it had never -fallen into his hands. However, with all of his knowledge of the -country, and I suppose he has quite a knowledge of the land, he doesn't -know where the treasure is, so we are safe on that point." - -"Yes," put in Terry. "But we'll have to be on our guard from now on. -There is no doubt that that gang will push the search with all vigor." - -"They seem to have faith in the story," said Ned. "I have unlimited -faith in it because I have seen the manuscript, but they are placing -their faith in my letter to my father. There is only one weak spot in my -claim of thought." - -"What is that?" asked Jim. - -"That the treasure may have been found and removed since that book was -written. The priest who wrote the book was going to raise a party to go -back and recover the treasure, but whether he did or not is not known. -He may have done so, in which case our efforts and plans are absolutely -useless." - -"Of course," nodded Don. He turned to the senorita. "Senorita Mercedes, -you do not know how that book ever came to be in your house, do you?" - -"No," confessed the girl. "As far as I have knowledge, senor, it has -quite always been here. But I can say this, which will perhaps aid you: -before my family came here to dwell we lived in Mexico. You see what I -mean?" - -"I do," nodded Ned. "You mean that this priest may at one time have -lodged at your house and have left his book there?" - -"He may have even died there, Senor Ned." - -"That is very true. I lean to the belief that the treasure was never -recovered. Well, there are two parties after it now, so we will have to -be on our guard." - -Terry, who had walked to the window, spoke up. He had been examining the -double windows, which opened like doors, with hinges on each side. - -"Do you keep your windows locked at night, senorita?" he asked. - -"Of a certainty, senor," she replied. - -"I was just wondering," said Terry, slowly. "Because these two fellows -just reached up and pushed the window open." - -"Impossible, Senor Mackson! You may see that there is a much thick bar -across that window." - -"Yes, so I notice. But all of the boys will tell you that they simply -reached up and pushed the window open, and that they didn't have a thing -in their hands when they did it!" - -"That's so," exclaimed Ned, a sudden light breaking over him. "Senorita, -where is Alaroze, your overseer? How is it that he has not appeared -during all of the excitement? The rest of your men are outside; I can -see them gathered in the courtyard." - -"I do not know," answered the senorita, "I shall call him at once." She -stepped to the door and clapped her small hands sharply. - -There was a slight pause and then a man entered the room quickly. He was -small and chunky, with a brown face and shifty eyes. He was fully -dressed in the nondescript outfit of a ranch foreman. - -"Senor Alaroze, where have you been?" the senorita asked him in Spanish, -which the boys understood slightly. They had studied the language in -high school, all except Terry, and they could follow the conversation. - -"A thousand pardons, senorita, but I was awakened by the noise and -hastened to dress," the Mexican said, softly. - -"It took you much time, senor," retorted the senorita, curtly. "Tell me, -when you closed up did you lock this library window?" - -"Surely, senorita. I take pains to always carry out faithfully the tasks -intrusted to me," he replied, his tone becoming haughty. - -"The reason we ask you, Senor Alaroze," said Ned, still in Spanish, "is -because two rascals have just broken into the house and have searched -this library. But the strange part is that they did not even have to -break in. They simply reached up and pushed the window and it opened -under their touch. That does not look as though they found the window -barred, does it?" - -"I can only say that I dropped the bar across the window before I -retired, senor," replied the overseer, his lips moving uneasily. -"Perhaps someone else----" - -"Nonsense!" cried Ned, sharply. "The senorita is the only one who sleeps -in the house. You and the ranchmen sleep in the bunkhouse. You do not -think for a minute that Senorita Mercedes came down and took the bar -from the window do you?" - -"I regret to say that I do not know what to think, senor," returned the -overseer, quietly enough. The other boys watched him closely, puzzled at -his calm and speculating as to what thoughts might be in his mind. - -"Well, it is very strange," remarked Ned, closing the window and -dropping the bar in place. When he spoke there was a trace of gloom in -his voice, especially when he addressed the overseer. "Be more careful -in the future, Senor Alaroze. You alone have the keeping of Senorita -Mercedes and her safety." - -"I am worthy of the trust, senor," retorted the overseer, his eyes -narrowing. - -Ned looked at his watch. "We'll have to be getting back, or dad will -begin to be worried. I don't think you will have any more trouble, -senorita. If you do, send one of your men to me and I will come as -quickly as possible." - -The senorita murmured thanks and accompanied them to the courtyard, -where the boys swung onto their mounts. The three ranchmen, seeing that -all was well, went back to the bunkhouse, while the overseer, his face -hidden in the shadow of the doorway, stood back of the senorita. - -She bade them goodbye, thanking them once more. The boys quietly -overlooked the fact that she held onto Ned's hand for a moment longer -than seemed actually necessary. They rode away, looking back more than -once at the gleaming white ranch in the moonlight, until it was lost to -sight. - -"I'm very much afraid I don't trust that overseer," said Don. - -"Well," said Ned. "So far he has been very good in the management of the -ranch. I wonder if he can be in league with that Sackett gang?" - -"Hard to tell," said Terry. "I don't like the thought of the senorita -living alone with that fellow around, and not a woman for miles." - -There was a pause, and then: "I don't like it, either," spoke Ned, -frankly. "But she claims that she is not afraid. She goes armed all the -time and is very determined to be a success at raising cattle and caring -for herself. Pride, you know, is something that the Spanish are great -for, and I'm afraid she has more than her share. However, sometime----" - -He did not finish his thought, but the boys thought that they knew what -he had in mind. They arrived at the ranch in silence and relieved the -professor's anxiety. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - THE SEARCH IS BEGUN - - -"According to this thing," said Terry, with a grin, "if we find that -treasure the dragon will eat us!" - -It was on the following day and the entire group was bent over the -manuscript which had been written by the long dead priest. The book lay -spread out on the library table before them, yellow and fragile, with -corners which threatened to fall away to dust at their touch. Rotted -cord held it together and had broken in so many places that the ancient -book held together by a miracle. - -They had read together the thrilling story of the flight from the -English barks, of the wreck in the lonely creek, and the description of -the treasure up to the point where the missing pages spoiled the -worthwhileness of the manuscript. - -"That galleon must have been pretty big," Jim had said. "How big is an -English bark?" - -"A bark is a three-masted, square-rigged vessel. The mizzenmast is -fore-and-aft rigged, if I remember my history correctly," the professor -replied. "There are still barks left in service, and you can see that -they were of a fair size from the fact that they had three masts." - -The statement regarding the dragon had drawn Terry's attention. It was a -solemn statement to the effect that if anyone who was not a subject of -His Sovereign Majesty the King of Spain attempted to lay hands on the -treasure the guardian dragon would utterly destroy them. - -"I wouldn't pay much attention to that," smiled the professor. "In the -first place, the Spaniards stole it from the Indians, and it never did -belong to His Sovereign Majesty. We won't worry about the dragon until -we have found the treasure." - -They had planned to start out on the following day in an effort to find -the river up which the galleon had sailed. The professor declined to -accompany them. - -"You boys go ahead and do the hunting," he said. "I'm a little too old -to be riding around the country looking for gold. But when you find it -I'll help you dig it out." - -"Well, if we don't find it, we'll have a good camping trip, anyway," -said Ned, who knew that his father did not place much stock in his ideas -regarding the treasure. - -It had been agreed that no long trip was to be arranged just yet. Ned -planned to explore the coast for several miles to the south at present, -and if that failed to show any signs of a river or the wreck to make -preparations for a trip of several days. They were to be gone overnight -this time and that was all. - -So on the following day they were ready to go. Each boy had a packet of -provisions and his blanket strapped on the back of his saddle and a -light automatic rifle in his hands. The boys had been taught to shoot -with a fair degree of accuracy at Woodcrest School and so felt no fear -of appearing backward in that respect in Ned Scott's eyes. They all -shook hands with the professor, who wished them luck, and then they rode -away to the southward in the first step of their hunt for the Spanish -treasure. - -The day was warm and clear, and before they had been many hours on the -open plain they felt the heat keenly. The sun beat down directly on the -flat, dry soil, and dancing waves of heat soon showed above the ground, -as far as the eye could see. Ned would have turned to the distant -mountains except that their search lay along the sea coast and they -would gain nothing by seeking the coolness of the higher lands. - -"What mountains are those?" Don asked, pointing to the sweeping ranges. - -"That central range which you see is the Sierra Gigantea," explained -Ned. "In some places it is three and four thousand feet above sea level. -The high ranges are north and south, and on this southwestern side the -rocks are granitic. There is plenty of sandstone on the other slope, and -the range is full of volcanic dykes." - -"Looks mighty cool up there," said Terry, mopping his forehead. - -"It is. We have all kinds of weather in this country, from burning -tropical heat and its characteristic vegetation to the icy cold of the -peaks." - -In the afternoon they halted under a friendly group of trees and ate a -light lunch, stretching out to talk afterward for a brief time. The -afternoon was even hotter than the morning, and while they did not feel -like sleeping they did enjoy the rest under the trees. They resumed -their journey after three o'clock, keeping the calm blue waters of the -Pacific in sight all the while. - -Several creeks were found, but none of them were wide enough to have -ever allowed the passage of a galleon, although they were forced to bear -in mind the fact that the passage of centuries might have closed up -small rivers or narrowed creeks. Sandstorms rapidly changed the -topography of countries, they knew. They followed two large streams for -several miles inland and then cut across country again to the sea. - -When they stopped for their supper Ned said: "The fact is, we may be -looking the wrong way. Perhaps we should have gone north instead of -south. The directions in the manuscript were vague, much as though the -priest himself did not know just where he was at the time. After all, -this whole hunt is a matter of faith, and if we don't ever find anything -we'll just put it all down as a good time and a summer vacation." - -"Of course," rejoined Don, heartily. "But I feel as you do, that the -treasure was never found again. But aren't you neglecting one very good -clue?" - -"What is that?" asked Ned, quickly. - -"You recall that peculiar piece of wreckage that was picked up by the -steam trawler? Well, the funny thing was that no other piece of the -galleon to which it was a part could be found anywhere nearby. Don't you -feel that it was washed out of a nearby creek and settled in the mud in -the place where the fishing boat found it?" - -"There was no creek anywhere near it," Ned answered. - -"Perhaps not, but it could have come from quite some distance. Are we -near the place where the piece of wreckage was found?" - -"It was found about fifty miles further up the coast," Ned said. - -"It is my opinion that somewhere near there the galleon ran up a river. -Can we go there tomorrow?" - -"Well," said Ned, slowly. "I think if we visit that spot we had better -plan to make a much longer stay of it. We ought to spend several days in -the vicinity, perhaps a week. Suppose we spend the night here, go home -in the morning and outfit for an intensive hunt." - -"That would be a good idea," Jim thought. - -"I think we should," argued Don. "You plan to run over every inch of the -coast north and south, don't you? Then I think we might as well outfit -ourselves for a hard and active campaign." - -The sun was now going down, turning the hills and distant mountains into -things of rare beauty as the multitude of lights danced and gleamed -along the crests of the mighty range. The boys cut enough wood to last -them through the night, and sat around a glowing little fire, telling -Ned of past adventures until they all were sleepy enough to go to bed. - -"By golly," said Terry, as he rolled himself up in his blanket. "In the -daytime you roast around here and at night you need a blanket. Very -unreliable climate, I must say. Jim, will you kindly dust the snow off -me when you arise in the morning!" - -They were up early in the morning and ate a hearty breakfast, enjoying -the glory of another perfect day. Ned calculated that they would strike -the ranch again about noontime, and soon they were in the saddle once -more, striking north along the sea coast. They had gone along the hard -sand at a brisk trot for some ten miles when Jim stopped and pointed to -a group of buildings back against a sandy cliff. - -"What is that place?" he asked. - -"That is a group of tannery buildings," explained Ned as they jogged on -toward it. "Years ago, in the days of the sailing ships, when California -and Lower California were first opened up, hides were collected inland -and dragged to that cliff, where they were thrown down below, still in a -raw state. Then, while the ships went on up the coast, a picked crew of -sailors remained here, curing the hides and storing them until the ship -returned and picked them up." - -"I remember reading about it in that fine old book, 'Two Years Before -the Mast,'" said Don. "I'm glad of the chance to see one of the -tanneries." - -When they arrived at the mouldering tannery they dismounted and went -inside, examining with interest this last relic of an ancient business. -The buildings were made of rough logs, hauled for many miles to the -coast, and some scraps of ancient hides still clung to the storage -racks. The vats were still there, stained with many colors, and a heavy -smell was still noticeable indoors. Outside they found the framework of -the stretching racks. - -"That certainly is interesting," commented Jim. "You must tell your -father, Ned. Perhaps he'll want to come and look at the place." - -"We'll tell him," the young engineer nodded, as they resumed their -journey. - -Ned's calculations were correct, for it was just noontime when they -arrived at his ranch. They rode down the incline toward the house, which -looked deserted. Ned whistled but there was no response. - -"Maybe dad is still in bed," he laughed, as he swung from his horse. - -But when they went into the house the professor was not to be found. Nor -was the cook around. Ned hurried to the barns and looked for Yappi, but -in vain. As he hurried back to the house Don called to him. - -"It's all right, Ned," Don said. "There is a note from him on the table. -He has gone out looking for plant specimens." - -Ned hastened into the room, relief on his brown face, and took up the -note. It was a simple message, worded as Don had explained, but as Ned -read it his brow darkened. - -"Look here," he said, crisply. "Do you know what dad's first name is?" - -"I don't," answered Don, and Jim shook his head. Don pointed to the -note. "I see he signed it 'Duress Scott.' I never heard of that name -before." - -"It isn't a name," was the startling answer. "Dad signed it that way to -let us know that he signed it under duress, under compulsion! The cook -and the overseer are both gone, evidently carried off by the same gang -who captured dad!" - -"I'll bet everything I've got that it is Sackett again!" groaned Jim. -"What are we to do?" - -"Just as soon as we can tie up a little grub and fill up with plenty of -ammunition we'll start to run those fellows down," said Ned, grimly. "I -think it is high time that somebody put an end to Mr. Sackett and -Company, and we're going to do it!" - -"That's the talk!" cried Terry. "War to the knife! Where is my gun?" - - - - - CHAPTER IX - THE RUINED CASTLE - - -The professor enjoyed his day of solitude. Long years of serious study -and instructive reading had made him one of the men who prefer being -alone to mixing with a noisy crowd. Not that the professor was the least -bit snobbish or unsociable, but he loved the quietness of inner thought -and the companionship of a book. - -After the boys had disappeared over the hill he returned to the living -room and sat in a sunny window looking out over the rolling country -which extended for miles back of Ned's ranch, away to the purple -mountains in the distance. A feeling of warm contentment came over the -elderly man, for an hour or more he simply dreamed there, enjoying the -comfort of Ned's best armchair. - -After that he read for a long time, until the cook announced that dinner -was ready. He ate alone, well served by the silent Indian and then went -back to smoke his pipe and dream in the window once more. When afternoon -came on he imitated the actions of the cook and Yappi, who both went to -sleep, the cook in a bunk off the kitchen and Yappi beside the barn, his -battered hat over his eyes. The professor sought the dull colored sofa -in the living room and slept until the sun began to go down. - -He awoke much refreshed and drank copiously, realizing for the first -time in his long life just how good water could be. Another lone meal -followed and he spent the evening with another book, sitting under the -oil lamp until it was nearly time to go to bed. Then, enchanted with the -fine moonlight, the professor went out on the front porch to smoke a -final pipe before retiring. - -The whole landscape was flooded by the brilliant slice of moon which -hung far over in the sky, and the professor drank in its beauty. The -cook had finally cleared up everything in the kitchen and gone out to -the small bunkhouse, to listen for a time to the guitar which Yappi was -playing and then finally to coax the old mestizo into playing a game of -cards with him, over which they droned half asleep, seriously intent. -When Professor Scott had finished his pipe he knocked out the ashes, -yawned and with a final look around, went to his room. - -This was in the back of the long, low building, facing the plains and -mountains. He opened the window and finding that there was enough light -from the moon, extinguished the lamp which he had lighted and took off -his necktie. His eyes wandered dreamily over the landscape. Then he -suddenly stopped unbuttoning his collar, his eyes narrowed, and he -became all attention. - -On the top of a sand dune a man was standing and looking toward the -ranch. It was only for an instant and then the man disappeared, slipping -down the other side noiselessly. He had on a cape and a sombrero, and -the professor was puzzled. He wondered if Yappi or the cook had left the -place, and after a moment of thought he went back to the front porch and -looked around. There was no light in the bunkhouse now. But when he -started to go out there he saw the cook walking toward the kitchen door -and the ranchman coming out of the barn. - -His first impulse was to speak to Yappi, but thinking it useless to -alarm the man he returned to the house and to his room. It was not -either of the men whom he had seen, but some stranger who was carefully -looking down on the ranch. It was possible that it was only some chance -wayfarer who had topped the rise and was examining the ranch, but the -professor knew that Sackett was in the neighborhood and that it would be -well to keep his eyes open. For an hour he looked steadily out of the -window, but he saw nothing more to alarm him, and at last, after making -a tour through the house and locking every door and window, including -the window in his bedroom, he went to bed and soon fell asleep. - -When morning came he was awakened by the sound of the cook trying the -back door, and he hastily opened it for the Indian. The cook answered -his cheery morning greeting unemotionally. The Indian had never known -Ned to lock the doors, and he wondered why the older man did it, but no -sign of his thoughts appeared on his shiny dark face and he set about -getting breakfast ready. The professor dressed and then sat down to his -morning meal, after a hasty look around to see that all was well. - -Yappi had already attended to the horses when the professor went out to -take a walk around the ranch, and the mestizo was busy in the barn. -After enjoying the clear morning outside the professor went back to the -house and once more resumed his reading, sitting in the window through -which the sun came brightly. From where he was sitting he could see -Yappi at work on a saddle, mending a flap on it, sitting on the low -doorstep of the bunkhouse. - -The professor had read for perhaps a half hour and was in the act of -turning a page when he happened to look up and out at the old mestizo. -The man had ceased his stitching and was looking back of the house, the -saddle hanging loosely in his hand. And to the professor's vast -astonishment, he suddenly tossed the saddle over his shoulder and with -the agility of a cat rolled himself without rising into the doorway of -the bunkhouse. - -Struck with amazement at the man's actions the teacher put down his book -and got up, striding for the front door. But even before he reached it -he heard the back door pushed open and he turned. His worst fears were -realized when he found Sackett standing on the threshold, a rifle in his -hand, and Abel just back of him. Both men were smiling in triumph, but -keeping a wary eye on the house just the same. - -"Ah," said Sackett, grinning broadly. "We didn't know you was going out -the front door, governor! Or maybe you was goin' to let us in?" - -"What do you want here?" asked the professor, stiffly. - -Sackett looked all around. "We ain't sure, yet. We want you, for one -thing. Keep your gun on him, Abel. Where's Manuel?" - -"Watching the front door," growled the former mate. - -The two men stepped into the house and the professor saw that he was -trapped. He had no idea what the men wanted with him, although his heart -sank a little he resolved to face them unflinchingly. Out of the corner -of his eye he saw the cook glide out of the back door. - -"You two men get out of this house!" the professor snapped. - -Sackett laughed and walked boldly through the rooms, while Abel kept his -rifle pointed in the professor's direction. After he had looked through -every room the leader came back. - -"Nobody else in the place, just like Manuel said," he reported. He faced -the old savant. "Where did those boys go to?" - -"Off on a camping trip," answered the professor, calmly. - -"Sure they didn't go looking for that treasure?" inquired the outlaw, -thrusting his face close to Mr. Scott's. - -"Do you mean to say that you believe that story?" sniffed the professor, -scornfully. - -"I believe it, and so do you," replied the chief. - -"A fairy story," said the professor, contemptuously. "My boy has long -since found out that there isn't anything to it." - -"You and your boy know more about that treasure than you feel like -telling," retorted Sackett. "You're coming with us and stay with us -until you tell us what you do know." - -"I guess I'll stay with you a long time," said the professor, -humorously. "Because I don't know anything about it." - -"Stow the talk and come on," growled the mate. "Want them boys to come -back again?" - -"Yes, we had better get moving," agreed the leader of the gang. He -walked to the desk and took out a piece of paper and a pen, which he -dipped in the ink. "You write a note saying you have gone for a little -exploring trip," he directed the professor. - -"I won't write a line!" said the professor, stubbornly. - -"You write quickly or I'll punch your head!" growled the outlaw, raising -his heavy fist. - -Convinced that he would gain nothing by arguing with these men the -professor took the pen and wrote a short note. He hesitated a moment and -then signed it "Duress Scott." - -"Hey!" cried Sackett, suspiciously. "What's that you're putting?" - -"You want me to sign my name, don't you?" asked the teacher, blandly. - -"That isn't your name," argued the man. - -"Oh, it isn't, eh?" said the professor. "Very well, I'll sign it just -plain Dad, and then Ned will know that something is wrong." - -The leader thought a moment. "Never mind," he growled. "That will do as -it is. Now come along, and mind, no funny business, or it will be the -worse for you." - -The professor accompanied them out of the house, jealously guarded by -the two men, and in the back yard Manuel, a short and stolid Mexican, -was waiting for them with a horse from Ned's own stock. In silence the -professor mounted and the cavalcade moved out of the ranch grounds, the -professor looking around for the cook and Yappi. Neither of them were in -sight. - -"Miserable cowards!" muttered the professor, between his set teeth. - -They headed for the mountains, the Mexican in front and the professor -riding just ahead of Sackett and Abel, who kept watchful eyes on him. -They travelled in silence during the morning and stopped at noon to eat -and rest, after which they pushed on, in a direction southwest of the -mines. Manuel, it seemed, was the lookout and rode ahead to see to it -that they did not unexpectedly run across some party from the mines or -from other scattered ranches. They had passed to the north of the -Senorita Mercedes ranch and there was no help from that quarter. And -when at last they entered the trees at the foot of the central range -they had not been seen by anyone. - -There Manuel waited for the party and they rode on in a compact body, -ascending the long slopes, skirting abrupt cliffs and rising high above -sea level. The woods were of a semi-tropical nature, with thick trees -and bright green leaves, surrounded by dense bushes of undergrowth. It -was cool above the level of the plain and they made good time, coming -out onto a flat plateau late in the afternoon. Before them was a wall of -vegetation, and to the professor's astonishment they rode straight to -it, pushed their way through and came unexpectedly upon the ruins of a -small castle. - -The building was small and now nothing more than a tumbled heap of -ruins. Looking at it closely the professor was inclined to think that it -had never been completed at all, but had been abandoned before the roof -had been put on. Creepers grew in reckless profusion all over the stones -and a bright green snake glided across a door sill with a slight hiss. -The men sprang from their horses and the professor got down slowly, -waiting the next move. - -Guided by his captors he was led across the first floor of the place, -evidently the effort of some Spanish nobleman to plant a small empire of -his own in a new country, and ushered into a single room toward the back -of the castle. This room had a ceiling to it and he could see at once -that it was the headquarters of the gang. A stove, made out of bricks -held together by clay, stood in one corner and several strings of red -peppers, dried with heat and age, hung from strings over the stove. A -rough table, two chairs and a bench, and a long box made up the -furniture of the place. Besides the door, which was constructed of heavy -wood, there was a single window in the place, which was barred, though -it had no glass in it. The forest grew close to the back of the place. - -"Now look here," commanded the leader, as soon as they were all in the -room. "Are you going to talk, or do we have to starve it out of you?" - -"If you mean I am to tell you anything about that treasure, I guess -you'll have to starve me," returned the professor, with spirit. "I tell -you I don't know a thing about it." - -Sackett turned to Abel. "No use arguing with this man now, I can see -that. Maybe when he gets hungry he'll sing another tune. Put him in the -dungeon." - -Without wasting a word on the matter Abel drove the professor before him -to a small door which opened in one side of the room. This door, when -opened, disclosed a turning flight of narrow stairs, and down this the -professor went, guided by the light from a lantern which Manuel had -lighted and handed to the mate. After turning around and around they -came suddenly to a narrow cell, in front of which swung a heavy wooden -half door, the upper part of which was composed of iron bars. Abel -opened the door by pulling it toward him and then pushed the professor -inside. - -"Stay there until you get hungry," he said, grimly. "When you feel like -talking just yell for the captain." - -He closed the door with a sharp slam, snapped a padlock in place, and -taking the light with him, remounted the stairs. The professor stood -still, watching the light flash and twinkle on the white stone steps -until it was gone and he was in the darkness alone. - - - - - CHAPTER X - THE ROPE IN THE DUNGEON - - -The light was gone at last and with it the professor's hope. He was -totally alone in the inky darkness, a prisoner in a cell whose size he -was not certain of, down under the ruins of a castle in the woods. Far -above him he could hear the slam of another door and the faint footsteps -of the two men. Then there was complete silence and the teacher turned -away from the barred door. - -"A truly ancient castle," grumbled the professor. "The dungeon completed -before the rest of the house!" - -He wondered, as he moved cautiously around if anyone had ever been a -prisoner in this cold and wet-smelling cell. He found his way around -without difficulty, running his hands along the wall and extending his -feet carefully. There was not a single object in the place, and he felt -that they had not expected to have him there, for there was no bed or -chair in the place. - -"Unless," thought the savant, as he continued to feel his way around. -"They wouldn't be decent enough to give me a chair or bed, anyway. No -use in expecting mercy from villains like these, I suppose." - -The walls were perfectly smooth, composed of sandstone, as was the -entire castle. Ned had told his father that the opposite slope of the -mountain was almost wholly composed of this particular type of stone, -and the original owner and builder had no doubt had it quarried and -dragged to the spot, using Indians who had been taken captive by the -Spaniards. Such was the professor's belief and it was reasonable. Even -in his anxiety to escape from these men he found himself taking an -interest in the place and resolved that if these men were ever cleaned -out of it he would explore it thoroughly. - -The floor was also of stone, wet and slippery, and for all the professor -knew, the dwelling place of spiders and other crawling things. He hated -to sit down on it, but there was no other place and he was very tired -from his long ride and the excitement of it all, so he felt around the -floor with shrinking hand and finally found a spot near the door which -seemed to be drier than the rest of the floor. Pretty much exhausted the -history professor sank to the floor and rested his back against the cold -wall. - -He was in some doubt as to what to do. He felt that Ned would catch on -to his meaning when he read the word "duress" and the boys would surely -make a vigorous effort to find him, but how long that would be or what -would happen in the meantime he had no idea. The men upstairs were -convinced that he knew something about the treasure, that he possessed -some information which he was withholding, and they would do their best -to get it out of him. They would try to starve him first, and in that -fact he found a ray of hope, for it would take them several days to find -out that he did not intend to say anything, and then they would adopt a -more severe program. In that time Ned and the boys from Maine would have -time to find him, and they would naturally look near the mountains. It -was possible that they might think he had been carried off to sea, but -surely the cook or Yappi would tell them the true facts of the case, -provided they hadn't been so frightened that they hadn't even seen in -which direction the cavalcade had gone. - -But if the men decided to change their plans and try to pump information -from him he would have a bigger problem on his hands. These men were by -no means gentle, they were men who were willing and able to sweat hard -to earn money and especially dishonest money, and they would not be -likely to stop at anything cruel or inhuman. They were miles away from -any source of help and the woods would effectually hide any story which -might shock the outside world if it were known. Sackett and the mate -must know that the boys would soon be on the trail, and he was inclined -to think that they would resort before very long to methods other than -peaceful. - -"If that is the case," thought Professor Scott, jumping to his feet, -"I'm just wasting time by sitting here. There seems to be no way of -getting out of the place, but it may be that there is some flaw that -will ultimately prove my biggest help." - -So once more he began to feel his way along the wall and then stopped as -a new thought came to him. A few days before Ned had given him a cigar -lighter, a somewhat unreliable engine that lighted once in a great -while, but which always gave off a bright flash when the little wheel -was turned by the thumb. It was in his vest pocket and he reached for -it. He had not had any matches with him and had secretly lamented the -fact, but now his main difficulty was in a fair way to be overcome. - -He took the little case from his pocket and spun the wheel. A sputtering -little flash was the answer, which lighted up the cell for a split -second and gave him his bearings. It was evident that the cigar lighter -had no intentions whatsoever of lighting for any length of time, but it -at least gave forth a flash that threw the heavy stones into a sort of -bluish picture for an instant. Working it constantly the old gentleman -moved around the dungeon, exploring the walls and floor, until something -in one corner arrested his attention. - -There was a crevice there, running from the floor to the ceiling and in -that crack was a moulded rope. The rope ended near the floor, and hung -straight down from a round hole in the ceiling above him. He took hold -of the rope, to find it wet and slippery but fairly strong. The men had -evidently not seen it and he knew why. Anyone who stood in the room and -threw the beams of a lantern around would cast the light in a confused -way into the corners and so miss seeing the rope, which was deep in the -cranny, and indeed the professor would not have seen it himself if he -had not been standing right at the crevice. Probably the men had never -gone over the walls inch by inch, and unless one did that the hidden -rope would surely escape their eye. But now that he had the rope, what -was he to do with it? - -He pulled on the rope and his answering came with a suddenness that -startled him into stepping back hastily. Far above his head a bell -pealed out sharply, shattering the silence of the mountain fastness with -disconcerting vigor. Nervously he dropped the lighter and then picked it -up, his brow wet with a nervous perspiration. - -"Great heavens!" murmured the professor. "I must stop that, or I'll have -them down on me." - -Upstairs there was a moment of silence and then a sudden commotion. A -chair fell over and he heard running footsteps. Apparently the upper -door was opened, for he could hear the words of the men. - -"What is ringing that bell?" he heard Sackett roar. - -"You got me, captain," replied Abel, while rapid chattering in Mexican -reached the ears of the professor. "That bell is just up there in the -tower and nobody can ring it. There must be ghosts in this place, I tell -you!" - -"Keep shut about your ghosts!" snarled the leader. "What's that Mexican -saying?" - -"He's howling prayers because he's scared," the mate said. - -Understanding came over the professor all at once. One tall tower had -struck his attention as they had approached the ruined castle and it was -evident that this tower had in it a large bell, placed there when the -castle was first built. The rope which the professor had pulled led -directly to this bell, a circumstance of which the men upstairs knew -nothing, and he found that fate had provided him with a weapon to work -against them with telling force. Realizing in the long run what this -would mean the teacher once more took hold of the rope. - -"Somebody is ringing that bell," said Sackett, his tone ugly and -uncertain. "Ain't there no way to get up in that tower and stop it?" - -"No," answered Abel. "The tower has no steps and it's no use anyway. I -tell you a spirit is ringing that bell! I knew I hadn't ought to have -come in on a game like this." - -"Oh, shut up," growled Sackett. "It isn't ringing anymore." - -But at that moment the bell rang out, and this time the professor used -it effectively. With long sweeping strokes he tolled it, so that the -melancholy sounds sounded out and over the country for miles. It was a -solemn and fearful sound, and the men above were thoroughly awed and -frightened by it. - -"Go see if that professor has escaped from his cell," ordered Sackett, -as the professor paused in his labors. "He may be out and doing this -somehow." - -The professor thanked his lucky stars that he had overheard this bit of -conversation and gave the bell a final toll. Then he quickly resumed his -place near the door, holding onto the bars and peering anxiously out as -the mate came down the stairs with the lantern. - -The man flashed the light full in the face of the professor, who blinked -and threw up his hand to cover his eyes. At the same time he eagerly -questioned the mate. - -"Why is that bell ringing? What does it mean? Why is there a bell here?" -he cried. - -The mate looked troubled but attempted to pass it off. "You mind your -own business," he said, in a surly tone. At the same time he pressed -close to the door and flashed the light into the dungeon, looking -intently at the corners. Without another word he went back up the -winding stairs, and before he closed the door the professor heard him -say: "The old man is all right. He hasn't been out of the cell and he -couldn't ring the bell. I tell you----" - -That was as much as Professor Scott heard but it was enough to satisfy -him. His best plan was now to mystify the men in the hope of terrifying -them so that they would leave the place and take him somewhere else. -Whether that would in the end be a better move or not he did not know, -but it was at least better than waiting and wasting time, and it would -serve to bring Ned and the boys to the spot. There was no doubt that the -sound could be heard far from the mountain, and he had no doubt that it -would be of great value to him. - -Feeling that it would do him no good to keep on tolling the bell he gave -up the task for the time being, planning to ring it wildly in the very -middle of the night. The men would no doubt be asleep and he could ring -it out in such a way as to bring them to their feet with fast beating -hearts, convinced that the place was haunted by a spirit that rang the -bell. If they persisted in staying even after that he would keep ringing -the bell at intervals, taking care not to break the rope, which, -fortunately for him had originally been tarred and so was preserved. - -With that thought in mind the professor pulled his coat more closely -around him, curled himself up on the hard floor and went to sleep. His -sleep was fitful and restless, and after two hours of it he had the -impression that something nearby was scratching. Awakening at last he -sat up, wide awake in an instant, to find that the steady scratching -sound was no dream, but an actual fact, and seemed to come from the wall -beside him. - - - - - CHAPTER XI - THE UNDERGROUND PASSAGE - - -The scratching sound continued to come as the professor listened, and he -got up and bent his head close to the wall. It sounded to him as though -someone was scraping the rock wall on the other side of his cell, and he -was puzzled over the circumstance. There was a measure of hope in the -sound, perhaps the boys had arrived and were trying to break through to -him. But as he continued to think it over he realized that it could not -be so. The dungeon was deep in the earth and it would be impossible for -them to get down on a level with his cell. The only other thing he could -think of was that there was a prisoner in a cell next to his. - -It might easily be possible that Sackett, in some of his other dishonest -games, had taken someone else prisoner and the man was trying to break -through to him. In that case it behooved the professor to try and help -whoever was coming through the wall of his dungeon. He took the cigar -lighter from his pocket, made it flash and then looked at his watch by -its brief blue flame. It was now one o'clock in the morning. - -Continuing to make flashes the teacher watched the wall and after a time -found the rock upon which the unknown man was working. It was a large -block in the very center of the south wall, and under the soft blows of -the man on the other side it was already slightly loose. The professor -could see it move. He took out a knife which he had and began to pick at -the edges on his side, chipping carefully and as noiselessly as -possible. It was evident that the person on the other side knew that he -was helping for the scraping stopped abruptly but after a moment it was -resumed. - -They worked on in silence, the professor listening for sounds from -upstairs, but none came. The men were evidently asleep or they had left -the place altogether, for he heard no movement and he was not -interrupted in his labors. He found that the soft and rotted material -between the stones was easy to dislodge, and his mysterious helper was -pushing as he worked, so that the huge stone was beginning to move -toward the cell of the professor. Only a fraction of an inch at a time, -but it was enough to give the teacher hope, and finally it was far -enough out to allow him to get the tips of his fingers under the rough -edge of the stone. - -By working it back and forth the professor at length got it loose. It -came out with a rush, nearly bending him double with the unexpected -weight. At the same time a light flared in his eyes and he hastily -deposited the stone on the floor of his dungeon. When this was completed -he straightened up and confronted his companion. - -It was Yappi, the mestizo. He held a torch of pitch wood in his one hand -and a keen knife in the other. He had evidently worked hard at the -stone, for his hands were dirty and so was his mouth and forehead, -showing that he had stopped more than once to wipe them with his dirty -hands. The professor was glad to see the man but more than astonished at -what he saw back of him. The ranchman was standing in a vaulted -underground passage, which ran back a distance that the professor could -not make out. - -"Yappi!" cried the professor, in a low voice. "How did you get here?" - -"I followed you, senor," said the old man, simply. "It was somewhat hard -work, for my feet are not so swift to run as they once were. But when I -knew that they had carried you off to this castle I laughed inside, for -I knew this castle very well." - -In one sense Yappi was a mystery. He was an ordinary mixture of Spanish -and Indian, and yet not ordinary in other ways. He possessed a dignity -and his English was perfect. Ned Scott could never learn where he got -it. Except for rare periods when he became sulky or falsely sensitive he -was always steady and reliable. The professor had greatly misjudged him -when he had thought him a coward, and later on apologized, an apology -which was very graciously accepted. - -"What is this underground passage?" whispered the professor eagerly, -forgetting his situation in his interest. - -"It is as old as the castle, senor, and I have known of it since I was a -child. Many times I have played around these ruins. But come, we waste -time and must be going." - -The opening that the removal of the stone had made was not a big one and -the professor had a hard struggle to get out, in fact Yappi was -compelled to haul him through bodily. Of a necessity the professor -squirmed out and landed on his face, grumbling at the man who had made -him resort to so clumsy a method of action. Once in the passage he -looked around, finding that it was made of stone and arched overhead, -the entire height being about seven feet. Consequently they were not -compelled to bend over, and they hurried through the passage in comfort, -the ranchman in the lead. - -"What was this passage ever made for?" the professor asked. - -"I do not know, senor. It may be that once that room was not a dungeon, -or it may be--but who knows? Only I happened to know of the passage and -knew that they would put you in that cell, so I have been at work for -some hours on the stone." - -"I certainly appreciate your hard work, Yappi," said the professor. - -The mestizo made no reply. The professor noted that the passage was -sloping upward somewhat, and before long he felt cool fresh air on his -cheek. Near the entrance Yappi extinguished the torch by grinding it -under his heel and they proceeded in the darkness, until the mestizo -stopped and grasped his arm, pointing silently ahead. - -The end of the passage was before them, and lounging there, a rifle in -his hands, was the mate Abel. They could make out the lines of his body -plainly as he stood near a mound, totally unconscious that he was within -five feet of a secret tunnel. The professor could see that the mouth of -the secret passage was screened in some dense bushes and that it curved -right up from the ground. But in spite of all their brilliant work Abel -suspected something, and for the time being at least they were halted. - -They held a council of war right there, speaking in whispers. It was -evident that the mate had heard something or had the feeling that all -was not well, for he stood on his guard, the rifle held slightly -forward. Yappi was for rushing him and fighting it out, but the -professor opposed it firmly. The man was armed and Yappi was not, and -the ranchman was old and none too strong. Beside all that, the professor -had another thought. - -He asked the old man if he had heard the bell tolling and the mestizo -replied that he had. Professor Scott then went on to tell him how it was -done, and to propose that he steal back and ring the bell, thus puzzling -the men and taking Abel away from his most inconvenient post. The -mestizo gravely approved of his plan and together they retraced their -steps until they came to the hole in the wall. - -Knowing where the bell rope was even in the darkness the professor -insisted upon being the one to go back into the dungeon, so with Yappi's -help he once more pushed and puffed his way through the hole. He landed -on the other side pretty well mussed up. - -"Confound these fellows," he growled inwardly. "I've lost several pounds -squirming in and out of these holes!" - -He had regained his feet and was tiptoeing toward the bell rope when a -warning hiss from Yappi reached him. He turned toward the hole. - -"What is it, Yappi?" he whispered. - -"Come back! Light coming!" - -Surely enough, at that moment a light flashed on the winding steps and -began to descend. The professor made a wild dive for the hole and then -stopped with a groan. It would take him several moments to worm his way -back into the passage, and already it was too late for that. Sackett was -coming down the stairs with the lantern, and he was now in plain sight -around the last turn. - -For an instant the professor remained rooted to the spot as though -paralyzed. The leader of the gang was approaching the door, holding the -lantern before him, his eyes squinted more than usual as he tried to see -into the cell. Yappi had disappeared somewhere, and the professor felt -suddenly alone and miserable. - -Sackett looked in the dungeon and his eyes fell on the block which had -been removed. With a snarling oath he saw the hole in the wall and -turned red and angry eyes on the professor. But the old teacher had -decided on his course of action. - -Without fully realizing why he did it the professor stepped to the bell -rope and pulled it with all his strength. The bell in the tower pealed -out with a terrific clash, sending the tocsin booming out over the -mountain side. Sackett saw the move and a great light swept over him. - -"So!" he shouted, above the clanging of the bell. "You're the one who is -ringing that bell!" - -Swinging the handle of the lantern over his arm he dived viciously into -his pocket for the key to the padlock. As he did so there was the sound -of running footsteps over his head and Abel's voice reached them. - -"That bell is ringing again, Sackett!" the mate cried, his voice showing -his alarm. - -"Yes, and here is the bird that is ringing it!" roared the leader. "Get -down here right away, Abel! Where is Manuel?" - -"He ran away, scared to death," replied the mate. - -"Get down here and help me choke this old one," commanded Sackett, -thrusting the key into the padlock. - -But Abel called down once more, and there was a new note in his voice. -"Never mind him, Squint! Get up here as fast as you can! Here come a -whole rescue party, with all them blasted kids in it!" - -The professor gave the bell one last pull of triumph and then let the -rope go. Sackett hesitated for a moment, muttering savagely to himself -and holding onto the padlock and key. Then he turned and ran up the -steps, dashing the lantern against the wall in his hurry, causing the -glass to break and go tinkling down the stone steps. - - - - - CHAPTER XII - THE TOLLING OF THE BELL - - -The four boys hastily armed themselves to go and find the professor. Ned -packed some provisions in a knapsack and slung it behind his saddle, not -knowing just how long they might be on their hunt. The other boys -watered their horses and Ned's and waited around for him to get ready. - -Just before leaving Ned made a final look around, greatly puzzled at the -absence of Yappi and the cook. "Must have taken them prisoner, too," was -his conclusion, as he joined the others. It was a somewhat grim -cavalcade that swung out of the ranch yard. - -There were two possibilities, the sea and the mountains. One guess was -as good as the other, but Ned chose the mountains and they headed that -way. They had gone but a scant mile when Don pulled up. - -"Who is this coming?" he asked, pointing to a lone figure which was -running over a nearby hill. - -"Looks like the cook," said Ned. It was Spanci and he drew nearer, -evidently recognizing them. When he came up he was slightly out of -breath but able to talk. - -"Spanci, where have they taken my father?" asked Ned, in Spanish. - -"They have taken him to the mountains, senor, but do not fear, Yappi is -with him, trailing them." The cook then went on to tell of the raid and -of Yappi's stealthy trailing and his own effort. "I ran to the ranch of -the Senorita Mercedes, senor, and she has sent her overseer and two men -out to the mountain to aid your father." - -Ned thanked the old Indian for his devotion and the cook went on back to -the ranch, to await the turn of events. Ned was greatly relieved to hear -that Yappi was on the trail, and he knew that the old mestizo would -stick to it and help his father no matter what turned up. It was with a -much more cheerful heart that the party rode on toward the mountains. - -"No doubt they will stop and hold dad somewhere for a day or two," -argued Ned. "We should run across them shortly, and if it is possible -Yappi will leave some kind of a guiding sign." - -"The best part of it is that we know now that they didn't go toward the -sea," put in Terry and Ned nodded. - -They stopped briefly late in the afternoon to eat and rest the horses -and in the early evening reached the edge of the mountain range. Once -within the shadows of the mighty trees they were at a loss as to how to -go. Had the party gone north or south? It was a big decision to make, -for if they proceeded far in one direction and found that they were -wrong they would have to retrace and lose valuable time. Just as the -last shadows of the day were stealing across the sky they stopped for a -council of war. - -"There is nothing to indicate which way they would be likely to go," -said Jim. - -"Wouldn't they be most likely to go south, to get away into a wilder -country?" asked Terry. - -"Maybe," said Ned. "But the northern part of the range is the wildest. -So we can't tell. They may have even gone right on over, to the waste of -wilderness on the other side." - -"Whichever way we guess we may be dead wrong," murmured Don. - -"Yes, and we can't afford to be wrong," Ned answered. "Look here, we'll -have to split the party." - -"Split the party?" echoed the others. - -"Yes. Don and I will go south, and Jim and Terry north and over the top. -In that way we should be able to cover a lot of territory. I propose -that we make this spot our meeting place, and that we all assemble here -at seven o'clock tomorrow morning to compare notes. Let's have a signal -of three shots. That will mean to either come back to the meeting place, -or ride toward the shots." - -"Better make it the signal to ride toward the shots," advised Don. -"We'll repeat the shooting and keep it up until the other party joins -us. But if one party picks up Professor Scott it had better ride back -here with him and fire the shots from here, because we all know just -where this place is and can find it easily." - -"That's right," agreed Ned. "Of course, we are splitting our party and -lessening our strength." - -"I don't see that we can help that," Jim argued. "If we were looking for -something that didn't require every minute we could keep together and -take our time. But there is no knowing what the outfit will do to the -professor. Besides, two of us should be able to handle those fellows, -even if there are three of them." - -"We should be able to depend on a surprise attack," said Terry. - -"Yes," agreed Ned. "What is that?" - -The others looked at him questioningly. Ned listened intently. "I -thought I heard the sound of a bell tolling," he said. - -"Where would there be a bell around here?" asked Don. - -"I don't think that there is a bell nearer than the mines. I guess I -must have imagined it, that is all. Well, it is growing dark. Shall we -separate now?" - -"Guess we might as well," the others agreed. - -With mutual goodbyes and agreeing to meet again at the grove in which -they were at present stopped, the four boys split into two groups and -went in opposite directions. Terry and Jim rode north and up the -mountain, and Ned and Don began to make their way south, moving up the -mountain on a gradual slant. - -"Funny about that bell," Ned said, as they rode slowly forward. "I could -have sworn to it that I heard a bell ringing." - -"What kind of a bell?" asked Don. - -"Sounded like a church bell, and it seemed to be tolling. But I guess it -was some other sounds that I mistook. Certainly there is no church -anywhere around here." - -"Doesn't look as though there is," grinned Don. - -The sun had now set on the other side of the giant range and they were -in total darkness. Knowing that it would be useless to push on very -rapidly during the night they planned to put up a temporary camp on some -ridge and wait there until daylight came. That would give them a few -hours to look around before returning to their meeting place to compare -notes. - -"Guess we might as well camp and eat," Ned suggested, and they found a -spot that was dry and sheltered, where they speedily kindled a small -fire and made some coffee. Sandwiches went with it and then they settled -down beside the fire, talking quietly and keeping both ears and eyes -open for any strange sound. It was early when they turned in and slept -soundly. - -How long they had been asleep was a matter of conjecture, but they were -shocked into a state of wakefulness by the furious tolling of a bell. It -was near at hand, and they leaped to their feet with rapidly beating -hearts. Alone there on the mountain fastness the sound was awe-inspiring -and unpleasantly thrilling, and both boys felt chills running up and -down their backs. The bell which was ringing so mysteriously was not -more than a hundred feet from them. - -"My goodness, what in the name of glory is that!" gasped Ned, as the -horses moved restlessly back and forth. - -"Your bell," cried Don, snatching up his rifle. "We were camped almost -on top of it!" - -Ned secured his weapon. "Never mind the horses, let's see what is up," -he shouted. They started on a run in the direction of the sound of the -bell, breaking recklessly through the undergrowth. In less than a -hundred yards they emerged into a clearing and came upon the ruins of a -castle, in the tower of which the bell was tolling madly. - -A man stood in a doorway, a faint light behind him. He had seen them -coming and shouted something to someone within. The bell ceased to toll -and the boys pressed on, straight for the figure in the doorway. It was -joined by another and Ned raised a shout. - -"Sackett!" he cried. "I guess we'll find dad now!" - -His answer was a shot from Sackett's revolver, and they threw themselves -flat on the ground, to send two high shots whistling through the narrow -doorway. Had Sackett and Abel known that they were alone the two outlaws -would not have run, but they were unable to make out anything accurate -against the black trees and thought that a full party had arrived. The -two men did not linger, but made their way out over the ruins of the -first floor and escaped the boys hearing them take to their horses. - -"They didn't take dad with them," cried Ned, leaping to his feet. "He -must be in the house yet." - -They entered the castle, to find a candle in a bottle giving light to -the single good room which remained of the ruins. Seeing the door in the -side of the wall Ned and Don made for it, the former taking up the -candle as they did so. They had no more fear of the bandits and they -fairly ran down the stairs, to find Professor Scott waiting at the -barred door. - -"Dad!" cried Ned in delight. "So you are really here?" - -"Oh, yes, and I thought I'd be here for sometime," smiled Mr. Scott. -"You boys arrived just in time. How did you like my bell concert?" - -"If it hadn't been for that we might never have found you," said Ned. He -broke the padlock with the butt of his gun, and then stepped hastily -back. "What is that?" - -A dark figure was worming through the hole in the wall of the dungeon. -"Don't be afraid," the professor said cheerfully. "It is Yappi, who is -joining the party." - -The padlock was broken off, the door opened and Ned and his father -embraced warmly. He shook Don by the hand and after hasty explanations -had been made they followed Yappi up the stairs. The mestizo had refused -to accept any thanks and took the lead in getting them out of the place. - -They made a hasty search but found nothing of importance. The men had -escaped on their mounts, and it was useless to think of following them. -Yappi took them to the mouth of the underground passage and showed them -how to drop down in it, and they walked along it back to the dungeon and -then once more went back to the courtyard before the castle. - -"The rascals either took my horse or loosed it," said the professor. "I -guess I'll have to walk home." - -"No, no, senor," said Yappi, quietly. "I have provide for that. Two -horses in yonder bush." - -And he went to the thicket indicated and led out two horses. They -praised his foresight lavishly but he was indifferent to their praises. -Ned then proposed that they go back to the meeting place. - -Accordingly they mounted and went down the mountain to the place where -they had left Terry and Jim. It was decided to wait until morning for -the other two, rather than fire off their guns to attract them. - -"They should be here at seven in the morning, and it won't be long -before it is that time," Don said. "So we might as well wait." - -So they waited, sleeping by turns, waking at last to greet a fine warm -day. Seven o'clock came and passed and no sign of the others was to be -seen. When a half hour had passed they began to fire their guns at -intervals, but there was nothing but silence after the echoes had broken -in different places over the mountain sides. - -Refusing to be worried over it they ate breakfast and again fired their -guns, riding out from their camp for a few miles in either direction. -But when ten o'clock in the morning came they once more assembled in the -camp and faced the bitter facts. - -"Well," said Ned, in despair. "Now those fellows are gone. They must -have become lost." - -"Either that," said Don, gravely. "Or they have fallen into the hands of -Sackett!" - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - A FORCED MARCH - - -Terry and Jim had made their way northward and up the mountain. It was -growing dark and they wished to cover as much ground as possible before -the night would make their task difficult. They planned to seek some -high point and camp there, watching the mountain sides for a sign of a -fire or light of any kind. With this in mind they pushed steadily on, -winding up the sloping side of the range. - -When darkness finally came on they pitched camp, a process that -consisted of very little else than getting off their horses and building -a fire. There was a chill in the air which made them glad of the small -fire, and they ate a hearty supper beside it, discussing the business at -hand. - -"If we find that nothing has been discovered," said Jim, "we'll have to -beat up the mountain in deadly earnest in the morning. We're satisfied -that they didn't go toward the sea, but we must take care that they -haven't skipped out of these mountains." - -"Right you are," agreed the red-headed boy, as he poured out coffee, -"but there must be a million hiding places in these mountains, and we'll -have to draw mighty fine lines. I suppose there is no use of going any -further tonight?" - -"I hardly think so," rejoined Jim, thoughtfully. "We don't know the -country and we may run into some trouble. We are on a knoll here and -should be able to see any light that would show on the mountain." - -"Suppose someone should see our fire?" asked Terry, practically. - -"There isn't much danger of that," said Jim. "The fire is small and we -are up pretty high. When we go to sleep the fire will die down and -probably go out. We can comb a few miles of the woods before we go back -to meet Don and Ned." - -After the meal was over the boys cleaned up around their camp site and -stood for some time on the crest of the rise looking down into the -blackness of the forest below them. There was no sign of life in the -dense trees and no light was to be seen. Jim and Terry once more -seriously considered the possibility of making a night search and then -finally decided against it. - -"I certainly am sleepy," yawned Terry, as they made their way back to -the fire. - -"Well, as soon as we gather some wood we'll turn in," suggested Jim. "I -don't know that it is necessary to keep the fire going all night, but we -will have wood at hand for the first thing in the morning so that we can -build a fire without wasting any time." - -With their knives and their hands the two boys gathered enough wood to -last them for several hours and then gave a final look at the horses. -Then each of them took his blanket from the pile of equipment, stacked -his gun alongside, loosened shoes and neckties and rolled up in the -blankets. - -"If either one of us wakes up he can put wood on the fire," said Terry, -as he settled himself in the blanket. - -"Yes, but don't wake up purposely," advised Jim. - -They went to sleep without any trouble, being pretty well tired from the -day's journey. The air was cool and fresh and they were healthy young -men, so they slept soundly. Terry was perhaps the lighter sleeper of the -two, and it was he who shook Jim into wakefulness after they had been -asleep for a few hours. - -"What is up?" asked Jim, awaking swiftly, his brain working perfectly. - -"Listen and see if you don't hear a bell ringing!" whispered Terry. - -Jim listened, and in spite of himself he felt his flesh quiver. The -mountain was dark, the wind fitful, and the fire was a dull red. From -off in the distance the sound of a bell was heard, a bell that clashed -and rang without rhythm. The sound was far away and very faint, and when -the wind blew with a slight increase in force they lost the sound. - -"That's funny," murmured Jim, propped on his elbow. - -"What do you suppose it is?" whispered Terry. - -"I haven't the least idea. I don't know where there could be a bell -around here. It might be possible that there is a village nearby and for -some reason or other they are ringing the town bell." - -"Maybe. Shall we go down, follow the sound, and see what it is?" - -"I don't see why we should," Jim argued. "It might simply be a wild -goose chase. The sound is coming from the south, and maybe Ned and Don -will investigate. I guess we had better stay where we are." - -"I guess you are right," Terry agreed, throwing some wood on the fire. -"Back to sleep we go." - -Jim followed Terry's advice. The red-headed boy dozed and woke up, -staring at the sky and moving restlessly. The sound of the bell had -stopped and he closed his eyes and once more dozed off. He had slept -lightly for perhaps an hour when he woke up, his senses alert. - -There had been a sound near the camp. The horses were moving restlessly -and Terry raised himself on his elbow and looked into the shadows. The -fire had burned low again and he could not see far. He debated whether -to wake Jim or not, and then decided not to. - -"Getting jumpy," he thought. "I must go to sleep." - -But at that moment two shadows moved quickly from the tall trees and -toward the fire. With a warning shout to Jim, Terry rolled out of his -blanket and reached for the nearby guns. - -"Leave your hands off them guns!" snarled Sackett, as Jim kicked his way -clear of his coverings. - -Terry looked once at the two outlaws and the guns which they had in -their hands and decided to give in. Jim scrambled to his feet and stood -beside him, dismayed at the turn events had taken. - -"A couple of bad pennies turned up," muttered Terry, inwardly angry at -the new developments. - -"All those kids weren't together," said Abel, aside to Sackett. - -"I see they weren't. Well, we'll take these youngsters along," replied -the leader, taking their guns from the tree where they were leaning. - -"What do you want with us?" Jim demanded. - -"You'll find out soon enough," retorted Sackett. - -"You meddling kids made us lose the old man so we'll just take you along -for a little ride." - -"Ned and Don must have rescued the professor," said Jim to Terry. - -"You never mind what happened!" growled Abel, in such a manner that they -knew their guess was correct. "Get your horses and come on!" - -"Where are you taking us?" asked Terry. - -"Mind your own business," snapped Sackett. "Gather up your junk and -hurry up about it." - -"I see," nodded Terry. "I'm going somewhere and it isn't any of my -business where! And Jimmy, my boy, all this nice equipment that Ned gave -us is just junk!" - -"Quit your talking," commanded Abel. "We have no time to lose." - -In silence the two boys gathered up the blankets and the camping kits, -strapped them on the horse under the watchful eye of the mate, and then -mounted. Sackett whistled and Manuel appeared, leading three horses. The -outlaws sprang into the saddle and Abel took the lead, the other two -hemming in the boys from the rear. Abel turned his horse's head down the -mountain and toward the sea. - -"Too doggone bad we didn't keep a sharper lookout," Terry grumbled. - -Jim shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps, but I don't know. These fellows -were running from Don and Ned, and their falling in on us was an -accident. We'll have to keep our eyes open and see if we can give them -the slip." - -The horses picked their way down the mountain expertly, and they had -worked several miles to the southward before they rode out on the open -plain. Daylight was now not far off, and they went on in silence, both -parties keenly awake to the slightest movement of the other. When -daylight did break over the plain they were miles from the mountain and -almost to the sea. There had been no chance to make a break and Terry -and Jim resigned themselves to their fate. - -No halt was made to eat, and the boys found that they were very hungry -and somewhat tired. What little sleep they had had was only enough to -refresh them sufficiently to keep going, and they would have liked to -lay down and enjoy a full, untroubled sleep. But they knew that if they -were ever to escape from Sackett and his men they must be on the alert -every minute. - -They rode steadily onward, the men apparently indifferent to the thought -of breakfast and the boys grimly uncomplaining. Jim was more used to a -horse than Terry and did not mind the ride, but the red-headed boy was -growing restless. From time to time the men looked back at the distant -mountains, but as they were now many miles below the vicinity of the -ruined castle there was nothing to be feared from the other party. The -sea was now very near and Jim thought he recognized the country. - -"If I'm not mistaken we rode over this country yesterday," he said aside -to Terry. - -Before them at a distance of less than a mile, was a high bluff, and -when they rode to the edge of this bluff the boys saw a familiar sight. -Directly below them was the tannery which they had stopped to inspect on -the day before. It was at this point that the Mexican slipped out and -took the lead, showing them a steep and winding path that ran down -beside the cliff and led to the beach below. Down this the party made -its way, the nimble horses bracing their feet expertly, and after some -twenty minutes of steady descending they emerged at length onto the hard -sand of the beach. - -Manuel still kept the lead, riding up to the tannery, and at one of the -smaller sheds he alighted from his horse, an example which was followed -by the others. The boys were not sorry to follow suit and when they had -done so Manuel took the horses and lodged them out of sight in the main -building. - -"Say," demanded Terry. "Haven't you fellows any stomachs? I'm starved!" - -Sackett opened the door to the smaller building with a grin on his ugly -face. "We're all hungry," he said. "Abel, cook up some grub." - -"Not while them kids are here," said the mate, promptly. "Let them do -the cooking." - -"I'm too hungry to say 'no' just now," said Jim, promptly. "Somebody get -me wood and I'll make breakfast." - -Abel brought wood while Manuel went up the bluff and disappeared. -Sackett sat on a ledge near the door, keeping a watchful eye on the -boys. Jim cooked an excellent breakfast and the men enjoyed it. Manuel -had come back and reported briefly. - -"Ship's coming in," he said in Spanish, but the boys understood him. - -Just as the meal was over the Mexican looked out of the door and got up. -"The boat is in," he said to Sackett. - -The leader arose quickly and motioned to the boys. "Come on, you boys, -we're moving. Abel, bring up in the rear." - -"Where are we going?" Jim asked. - -"You'll find out when you get on board," retorted Sackett, as he marched -them out of the shack. - -"Evidently on a ship," murmured Terry. - -He was right. Off the shore a battered old schooner with two masts was -tossing gently to and fro and near them on the beach a long boat was -hauled up, with its crew of six waiting. The men touched their caps when -Sackett approached. - -"Get in the boat," ordered Sackett, and the boys climbed in, taking -their places in the stern seats. The outlaws followed, all but Manuel, -who stood on the shore. - -"Get the horses back to the hide-out," Sackett said to the Mexican. -"We'll be back soon." To the boat's crew, who had taken their places at -the oars he said, "Row us alongside." - -The crew pulled with a will and the boat moved from the shore, out onto -the blue waters of the Pacific. After a row of a half mile they ranged -alongside of the schooner, which had the name _Galloway_ painted on the -stern. Jim and Terry were ordered up the side ladder, where they dropped -over the rail to the deck. Sackett and Abel, followed by the crew, -speedily joined them. - -"Put on sail," ordered Sackett of the ship's captain, as that officer -approached. He turned to the boys, a grin of evil delight on his face. -"You kids wanted to know where you are going, eh? Well, we're taking you -to Mexico, to keep you prisoners on a nice, deserted ranch until it -suits us to let you go!" - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - HISTORY REPEATS - - -For a moment after Sackett made his startling statement the two boys -could only stand and stare at him. At last Jim spoke up. - -"You are taking us to Mexico?" he cried. - -"Exactly!" mocked the outlaw. "We can't afford to have you two boys -hanging around while we are looking for that treasure. So we are going -to put you in cold storage for a time!" - -"Mexico isn't exactly cold storage," murmured Terry. "Bum joker, this -Sackett man!" - -"You'll find out it ain't a joke," said Sackett, as the sails were run -into place. "It'll be a long time before you boys get home again." - -"You'll run into a lot of trouble over this," Jim warned. - -"Trouble is something I'm used to," Sackett grinned. He turned to the -villainous-looking captain of the schooner. "Captain Jake Ryan, keep -your eyes on these boys and put them ashore where I tell you. I'm going -ashore at Peso myself, so I make you responsible for them." - -"You needn't be afraid they'll get away from me," the captain growled, -looking them over keenly. "They're nothing but kids!" - -"Yes, but they're pretty slippery ones," warned Sackett. "Come down in -the cabin with me." - -The two men, followed by Abel, left the boys and walked off. Jim looked -at Terry and the latter shrugged his shoulders. - -"Looks like we're in for it now," the red-headed boy remarked. - -"I'm afraid we are," Jim replied, in a low voice. "But we must get away. -If we are carried to Mexico there is no telling when we will ever get -home again." - -"True enough, but I don't recommend starting anything with this crew," -said Terry. - -The crew was indeed a rough looking outfit, apparently picked up in many -ports and composed of rascals of every sort. They wore no uniforms and -were seemingly expert in their trade, by which sign the boys took it -that they had spent most of their life on board sailing vessels. They -represented different nationalities and were a hardy and bold set of -men, who would not stop at any kind of trade so long as it promised them -gain of some sort. - -"I'll bet the police of many a town would like to see these fellows," -was Jim's estimate of them. - -The ship was rapidly leaving that portion of the coast where Jim and -Terry had come aboard and was heading south. That meant that they -intended to round off the tip of Lower California and run up the shore -of Mexico, probably in one of the wildest portions of the tropical -country. The boys looked once or twice over the side, but they knew it -would be foolish to jump over, since they would be shot or overtaken by -a boat before reaching the shore. There was nothing left for them to do, -therefore, but to make the best of the situation. - -They wandered over the deck of the schooner, forgetting in their -interest that they were captives. Jim and Terry had done enough sailing -to know something about sailing ships, and this ancient schooner -interested them greatly. It had evidently been in active service for -years, for it was battered and beaten by many storms and its decks were -worn deeply in spots. The vast expanse of sails overhead, close hauled -in the wind, drew their eyes in admiration, even though the sails were -dirty and patched. The crew worked busily around the rigging, coiling -ropes and stowing loose equipment, paying no attention to the boys, much -as though taking prisoners was an every-day affair with them. The boys -noted that two of the men worked apart from the main crew and looked to -be men of a better stamp than the rank and file. - -After a short run down the coast a tiny village appeared on the coast -and once opposite it Sackett and the mate appeared on deck. The town was -that of Peso and the captain of the _Galloway_ ordered the boat over the -side. Sackett and Abel entered the boat and then looked up to where Jim -and Terry leaned over the rail. - -"Goodbye, boys," mocked the bay pirate. "If we run across the other -members of your party we'll give them your regards, shall we?" - -Jim only glowered, but Terry raised his slouched camping hat. "Why Mr. -Sackett!" he exclaimed sweetly. "How very lovely of you! If I were only -nearer to you I would kiss your sweet face for that kind thought!" - -The crew of the _Galloway_ broke into broad grins and the captain -chuckled. Sackett's face grew red and he half rose from his seat in the -long boat. But Abel pulled him down again. - -"Quit fooling with those kids and let's go," he said, and Sackett sat -down, after saying something fiery through his set teeth. The sailors -pulled on their oars and the long boat shot through the water to the -shore. When the two men had been set on shore the boat returned, and the -schooner continued on its way. - -Up to that time the air had been clear and the water untroubled, but a -change gradually developed. - -A slight haze sprang up over the water and the air became thicker. -Little choppy waves began to form, and before long the schooner was -beginning to rock with increasing force. - -In the bow there was a commotion. A lookout in the crow's nest had -called something down, and the captain came hurrying on deck. The boys -soon discovered a large black schooner to the west of them, some four -miles off, and the sight of it appeared to alarm the crew. Acting under -orders from the captain they crowded on more sail and began to run -before the wind. It was a move that was not particularly wise under the -increasing strength of the rising wind, and the two boys were puzzled. - -"Terry," said Jim, as he stood in the stern watching the schooner in the -distance. "These fellows are running away from that ship!" - -Terry looked with increasing interest and found that Jim was right. The -schooner behind them was also crowding on sail, heeling over in the wind -but running toward them in a direct line. The crew of the _Galloway_ was -now fully on the alert and obeying the shouted orders of the skipper. -The two men who had attracted the attention of the boys by their -difference in looks compared to the rest of the motley crew, looked -eagerly toward the oncoming schooner until they were literally driven to -work by Captain Ryan. - -As may be imagined the boys watched the chase with an interest that was -painful. The outcome of it meant everything to them. They had no idea -who could be on the pursuing schooner, but whoever it was would be sure -to release them if they overhauled the _Galloway_. When the crew of the -schooner ran out a small cannon Terry whistled in surprise. - -"This is no comedy," he remarked. "These fellows mean business." - -The sky to the south had turned an ominous black and the wind was now -shrieking through the shrouds of the schooner. Cursing aloud Ryan -ordered sail taken in, and the crew sprang aloft, running along the -ropes in a way that took away the breath of the watching boys. The -oncoming schooner was also forced to take in canvas but it did not give -up the chase. The waves, an hour ago, so calm and peaceful, were now -mountain high, raging and boiling along the sides of the laboring ship. - -"History repeats itself!" exclaimed Jim, suddenly. - -"What do you mean?" blinked Terry. - -"Why, it's just like the story of the galleon! We are being pursued by -an enemy and a storm is surely going to close over us! See the point?" - -"Yes, I do. Confound this storm, anyway! If it wasn't for it I believe -those fellows in back would overtake us!" cried Terry. - -"I never saw a storm come up so rapidly," said Jim. - -In that part of the Pacific storms rise with incredible swiftness and it -was such a storm, half cyclonic, as now burst over the pursued and the -pursuer. In a twinkling of an eye the ship to the rear vanished from -sight as the _Galloway_ staggered into a yawning trough. The boys had -all they could do to hang on as the deck slanted under their feet, and -they were soaked to the waist by the wash that flooded the deck. A -single slashing flash of lightening flared in the sky. - -"Do you think we had better go below, so as not to be washed overboard?" -shouted Terry above the whine of the wind. - -"Nothing doing!" roared Jim, his voice sounding like a whisper above the -crash of the waves. "I wouldn't miss this for anything!" - -So they hung on to the rear mast and the ropes, keenly alive to the -picture of action which was going on before them. They could see the men -busy at the sails, pulling ropes, furling, lashing fast and jumping as -the skipper signalled his commands. They had been forgotten in the -excitement of the storm, and so were free to watch what was going on. -They knew that the pursuing schooner would never haul down on them now. - -The captain was at the wheel helping the helmsman, and between the two -of them they could scarcely control the wild plunging of the schooner. -The boys watched with fascination as wave after wave reared up before -the schooner, to curl and break over the bow and come thundering over -the deck in a mad swirl. At such times they were wet to the waist but -they did not mind that, so interested were they in the events of the -moment. Their hands ached from holding onto ropes but they stuck to -their perilous post. - -"They are running in too close to the shore!" shouted Terry in Jim's -ear. - -"They should know the coast well enough to do it," Jim returned. - -He had scarcely spoken when there was a slight scraping and grinding -sound and the men at the wheel spun the helm rapidly. The _Galloway_ -swung further away from the shore, listing dangerously as it did so. One -of the crew ran down the companionway and reappeared soon afterward, -making his way to the captain. - -"She scraped a ledge that time," called Jim and Terry nodded. - -It was now so black that the boys could scarcely see before them. The -captain spoke rapidly with the man, who was the mate, and the officer -quickly singled one or two men from the crew and then made his way over -the bounding lurching deck to the boys. Placing his wet mouth near their -ears he shouted: "Get on the pumps! We're leaking!" - -Without loss of time the boys followed him across the deck to where the -pumps were located. Two men had already seized the handle of one pump -and were bending their backs to the task, pumping up and down with all -their strength. At a signal from the mate the two boys took hold of the -handle of a second pump and fell to the urgent task. - -A thick stream of water shot out of the end of the pump and they knew -that the lower part of the schooner was filling rapidly with water. It -seemed to them that there was no use in pumping, but they realized that -it was their only chance. No life-boat could live in those seas and it -was a case of keep the ship from going down under their feet under the -added weight of the water that was pouring into the hold, where a seam -had been opened up by the ledge over which they had scraped. So they -worked with a will, moving the handle up and down, until their backs, -totally unused to the work, ached with the tiring strain of it. A -continual stream of water rushed from the mouth of the pump with every -stroke. - -They were soon gasping for breath and both of them longed for the moment -when two other men would relieve them. The two on the other pump kept at -it grimly, somewhat more used to the work, moving automatically, -unmindful of the stinging waves that slapped them from each side. The -schooner pitched and rolled and bucked, now on top of a wave and now -sinking deep into a trough. - -To their unspeakable relief they saw two more men approach with the mate -to take over their task. The captain had realized that they would not -last long at the cruel task, and had sent relief. The men were coming -toward them, were almost to them. - -There was a sharp grinding sound and the schooner crashed hard aground. -Every man who was standing went over like a stick of wood. Down came the -rigging in a tumbled, confused mass, the forward mast snapped off sharp, -the bow seemed to crumple like paper. Terry and Jim were torn from the -pump handle and hurled through the air, to land like playthings in a -smother of foam and swirling water. All became black in an instant, -there was a sucking sound and the schooner settled down in the water -with a shudder. - - - - - CHAPTER XV - THE MOUNTAIN SAGE - - -Don's grave statement to the effect that Jim and Terry might have fallen -into the hands of Sackett was received with a gloomy degree of -conviction by the others. They knew that the outlaws had fled somewhere -across the mountains, and it was very likely that they had run across -the trail of the two boys in their flight. The professor spoke up. - -"We must lose no time in following them," he declared, with spirit. - -"The rest of us will follow them," said Ned. "You had better go back to -the ranch, dad." - -"Why should I go back?" demanded the professor. - -"You must be tired. You had a long ride yesterday and didn't sleep much -last night. You and Yappi go back to the ranch and we'll push on after -Jim and Terry." - -"I'm going with you," declared the professor, stoutly. "I'm no child! -Don't you think I have any interest in finding the boys and running this -gang down? I would be mighty restless back on the ranch. So let's -start." - -After some further discussion they struck off in the direction last -taken by the missing boys and rode up the mountain, keeping a careful -lookout as they did so. They spread out in fan fashion, keeping close -enough together so as to call back and forth. It was sometime in the -afternoon when Yappi called out and the others closed in and joined him. - -The mestizo was off his horse, standing close to the ashes of a fire -which had evidently been out for some hours. They were all of the -opinion that Terry and Jim had built the fire and had spent the night -beside it. - -"The question is now where they went from here," mused the professor. - -Ned was searching the nearby bushes and he set up a shout. "There were -others here last night, too," he announced. - -Upon inspection they found the bushes beaten down by the hoofs of -horses, but at first Don was not convinced. "This is probably where they -tied up their own horses," he said. - -"Other horse over here," replied the mestizo, gravely. - -On the other side of the clearing they found the traces of other horses. -There had been two parties, or else one spot marked the location of the -missing boys' horses and the other that of the second party. The -professor was sure that Sackett and his men had come down on them in the -night while they slept. And later all doubt was laid aside when Ned -found a big foot print in the soft sand. - -"Neither Jim nor Terry made that," he said, with conviction. - -The others agreed with him, and by careful tracing they found that the -party had gone down the mountain toward the sea. They followed the trail -for at least a half mile and then lost it on some rocky ground, but they -were satisfied that they were on the right track. - -"They are heading for the sea," Ned said. "Perhaps they have some kind -of a boat down there. Well, we might as well get right on the trail." - -"Looks like a bad storm coming up," cried Don. - -The sun had long since been lost in a slow gloom which had come in from -the sea, and the air was hot and still. Heavy black clouds were rolling -in from the south, and there was an almost ominous stillness in the air. -Far away they heard the low rolling of thunder off at sea. - -"It may be a bad one," admitted Ned, as he studied the sky. "We don't -have many storms in this region, but when we do get one it generally -amounts to something. Well, we'll push on until we have to stop." - -They had gone perhaps a mile along the mountain, working down toward the -sea, when the leaves of the trees began to stir with increasing force. -Secretly, Ned was worried, for he knew the strength of some of the -storms his country was subject to, and he would have welcomed some sort -of shelter. Just as he was beginning to think it best that they find -shelter in the lee of some big rock Yappi called to him in Spanish. The -ranchman had sighted an Indian hut just before them in the woods. - -They rode up to the place, to find a withered old Yuqui Indian sitting -on a crude bench at his door. He was engaged at the task of weaving a -basket, and he looked up unemotionally as they drew up before his door. -The hut back of him was a simple round affair, made of rough wood held -together with a clay filling, which showed between the logs. Two -windows, neatly glassed with glass which had been procured in some town -nearby, and a single door alone broke the monotonous expanse of rough -wood. A single chimney protruded from the top of the hut. - -At a nod from Ned Yappi addressed the Indian in his native dialect, but -it turned out that the Yuqui was very familiar with Spanish. Yappi told -him that they wished shelter during the oncoming storm, and the old man, -without showing pleasure or displeasure on his lined old face, replied -that what he had they were welcome to. No sooner had he finished his -statement than the rain began to descend in torrents. - -The white men slipped from their horses quickly, Yappi took the bridles -and led the horses to the shelter of a nearby leanto which the Indian -had, and the whole party entered the hut. The Indian slipped in before -them and was heaping wood on the small fire which burned in his -fireplace, and as the flames shot up they had time to look around the -hut. It was an interesting place. - -There was a woven mat on the floor, a bed in one corner, and a rough -table and chair in the center of the room. On the wall was hung a -splendid bow and a sheaf of arrows, several baskets such as the one -which the Yuqui had been weaving, and an Indian headdress. That portion -of the floor which was not covered with a mat was neatly carpeted with -leaves. The fireplace was constructed of hard clay. The entire hut was -neat and orderly. - -"The strangers are welcome," said the Indian, as he sat beside the fire. - -Ned thanked him gravely and for a few moments nothing more was said. -They sat and listened to the fury of the storm outside. The wind hissed -and slapped against the windows and the sides of the hut, the wind -moaned overhead and the sky had become inky black. Don was worried. - -"I hope Jim and Terry aren't anywhere exposed in this storm," he said. - -"I don't think so," Ned hastened to assure him. "Those fellows know the -sign as well as we do, and they must have dug for shelter. The fellows -are all right, and we'll hit the trail as soon as we can." - -The Indian was looking at them earnestly, and the professor, who could -speak Spanish quite well, took it upon himself to tell him the -circumstances. The old man listened intently and then nodded. - -"I am a sage," he said proudly. "I tell you that you shall find them. -Yengi is my name." - -The visitors were silent, not knowing how to take this abrupt -declaration. Yappi talked rapidly with the sage and seemed impressed. - -"Yengi is a wise man," he told Ned. "What he says is true. Long has he -dwelt in these mountains, and his ancestors dwelt here before he did." - -The Indian sage nodded and addressed the whole party. "He speaks truth. -For many generations my people have lived in this land. But not here in -this mountain. I live here alone. My people lived far to the south, on a -broad plain, until the people in beautiful clothes came. Those were the -Spanish. They drove some of our people into slavery and killed others, -and because we were few in number we were compelled to flee to the -mountains and hide like wild beasts. My fathers told me." - -The fire had died down, the storm still beat outside, and the white men -were silent as they listened to the simple but tragic story of the -Indian sage. They knew that his tale was only too true, for they had -read many times of such things, the professor being well versed in the -history of the Spanish conquest of the southern part of America. It was -a moving experience to hear it now from the lips of a descendent of the -persecuted race that suffered so many centuries ago. Ned, the professor -and Yappi understood perfectly what the sage was saying, and Don knew -enough of Spanish to follow him without trouble. - -The professor was smoking his pipe, so the sage reached into a niche -beside the fireplace, took out a long crude Indian pipe and gravely -lighted it. He smoked awhile in silence and then went on: "But my -fathers had revenge." - -No one said anything and he puffed once or twice and then went on: "The -English were our saviors. They chased the Spanish from our coasts. But I -spoke to you about the revenge that my fathers took. One day in the long -ago there was a storm and a Spanish ship fled from the English and was -wrecked somewhere on the coast. I do not know where, but the men from -the ship came straggling past our hidden village in the fastness of the -mountain. My fathers saw them and ambushed them, slaying all of them, -allowing only a priest to go free. He had been kind to some Indians once -and his life was spared. He had with him a book and he was led to the -sea coast, where he took ship to Mexico and was never seen more." - -Yengi looked up as there was a stir among his hearers, and he was -astonished to see them regarding him eagerly. He took his pipe out of -his mouth in astonishment. - -"These men that your fathers killed came from a wrecked ship?" asked the -professor eagerly. - -"Yes, so they told my fathers. Why does that excite you so?" - -Ned told the sage that they knew the story of the wrecked galleon and -that there was supposed to be much treasure in the wrecked ship. The -Indian was sure that the men must have come from that very ship, but -beyond that he was not helpful. - -"I do not know where the ship could be," he told them. "The men, with -the exception of the priest with the book, were all killed. They never -went back, but the priest may have returned for the gold." - -"As long as the priest had a book, that must surely have been the crew," -said Don. - -But the professor shook his head. "The book which the priest had may -have been his own Bible, or some other book. It couldn't have been the -written story of the wreck, for you must remember that it was written -after the storm and wreck and after the men were killed." - -"I see," nodded Don, somewhat cast down. "But you have no doubt that it -was the galleon's crew, have you?" - -"Oh, none at all," returned the professor. "The story is too closely -allied to the one we know to be at all doubtful. It seems to me that if -we can get the Indian here to take us to the spot where the crew was -killed that would be somewhere near where the galleon struck. At least, -we would be in the immediate neighborhood, and not all at sea, as we are -now." - -"But how about losing time in the hunt for the boys?" suggested Ned. - -"We can get some idea of the location and then push on after the boys," -said the professor. He turned to the Yuqui and asked him if he would -lead them to the spot where the men from the ship were killed. - -"I have seen the place," nodded the Indian. "I will show it to you." - -"If we find the treasure through your help we will give you a share of -it," promised Ned. - -The Indian waved his hand impatiently. "Gold is cursed," he said, -sternly. "Yengi has wisdom, which is more than gold. I wish none of it." - -The party was impatient to start out but when night came on the storm -had abated but little and they accepted the Indian's invitation to stay -with him all night. They ate together and sat around the fire talking, -the Indian telling them many more stories of his race in their glory, -himself astonished at the learning of the professor. He found it hard to -believe that the professor had learned so much from books. - -At last they lay down and wrapped themselves in their blankets, Don -breathing a prayer for the safety of his brother and his chum before -they fell asleep. It had been agreed that they would leave early in the -morning to look at the spot where the old Indian village had stood and -from there they would push on to the sea in the search for the missing -boys. Yengi, who knew the country much better than even Yappi did, was -to go with them and lend his valuable aid. With many varied conjectures -in their minds as to what the morrow would bring forth the whole party -soon became quiet in sleep, the professor very nearly exhausted by the -events of the past two days. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI - THE LANDING PARTY - - -When the morning dawned the party was not slow to spring into action, -but quick as they were their host was up before them. He was preparing -breakfast at the fire and greeted them with quiet dignity. Before eating -Ned and Don looked outside, to find a day somewhat better than the one -before it had been, but still showing the effects of the storm. Sullen -gray clouds passed overhead, impelled by the wind which was driving -forward steadily, and the ground was still muddy from the rain which had -fallen heavily. They were certain to escape the exhausting heat which -had lately hindered them, and thankful for this circumstance the boys -went in and enjoyed Yengi's breakfast. - -The horses were saddled and without loss of time the company set out. -The Indian closed his door but did not lock it, saying that no one would -be likely to enter his place during his absence. They struck off to the -south, following the sage and Yappi, who rode well to the front. - -The horses found the going a little difficult, as the ground was -slippery, and the men soaked their trouser legs as they scraped past -bushes and small shrubs. This condition of affairs did not last long, -for they soon rode down out of the mountains and reached the level -plain. Here the going was much better and they went off at a brisk trot, -heading for a furrowed section of uplands which they could see some -miles before them. - -During the journey they kept a sharp look-out for their missing -companions, but no sign was seen of any living being as they went on. -One or two large jack-rabbits crossed their path and Yappi brought one -down, stowing it in a bag behind his saddle for some future meal. The -act was opportune, for they had now run out of provisions and would have -to depend in the future on whatever they brought down with their guns. - -Don was in a curious state of mind as they travelled on. He was anxious -about Jim and Terry, and the thought that he might be going further away -from them with each mile was not a pleasing one. But they had no -definite clue as to the whereabouts of the others, and one direction was -as good as another. All of them felt that they had made for the coast, -but just where on the coast they had no idea. It was simply a matter of -keeping going, and watching carefully for the slightest sign which would -send them in the right direction. - -Before noon they arrived at the place where the old Indian village had -been and where the Spanish crew, probably from the galleon, had been -killed. The village had stood in a slight basin, hidden in a convenient -roll of the sheltering foothills, and there was now but little to tell -that there had ever been a village there. All trace of the huts which -had once been there was lost, but several places in the hills, hollowed -out of the volcanic dykes, showed that someone had once lived there. -Some low mounds marked the burial places of the ancient Indians. - -The sage pointed to the south. "From that direction the men came," he -said, his dull eyes kindling as he thought of the glory of his former -race. "The village in which my fathers lived was originally there, but -they lived here in order to flee into the mountains when the Spaniards -came. It was here that the crew of the great ship were killed, and -afterward my people scattered, leaving a few of my race in the hills and -the mountains." - -They looked around the spot with interest and discussed the -possibilities. Some miles east of them lay the sea, and Ned argued that -the creek up which the galleon had sailed could not be far off. He would -have liked to have set out for it at once, but realizing that the task -of finding the missing boys was of far greater importance he smothered -his desire, resolved to return some day and strike off from that spot. - -"The Spaniards were evidently heading for the mountains at the time that -they fell into the hands of the Indians," the professor said. - -"Why should they head for the mountains?" Don asked. "Wouldn't they have -been more likely to have kept to the shore, in the hope of being picked -up by another ship?" - -"I don't think so," replied the professor. "They may have intended to -make their way over the mountains to Mexico, or they may have feared the -Indians with good cause, for their cruelties made the Indians eager to -lay hands on them. Probably they feared the very thing that did befall -them." - -"Well, now that we have at least marked the portion of the country where -the crew appeared, let's get on," suggested Ned. "In all my searching I -fell short of this region by a good twenty-five miles, and this will -help me get my bearings. Evidently the spot of the wreck is still some -miles to the south, but I think we should be able to come across it when -we have more leisure to look around." - -"What is your thought?" inquired Professor Scott. "Shall we strike down -to the coast?" - -"I think so," nodded Ned. "Then we can beat up the coast toward the -ranch, keeping our eyes open for the boys. Surely they didn't go any -further south than this." - -"Possibly not," Don put in. "We can't tell, but I feel we should go to -the shore and see if we can pick up anything there." - -They now said goodbye to the sage, who did not feel inclined to go any -further with them. He was used to solitude and did not care to mix in -with their problems and adventures, and he refused any pay for his -hospitality or information. He once more expressed his belief that they -would be fortunate in their search and then gravely turned his horse's -head back to his mountains, seemingly no longer interested in what went -on. With feelings of warmest gratitude for him the party from the ranch -went on their journey toward the coast. - -The coast was reached in the afternoon and they began to head north, -watching both land and sea for any trace of the missing boys. Hunger at -last caused them to halt while Yappi prepared and cooked the rabbit -which he had killed, and the others enjoyed the meat of the little -animal. As soon as this simple repast was completed they once more moved -on. - -"What are we to do if we don't find them on this trip?" asked Don. - -"We'll have to go to San Diego, recruit a good-sized force and hunt -Sackett from one end of Lower California to the other," replied Ned, -grimly. "And we may have to get the proper Mexican officials on the job, -too. You see, it is possible that Sackett may have carried them off to -Mexico, and if that is the case we'll have a fine time locating them. -But we'll leave no stone unturned to do it, you may be sure." - -"And in the meantime we'll leave Yappi at the ranch in case any news of -them should come there," the professor suggested. - -Yappi was riding ahead and was just topping a small rise when they saw -him slip from the back of his horse and lie flat on the ground. He -motioned to them to dismount and they did so, wondering. Cautiously they -moved up beside him and looked over the brow of the small hill into the -vale below. - -The sight that met their eyes astonished them. Off to their left was the -sea, not now the calm Pacific, but a tumbling, boiling stretch of water, -still showing the effects of the storm. An eighth of a mile off shore a -schooner lay on its side, the black expanse of the hull showing above -the water, a portion of the keel rising out of the waves. The ship had -evidently run aground during the storm, for there was a gaping hole in -the bow and the masts were snapped off short, the rigging strewing the -deck and trailing into water. But it was the sight of several men in the -hollow below which drew their greatest attention. - -The men were members of the crew of the schooner and they were at -present gathered around a small fire. They had been wet and bedraggled -and were gathered close to the fire as though their only concern was to -get warm. Some of the crew had gathered wood and lay it piled high -nearby. No one was keeping watch and the party on the hill top had not -been seen. - -"Jim and Terry aren't there," whispered Don, in disappointment. - -They were not, and Ned was about to advise that they pass on, when Yappi -seized his arm and pointed to a spot some half mile down the shore, to -the north of the men. To their astonishment they perceived another -schooner, standing at anchor in a cove, and a boat was putting out from -that schooner and making for the shore. The second schooner was in good -condition and had apparently not suffered from the storm. - -"It looks to me as though those fellows were after the men below," the -professor said, in a low tone. - -They watched the boat from the schooner discharge its load of men, who -immediately took to the shelter of a friendly hill and made their way -silently toward the party which sat around the fire. The oncoming men -were led by a tall old man with white hair, who seemed to have full -authority, for the sailors, who were an orderly looking lot in -comparison with the crew below, obeyed his every gesture. They crept -nearer the unsuspecting men below until they were on a hilltop opposite -from the ranch party. - -"Why," murmured Ned. "I think we are going to witness a battle!" - -Scarcely had he spoken than the old captain waved his hand and his band -rushed down on the men who were seated around the fire. Their coming was -totally unexpected and the crew from the wrecked schooner sprang to its -feet in dismay. The men from the second schooner fell on them bodily and -a free-for-all fight began, a fight that was short-lived, for the second -crew were superior in number and moreover, was armed. After a few -knock-downs the wretched crew was overcome and all neatly tied up by -their attackers. - -"Well, I must say I don't understand this," said the professor. "I -wonder which one of the parties is in the right?" - -"I don't know," answered Ned. "But we've got to go down and ask them if -anything has been learned of Sackett or the boys. But I am not sure but -what we are running our heads into some sort of a trap." - -The mestizo had been following the events below with absorbed interest -and had forgotten everything else. He turned to speak to the others. But -instead of speaking at them he stared back of them, and then, with a -motion like that of a cat, he made a quick dive for his rifle, which was -laying beside him. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII - THE ESCAPE - - -It seemed to Jim that he was under tons of water and that everything -around him was a roaring whirl of confusion. His lungs were filled with -water and close to bursting when he finally gained a breath of fresh air -after expelling the water from his lungs. He was still on the deck of -the _Galloway_, crumpled up against the deckhouse and half buried in the -wash which still swept across the deck. - -His first act was to stagger weakly to his feet and look for Terry. He -was relieved to see the well known red-head emerge from behind some -lashed-down canvas on the deck, and a moment later the boy was -staggering toward him, furiously blinking his eyes. To their surprise -they found that the deck of the schooner was tilted on a decided angle -and that the starboard rail was well under water. - -The schooner had run hard aground and had settled on its side. One or -two of the crew had been swept over the side and lost, the whole thing -having happened so quickly that no aid could be given them. The rest of -the men were picking themselves up from the deck and looking dazedly -around, uncertain as to the next move. Captain Ryan shouted orders which -could be heard above the din and the men worked their way over the -sloping deck to the large life boat which was hanging at the port side. - -Terry started to follow them but Jim grasped his arm, placing his mouth -close to his ear. "Wait a minute," he said. "Let them go!" - -"Aren't you going with them?" asked Terry, astonished. - -Jim shook his head. "Let's stay here. I don't think this ship is going -to sink, and we can make our escape. Let's duck behind the wheelhouse." - -Terry was a bit bewildered but he followed Jim's lead in crouching out -of sight. "Do you think it is safe?" he asked. "Those fellows are -leaving the schooner, and they should know if it isn't going to sink." - -"Those fellows are scared to death," Jim said. "They have forgotten -about us and the only thing they have in mind is to get to shore. I -don't think the ship will go under because it is too firmly grounded. We -can give them time to get to the shore and when the storm lets up we can -get ashore ourselves. Remember, if we don't want to make a long trip to -Mexico, we must get away from here." - -"You are right there," murmured Terry. "Did you get hurt any in the -crack?" - -"Got a bruise on my shoulder, that's all. Look, there goes the crew." - -The crew had jumped into the life boat and had pushed it away from the -schooner's side. Captain Ryan gave one sweeping look around the wrecked -ship as the boys hastily ducked from sight, and satisfied that they had -been swept overboard and drowned, he gave the order to pull for shore. -The men settled to it with a will, and before many minutes had passed -the boys lost sight of them in the gloom which hung over the sea and -blotted out the shore. - -Terry stood up and looked around. "Alone at last, as the song says. -Wonder if we are the only ones on board?" - -"I think so," Jim replied, looking rapidly around. "Is there any other -boat aboard?" - -A thorough search convinced them that there was no other boat on the -wreck. They tried to get down into the hold to look around, but it was -filled with water. The schooner would have sunk like a shot except that -it had folded up on a rock and was held there. Jim noted that the rail -was going deeper into the water with the passage of time. - -"We'll have to get off in some manner," he told his companion. "I think -the ship is slowly turning over, at least it is going to settle -completely on its side. But as to how to get off is the problem." - -Terry peered off toward the shore, over the heaving water. "The blow has -gone down considerably," he said. "The shore isn't far off, you can see -it. Do you think you could make it by swimming?" - -"I think I could," replied Jim, after considering. "How about you?" - -"I could if I had something to hang onto and get a breathing spell once -in awhile," Terry thought. - -"Well, we can settle that. We can lash a couple of spars together and -use them for resting stations. Goodness knows that there are enough -spars around." - -They secured two large spars and roped them together firmly. Shedding -all of their clothing except those absolutely necessary for use on shore -they were about to leave the ship when Jim was struck with an idea. - -"We can take along all of our clothes by tying them on the spars," he -said. - -They tied all of their clothes to the top of the spar and threw it into -the foaming sea, which had abated in force considerably during the last -twenty minutes. Realizing that the men would be on shore directly ahead -of them and not wishing to fall into their clutches they decided to head -for a point further down the shore, and with this plan in mind they dove -off together, landing with a rush in the stinging salt water. When they -bobbed up and shook the water out of their eyes they saw the spars a few -feet before them. They struck out for the rude craft and each boy passed -one arm over it, propelling with the other. - -In this manner the spars kept progress with them in their attempt to -escape to the shore, and when they became tired, which was often in the -long struggle, they hung onto the spars and rested. They knew better -than to waste breath in idle talk, so no word was spoken during the -fight for shore. Jim was a better swimmer than the red-headed boy, but -Terry grimly stuck it out, and after a half hour battle they landed on -the shore, almost exhausted. - -Terry splashed his way up to the beach, collapsing in a heap on the wet -sand, but Jim, blown as he was, had presence of mind enough to take the -clothing off of the raft and look around them. The storm was blowing -itself out and the sky growing lighter, but as there was no sight of the -men nearby Jim soon lay down beside his companion and rested gratefully. -They had drifted a mile or more down the shore in their swim and felt -reasonably safe from capture. - -Jim was the first to sit up and he looked keenly around. They were in a -lonely section of coast country, uninhabited and infinitely dreary. He -wondered what the next best plan should be, and asked Terry. Both felt -that it would be foolish to go back toward the ranch directly, and both -agreed that it would be foolish to go south. - -"That means we push inland," Terry nodded. - -"Yes, that is all that we can do. And we are in one fine shape to do -that, I must say! No weapons, no matches, and not a thing to eat! If we -don't fall into somebody's hands we'll starve," said Jim. - -"It does look tough from every angle," Terry agreed. He got up and wrung -the water out of his trousers and shirt. "I'm pretty tired, but I -suppose we ought to get moving, eh?" - -"I think so. At least we should get away from the coast. Maybe when we -get inland we can find some place to put up for the night, some hollow -or something. After a good night's sleep we should be able to cover a -lot of ground." - -"Little Terry hasn't been bad, but he has to go to bed without his -supper!" the red-headed boy grimaced, as they started inland. - -They walked slowly, keeping a sharp lookout, but met no one in their -journey. They meant to make a long half circle in their return, planning -to avoid the party from the schooner and Sackett's henchmen. There was -also the possibility that they might run across their own party, who -they felt was surely looking for them. But the present object was to -find some protected shelter and hide away for the night. - -Evening was close upon them when Jim suddenly pulled Terry down behind a -bush. He pointed to the right and whispered to his chum. - -"A man, over there!" - -Terry looked, to see a lone traveler encamped in a small hollow some -little distance from them. The man was seated beside a small fire, -busily engaged in frying something in a small pan. His horse, a -beautiful black animal, was grazing on the short grass nearby, and the -man's rifle stood close at hand. Terry turned to Jim with a satisfied -air. - -"There's my supper!" he announced, pointing to the pan in the man's -hand. - -"Don't be too sure of that," Jim warned. "We want to be mighty careful -who we walk up to." - -"Say, you don't think every human being in this country belongs to -Sackett's gang, do you?" asked Terry. - -"I suppose not," Jim gave in. "Shall we walk up and announce ourselves?" - -"We'll walk up and reserve a table!" grinned Terry. "That pan excites -me; let's go!" - -They advanced toward the man, who did not see them coming until they -were barely twenty yards from him. Then he looked up and they saw that -he was a Mexican. He gave a slight start and reached for his gun, but -allowed his fingers to slide from the stock as he continued to look at -them. At the same time the boys recognized him. - -"It is Alaroze, the overseer of Senorita Mercedes ranch!" cried Jim, and -Terry nodded. - -Seeing that he was recognized the Mexican broke into a smile and -welcomed them in Spanish. He was frankly puzzled at their strange and -uncouth appearance, but he did not ask any questions. Jim, who could -speak fair Spanish, told him that they had taken a trip down the coast -in a ship and had been cast ashore, feeling that it would not be wise to -tell too much. When the Mexican had heard their story he expressed -himself as being deeply grieved and hastened to offer them food. He had -some beans and bread and seemed to have a plentiful supply with him, so -the boys were not averse to taking what he offered. - -They sat down and gratefully ate what he set before them. The overseer -talked rapidly, smiling, rebuilding the fire and insisted upon cooking -them more of his provisions. Once when he was out of earshot Terry spoke -out of the corner of his mouth. - -"He isn't a half-bad fellow, this Alaroze. I didn't think I liked him at -the ranch, but he surely is treating us royally now." - -"He certainly is," agreed Jim, heartily. "We'll see to it that he never -regrets it." - -Finally the Mexican sat down and ate with them and afterward smoked -cigaret after cigaret as he talked with them. He did not seem to be -inquisitive as to the whereabouts of the others, in fact, Jim was more -curious than the foreman, for presently he asked him what he was doing -so far away from the Mercedes ranch. - -"I am looking for stray cattle," the overseer said. "Many of them have -wandered away of late and I am looking for them." - -It was growing dark now and they made a large fire, before which the -boys dried their dripping clothes. The three companions agreed to head -back for the ranch of the senorita on the following day and to go from -there to the Scott ranch. Jim and Terry warmly thanked the overseer for -his supper and hospitality, but the Mexican was effusively modest about -it. - -Quite early the three of them turned in, the Mexican lingering for some -little time after the boys. He sat beside the fire, still smoking his -inexhaustible cigarets, looking out into the blackness of the night. He -seemed to have no fear of anyone. The boys lay under the shelter of some -sandy banks, for the Mexican had but one blanket, and just before they -fell asleep they looked at the lone figure near the fire. - -"Lucky thing for us that we fell in with him," Jim commented. - -"Right you are," Terry returned. "He certainly has been fine to us. I'm -just about sorry I ever distrusted him." - -"You can't go by looks," said Jim. "But I don't think he is pushing his -search for those stray cattle very vigorously." - -"Well, you know how lazy most of these Mexicans are," Terry yawned. -"Probably just taking his own sweet time." - -"Funny he should be out looking for them, instead of the other cowboys," -Jim went on. "I should think that he would be needed at the ranch." - -"Maybe it is his personality that counts," grinned Terry. "He may -attract the cows and bring 'em home that way. I don't care how he does -it. I'm going to sleep." - -Both boys fell into a deep sleep. The Mexican sat motionless beside the -fire for some time longer. Once he turned and looked toward the boys, at -the same time smiling at some thought which was passing through his -head. His teeth gleamed for a second and then his face once more became -impassive. Shortly after that he rolled himself up in his blanket and -fell asleep. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII - TREASURE AND TREACHERY - - -The boys slept late the next morning and when they awoke the Mexican was -still lying on his blanket, not sleeping but still not working. Feeling -that they should do something to earn the hospitality of their new-found -friend the two boys brought wood from the thicket and kindled the fire. -The Mexican gave them some beans and they speedily made enough for all -of them. - -After they had eaten they started off in the direction of Senorita -Mercedes' ranch, the Mexican riding slowly and the boys walking beside -him. They had managed to dry out their clothes and put them on, and -although they were a mass of wrinkles and ridges they did well enough. -Their shoes had shrunk somewhat and walking was not easy, but they stuck -to the task manfully, plodding along mile after mile without complaint. - -Several times during the trip the overseer got down from his horse and -insisted that one of the boys mount and ride for a few miles, and -although they protested he would not listen to them. So they rode -gratefully, in this way saving themselves from a good many aches and -pains. The Mexican was not used to walking but he said nothing, trudging -along on one side or the other of the horse cheerfully. - -They stopped once for dinner and then pressed on again. The foreman of -the ranch was sure that they would reach the Mercedes place in two days, -or late on the following day, so they pushed on eagerly. In the early -afternoon they were forced to take a rest from the heat of the sun, but -covered a few miles before it was time to make camp for the night. - -They were near the coast at the time and their camp was pitched in the -hollow formed by two small hills. They had looked for a favorable -location, for this one had no wood near it, as the country was mostly -barren, and thickets few and far between. Some green bushes grew nearby -and they resolved to use these as a final resource, but before doing so -Jim and Terry started out to see it they could find anything more -promising. Terry went over the top of one hill and Jim over the top of -the other, while the overseer prepared for their supper. - -Jim had a small axe which Alaroze had given him and he walked along the -ridge of the small hill looking carefully around. On the opposite side -of the hill he found a long depression in the soil which looked as -though it might have been the bed of a stream at one time, perhaps some -creek which had originally flowed from the distant mountains. He -wandered down it aimlessly, convinced that his quest for wood was not -likely to be very successful. A vast stillness lay over the country and -he felt very much alone. A mile or more to the east of him he could hear -the sound of the ocean. - -There was no use in walking down the defile, he decided, so he started -for the slope of the slight hill which was beside him. As he did so his -foot struck something solid. He bent down to see what it was and found a -small stick of wood protruding from the sand at his feet. He cleared the -sand away around the stick, to find that it was quite large and that it -ran into the sand for some little distance. When he had finally drawn it -from its sheath be examined it with curiosity. - -It was a piece of mahogany and it showed the hand of civilization. -Although it was now black with age it had at one time been varnished. It -was a large splinter and he wondered how it ever got there. Examining it -closely he detected signs which led him to believe that it had been -burned at some time. There was a thin line running across it that -suggested carving. - -"That's funny," he reflected. "Somebody once had a fire here and used -good wood for it. Perhaps there is more nearby." - -With this thought in mind he dug his axe deeper in the sand and began to -scoop it out. Before many minutes had passed he ran across another piece -of wood, but this one he could not get out. It seemed to have no end and -he set to work in earnest to uncover it. But after he had uncovered -about twenty-five running feet he stopped in perplexity. - -"This must be a house!" he cried. "Every bit of it burned, too." - -The top of the long section of wood had been burned. It was thick wood -and he tried to dig down under it. But after he had dug sand out to the -depth of four feet he stopped and looked puzzled. It was a straight -wooden wall, extending down into the valley of sand. - -Jim stopped his work and walked to the top of the rise, where he slowly -looked up and down the pass. He looked toward the ocean, calculated -thoughtfully and then looked toward the mountains. Then, looking down -toward the long strip of black wood which he had uncovered he voiced his -thought. - -"That's a ship down there, evidently burned to the water's edge and -later covered up by shifting sand. Now, I wonder----?" - -Without finishing his thought he hurried down to the trench and once -more went to work. Digging some five feet down beside the wall of wood -he came to a flooring of hard planks, just what he had been looking for. -It was the deck of a ship, and he began feverishly to dip out sand. In -this task he was finally surprised by Terry and the overseer. - -Terry had returned to the camp with a few dead bushes and they had -waited around for Jim to return, but as he did not do so they became -alarmed and set out to find him. Their first glimpse of him was an odd -one. When they topped the rise some distance back of him they saw him -standing in a deep trench, facing a four foot wall of wood, busily -engaged in scooping sand from the hole and throwing it as far away as he -could. With cries of astonishment they hurried up to the long trench -which he was making. - -"Jim!" Terry cried, while the Mexican looked on with bulging eyes. "What -is this?" - -Jim started slightly as he straightened up. "It is the remains of a -sunken ship," he cried. "See, this is evidently the rail, a solid wall -of wood, and I'm just uncovering the deck. It was burned to the edge of -the water, and later covered up with sand." - -"Well, I'll be jiggered!" shouted Terry. "Do you think it is the -treasure ship?" - -"I don't know, but I wouldn't doubt it. As you can see, I have uncovered -about twenty-five feet of this rail. The deck seems to be good and I'm -trying to uncover enough of it to find a hatchway, so that we can see if -it is empty down below." - -Terry and the Mexican jumped down beside him. The Mexican understood -enough of English to know that they thought the ship beneath them might -be a treasure ship, and he set to work with a sincere will to scoop -sand. They could not make much progress, however, for it was rapidly -growing dark, and at last they were forced to give it up until the next -day. - -"That is the best we can do," Jim decided, peering about him in the -dark. "Let's chop some of this wood and then we'll go back to camp." - -With his axe he hacked off enough wood to last them through the night -and the three companions carried it back to their camp, where, amid much -talking, they built the fire and cooked the supper. The Mexican was told -the whole story and he replied that he knew the legend of the phantom -galleon. The boys were not averse to telling him the story for they felt -that they owed him much and knew that his future help would mean -everything. It was late that night before they lay down to sleep, and -with the rising of the sun they were up and at work on the buried wreck. - -It took them all the morning to clear the solid deck of the ancient ship -for a space of several feet and at last they came to a hatchway, covered -by a heavy door which was flush with the deck. There was a bolt on the -door but one blow of the axe broke it in pieces, and the three united -all their strength to pulling the hatch open. It came upward at last, -releasing a flood of stale and poisonous air that sent them reeling -backward with all possible speed. - -"Diable!" gasped Alaroze. "I think all the fiends are closed inside!" - -When the air had cleared sufficiently they all peered down the open -hatchway, to discover a wide flight of stairs leading down into the hold -of the ship. There was now no longer any doubt but what it was the -phantom galleon, for it was built on a magnificent scale. They realized -that had it not been burned the rear of the galleon would never have -been covered up, for the rear of the Spanish ships were composed of high -after-deck houses, but this ship had been burned and only the deck, -which had been below the water, had remained. - -"The hold must be full of water and sand," Terry commented. - -Jim swung his feet over the edge of the deck and gingerly felt the step -below. "Full of sand, yes, but not of water. The sand will be wet, -though. Now be careful on these stairs." - -The stairs were solid and safe, but they did not go far. Originally the -ship had run aground and filled with water, and in time the sand had -filled up the hold of the galleon. A space of about six feet only was -open, and in this space the foul air had been held. The three companions -found a bed of moist sand cutting off any further progress. - -"If there is any gold in this ship, it is below the sand," Alaroze said -in Spanish. - -"Yes, senor," nodded Jim. "I think we had better not walk on this sand -for fear of falling into some pit. If we ever sank in this wet stuff, -that would be the end of us." - -"It surely would," remarked Terry. "What is this sticking up out of the -sand? A piece of brass?" - -It was a dull strip of brass, but when Jim scraped the sand from it they -found that it was long and finally discovered that it was the edge of a -brass-bound chest. - -"Oh, somebody's trunk!" said Terry, indifferently. - -But the eyes of the Mexican were glittering and Jim himself was excited. -"More likely the top of a treasure chest!" he retorted, and dealt the -chest top a slashing blow with his axe. - -With a shuddering, sucking sound the paper-like substance tore off, -revealing to the three in the hold a sight which took away their breath. -Gold in the form of coins of all sizes was revealed, gold which lay and -still gleamed in the interior of the trunk. The Mexican talked furiously -to himself in his native language, and the boys simply stared. - -"Gold, the gold of the treasure ship!" gasped Jim, scarcely able to -believe his eyes. - -Terry picked up some of it and examined it curiously. "It is gold, sure -enough," he agreed, dazzled. "Wish we had the professor here to tell us -just what it represents." - -"Perhaps there is more around," Jim suggested. He began to dig his axe -into the sand, while the Mexican stood back of him, his eyes gone -suddenly black and calculating. But Jim found that there was no more. - -"Probably this chest was brought up here, while the rest of the treasure -is still below. At any rate, even if there is no more, there is enough -to make us all rich." He turned to Alaroze with a smile. "Well, senor, -it was lucky for us when we ran across you, and lucky for you when you -agreed to guide us home. Your share from this will make you a rich man." - -"Yes, yes, senor," agreed the overseer, breaking into a smile. "I bless -the day we met! May the saints reward you!" - -"We've been rewarded pretty well already!" grinned Jim. "Well, what -shall we do? We can't do much of anything until we return home, get the -rest of the party and return here to go to work. Suppose we take along -some of the gold and start out for the ranch." - -They took several of the largest coins, the hands of the Mexican -trembling as he did so, and made their way up on deck again. Terry -demanded of Jim if he was going to leave the galleon ruins uncovered. - -"Yes," replied Jim. "There isn't much chance of anyone coming this way, -and it would take us hours to cover it up. Let's spend that time on our -homeward journey." - -"All I hope is that we run across the others in quick order, then," said -Terry. "I'd hate to lose time while this treasure is lying uncovered." - -Leaving the galleon they returned to camp and prepared to start back for -the ranch. The Mexican went to his horse, picked up his rifle and looked -at it, and then placed it against a tiny mound of sand. With averted -face he picked up the blanket and his few supplies. - -Terry and Jim were conferring earnestly. "It will take a large force of -men to dig down into that wreck," Terry said. "We'll let the professor -and Ned decide what is best to do." - -"Sure," agreed Jim, swinging around. "Well, I guess we're ready to go." - -Then, both boys stopped suddenly. Standing before them, with his rifle -levelled straight at them, stood the Mexican overseer. There was a hard -light in his black eyes and his mouth was a straight line, the lips -white. - -"What--what's the matter?" asked Jim, smiling slightly, and thinking -that there was some joke in the wind. - -"Nothing is wrong, senor," came the reply. "But since you two know so -well where the gold is, I shall regret the necessity of killing you both -so that it will be all mine!" - - - - - CHAPTER XIX - AN OLD FRIEND JOINS THE PARTY - - -The party on the hill was surprised at the action of the mestizo as he -fairly pounced upon his rifle. But before he could even lift it a -clear-cut voice spoke out back of them. - -"Keep your hands off of that gun, or I'll drill a few holes into you!" - -They turned, to find back of them a little short man in a blue uniform -of a sailor, who had crept up on them quietly from the rear. He held a -rifle in his hand and turned it unwaveringly toward the members of the -watching group. - -"What is the meaning of this?" demanded the professor, after a second of -silence. - -"No meaning at all," chuckled the man, whose uniform proclaimed him a -mate on a sailing ship. "You fellows march down the hill until my -captain looks you over." - -"Who are you to tell us to march down the hill?" snapped Ned. "This is a -free country, in case you don't know it." - -"I know it," chuckled the mate. "But this here gun of mine don't know -nothing about it! I've tried my best to teach the blooming thing, but -it's just naturally ignorant!" - -"Who are you?" Don asked. - -"Go on down the hill!" commanded the mate, suddenly changing his tone. -"The captain will answer all questions." - -There was nothing to do but to obey, so, in silence the boys and the -older man walked down the hill, leading their mounts. The crowd below -saw them coming and looked on with marked interest. The captain of the -attackers strode to the front. He was a tall old man with a white beard -and snow white hair, and at sight of him Don caught his breath. - -"What have you here, Harvey?" the captain asked. - -"This bunch was lying on their tummies and looking over the hill at -you," answered the mate, a twinkle in his eyes. - -"Yes, we were, Captain Blow," said Don, boldly. "How are you, sir?" - -Captain Blow, their old friend from Mystery Island, started at hearing -his name, and looked closely at Don's smiling face. He had been their -staunch friend at the time they made their summer cruise and captured -the marine bandits. Recognition dawned on him and he joyously seized the -boy's hands. - -"Why, by jumping Tunket, if it isn't Don Mercer!" he roared heartily. -"What in the name of Goshen are you doing out here, boy?" - -Don explained briefly that he was staying with the Scotts at their ranch -and then looked around at the sullen captives. "What is all this, -Captain Blow?" he asked. - -"These fellows are one fine bunch of prison birds who are soon going in -their cage!" retorted the captain vigorously. "I'm running a schooner -out here, in the carrying trade now, and this Captain Jake Ryan run off -with two of my men. Last night I chased them but lost 'em in the storm. -Early this morning I saw the wreck and sent my mate there ashore to -locate them. When he gave me the signal, from the hill back of where you -were looking, we came ashore. He saw you fellows and thought you were -part of the enemy." - -Don then introduced the Scotts and told the captain of their search for -Jim and Terry. The captain was deeply interested. - -"These fellows are part of Sackett's gang," he said. "Maybe they know -something." He turned to the scowling Ryan. "Did you have anything to do -with two boys?" he asked. - -"No!" said Ryan, promptly. - -But one of the men who had been liberated by the coming of Captain Blow -spoke up quickly. "Yes he did, Captain Blow! Those two boys came aboard -yesterday just before the storm, down at the old tannery. And they are -still aboard the wreck!" - -"How do you know they weren't swept overboard?" shouted Jake Ryan. - -"You know how I know, you scoundrel!" snapped the sailor, shaking his -fist in Ryan's face. "When you stampeded for the lifeboat I saw those -two boys duck down behind some canvas and I told you to put back and -make 'em come off in the lifeboat, but you was so scared you wouldn't go -back!" - -"It's a lie," Ryan retorted. - -"No it isn't. Those boys are still on the ship," said the sailor. - -"I guess they decided to stay on the schooner and keep out of the hands -of these fellows," decided Captain Blow. "Too bad they didn't come right -along, and we would have them now. But we'll probably find them out -there." - -"That is once Jim and Terry figured their move wrong," grinned Don, -greatly relieved at the news concerning his chums. - -"Yes, but they thought they were doing the correct thing," put in the -professor. "Now, what do you propose to do with these men, Captain -Blow?" - -Blow turned to his mate. "Harvey, you and the men march these fellows -back to the boats and take 'em to the schooner. I'm going out to the -wreck with these men and I'll be back to the ship later. Don't let one -of these rats escape, and we'll take them to prison." - -"Aye, aye, sir!" replied Harvey. The crew hustled the captives away over -the top of the hill and then Captain Blow turned to the party of -friends. - -"Now we'll go out and look that wreck over," he announced. The boat in -which the crew of the _Galloway_ had reached shore was still lying upon -the sand, and they all climbed in and pushed off, the old captain, Ned -and Don taking the oars. It was the first time that the mestizo had ever -been in a boat and he sat gingerly in the bow, holding himself stiffly. - -"When did you leave Mystery Island, Captain Blow?" asked Don, as they -rowed out to the wreck. - -"Early in the spring," replied the old captain. "When I saw you last I -told you that Mystery Island would soon be a regular summer colony, now -that the old house and bandits are gone, and sure enough, that is what -happened. Got so full of young men with white pants and slicked down -hair and young ladies with tootin' roadsters that my polly and me didn't -have any peace at all. So I came west, got a nice schooner, and am now -running between here and Mexico, picking up anything I can get, mostly -fruit. I didn't have any trouble, although I had heard plenty about this -Sackett, until a few days ago when this Ryan ran off with two of my men. -Kidnapped them in some eating house in San Francisco and I went right -after them." - -"I see," nodded Don. "So Bella, the parrot, is still living?" - -"Oh, yup! She's still sayin' 'Bella is a good girl.' Probably she'll -still be saying that after I'm dead and gone." - -They had now approached the wreck and the captain made fast the painter -of the lifeboat. Climbing aboard was somewhat of a task, as the deck -sloped dangerously, but by dint of clinging to every support available -they managed to do so. But a hasty survey of the deck revealed that the -two boys were not on board. - -"Maybe they are in the hold," suggested Ned. - -"I doubt that," replied Captain Blow. "That hold must be full of water. -You see, these fellows crowded on all canvas to get away from me and -they ran in too close to shore, with the result that they jammed hard -and fast aground. The bottom must be stove in plenty and full of water, -and the only reason they didn't sink is because they are sort of lying -on a shelf. However, we'll give a look down the companionway." - -A look down into the hold of the wrecked schooner proved that Captain -Blow was right in his surmises. The hold was filled with water and it -was manifestly impossible for anyone to have gone down there. Don was -worried. - -"You don't suppose they were swept overboard, do you?" he asked, -anxiously. - -"No," said the captain promptly. "I don't. My sailor says they ducked -down behind something to keep hidden probably with the idea of escaping -all by themselves. My idea is that they grabbed a spar or two, swam to -shore, and got away that way. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they was -even now heading up the shore toward your ranch, professor." - -"I believe you are right, Captain," replied the professor. "They -certainly wouldn't stay here when there was no necessity for it, and -they probably swam ashore, as you say. I think, therefore, that we -should go ashore and follow up the coast, in the hope of overtaking -them." - -"We ought to overtake them," said Ned. "We are mounted and they aren't. -No use in wasting any more time around here, is there?" - -"No," Captain Blow answered, slipping down the deck. "Let's go back." - -On the way to the shore the professor told the captain about the -treasure hunt and he was tremendously interested. Once on shore he spoke -about going back to his boat. - -"I wish you the best of luck," he told Don. "By thunder mighty! I -wouldn't mind going with you!" - -"Why don't you?" asked Don, quickly. "Can't your mate sail with these -men to the city and stop for you on the return trip? I feel sure that -the rest of us would be glad to have you." - -"We surely would!" said Ned and his father, together. - -"Why, yes, I guess that would do," said the captain slowly. "I'd sure -like to go along. Will you give me time to go out and tell Harvey what -to do?" - -They assented and the captain signalled for a boat, which took him off -to his schooner. He was gone for about fifteen minutes, and when he came -back he had a blanket and some supplies. He joined them and the boat put -off once again for the schooner. - -"Harvey is in complete charge," he announced. "He'll stop for me at -Quito on the way back. I'm ready to go now." - -The mestizo surrendered his horse to the captain, who protested -vigorously, but the mestizo was a far better hand at trotting along than -the old salt, so they arranged to share the horse, and when it was -cooler, to ride it double. Feeling that their best plan was to push on -back to the ranch they started off, leaving the deserted wreck far -behind them. - - - - - CHAPTER XX - THE TAR BARREL - - -Jim and Terry looked helplessly at the Mexican overseer as he faced them -with levelled rifle and the cool assurance that he would kill them to -keep the treasure from the galleon for himself. They tried to believe -that he was only joking, but from the set on his face and the glint in -his eyes they knew better. All too often in the history of gold hunting -and discovery had the discoverers paid for it with their lives, so that -someone else could reap the reward. - -"But why should you wish to kill us, senor?" Jim asked in Spanish. "Have -not we agreed to see that you have a large share in it?" - -"How do I know that you will keep your word to me?" the Mexican -answered. - -"Well, I like that!" cried Jim. "We know how to keep our word, Senor -Alaroze!" - -"What of it?" returned the overseer, with a slight shrug. "Why should I -not have all of it instead of a small part?" - -"Oh, well, if you feel that way about it," said Jim, turning pale. - -While Jim had been talking Terry had been doing some rapid thinking. -They were standing close to the man, and the extended muzzle of the -rifle was within easy reach. Any kind of motion toward it would be sure -to be disastrous, and Terry knew it. There was one thing needed and -Terry did it. With great coolness, a feeling which he was far from -possessing, he looked over the shoulder of the overseer. - -"Well," he said, carelessly. "I guess neither of us will get the -treasure. Here comes Sackett and his party." - -He used just the right amount of conviction in his tones and he won. Jim -looked away over the Mexican's shoulder and was fooled as completely as -the overseer. With a muttered imprecation the man turned his head -slightly to see who was back of him. That motion was his undoing. Quick -as a flash Terry's foot came up in a splendid football kick that sent -the rifle flying upward. Before the astonished ranchman could move the -red-headed boy flung himself on him and punched him a hard wallop on the -stomach. With a groan the Mexican sank to the ground. - -"Bully for you, Chucklehead!" cried Jim, springing forward and securing -the gun. "Now we have this fellow where we want him!" - -They dragged the crestfallen Mexican to his feet and tied his hands -behind him with a piece of cord which they had originally tied their -clothes to the spars with. He groaned and moaned and begged them to show -mercy to him. Terry became impatient. - -"Shut up!" he ordered, savagely. "If I hadn't done that our two bodies -would have been lying here right this minute, and here you are crying -your head off for mercy! You're getting a whole lot better than you -deserve right now, let me tell you. Don't howl until you get back to the -ranch, then we'll give you something to howl about." - -Still dazed at their terrible peril the boys started on the journey, -placing the cowardly overseer on the horse and following close behind. -When darkness came down they made camp, fed the captive without speaking -with him, and then made camp for the night, resolving to take turns at -keeping watch. - -"We can't let this snake get loose again," warned Jim. "If he ever gets -away, good night!" - -"That was the luckiest break we ever had," said Terry. "If he had been -standing any further away I never could have done it." - -Jim took the first watch and Terry the second, during which time the -Mexican seemed to sleep calmly. His hands had been untied, so they -covered him with the rifle and kept unwavering eyes upon him. In the -morning the march was resumed and late in the afternoon they approached -the ranch of the Senorita Mercedes. - -The senorita was the first to approach and she expressed amazement at -the strange sight which they presented as they walked down into the -ranch yard. Jim related the story to her and she was deeply interested. -Turning to the sullen foreman she upbraided him furiously in Spanish and -turned back to the boys. - -"He did not go away to look for stray cattle," she said. "None of my -cattle have strayed. I do not know why he left me, but I think he is -part of that wicked Sackett band. I think he was only kind to you so he -could place you in that man's hands." - -"By George, I'll bet that is right!" exclaimed Jim, and Terry nodded. - -"Put him in that small shed," directed the senorita, pointing to a -little building which stood at the edge of the ranch yard. "Then come to -the house and rest and eat." - -Quite willingly the two boys locked the silent prisoner in the little -shed and returned to the ranch house. The energetic little senorita had -hot water, soap and towels laid out for them, and they fairly revelled -in the washing process. - -"When I was a kid," grinned Terry, "I loved to have a dirty face, but -now I know just what luxury it is to feel clean again." - -"Hope I don't break this comb of the senorita's trying to comb my -tangled hair," grunted Jim. "I can't honestly say that we are any -beauties to appear at the table of the young lady." - -When they sat down with the youthful and beautiful owner of the little -ranch to eat she said: "My men are at present eating, but as soon as -they have finished I shall send one of them to Ned's ranch for your -friends." - -"That is very kind of you, Senorita," murmured Jim, as he ate -ravenously. - -"Nonsense!" laughed the girl, tossing her head. "You have been through -such thrilling adventures of late! Tell me more about them." - -As Jim knew more Spanish than Terry it fell to him to relate the -experiences of the past few days. They were lingering over their coffee -when an excited ranchman burst into the room. All three at the table -rose quickly and the man poured something out in some unknown dialect. - -"Ride immediately to the Scott ranch for help!" commanded the senorita, -growing pale. - -"Alas, senorita, the house is surrounded, I cannot go," said the man, in -Spanish. - -"What, is the house surrounded?" asked Jim, quickly. - -"Yes," answered the senorita, rapidly. "This man tells me that Sackett -and three men rode down, let Alaroze out, and are creeping to the house. -Fly to the doors, quickly!" - -Flying was necessary. Terry and Jim hurled the main door of the ranch -house shut just in time to keep Sackett and Abel from rushing it. -Rapidly, under the direction of the girl, they closed all windows and -drew the blinds. Then she gave them each a rifle and took one herself. - -"We must watch diligently," she said, her eyes shining. "They will try -to burst in and we must keep them off." - -A shot rang out and a bullet crashed through the front door. Feeling -that they would be attacked from more than one side they separated, Jim -going to the front of the house and Terry and the senorita keeping watch -on the sides. Several shots were fired, all of which did no harm. - -It was now very dark and their peril was increased. A concerted rush -might blast their hopes and Jim in particular was worried. It would be -bad enough to have to surrender to Sackett's gang, but it would be far -worse to have the dainty senorita fall into their hands. He set his -teeth and determined that it should not happen. There was complete -silence outside, a silence that was not reassuring. - -Jim went to the girl where she was crouching beside a window, peering -out into the darkness of the yard. He knelt down beside her. - -"Is it possible that one of your men could have slipped away to Ned's -ranch?" he asked. - -"I am sorry to say no, senor. My man tells me that they were all penned -up in their bunkhouse. There is no way we can let our friends know of -our danger." - -"I see. They couldn't see a light from the top of the ranch, could -they?" - -"No, the hills are too high. We must fight these men off until morning -and then see what we can do." - -"If we could only attract Ned's attention someway," said Jim. "Watch -out, senorita!" - -He fairly dragged her away from the window as a shot tore in through the -glass and the blinds. She shook him off, but kept away from the exposed -part. - -"There is nothing--Ah, the tar barrel!" she exclaimed. - -"Where is there a tar barrel?" asked Jim, quickly, as Terry fired his -rifle out of another window. - -"You see that hill?" asked the senorita, pointing to a low mound back of -the ranch. "On top of that hill is a barrel which is half full of tar. I -have been using it to repair my roofs, and it is half full. If that -could only be lighted they would see it at Ned's ranch." - -"That's fine!" cried Jim. "I'll light that tar barrel myself!" - -"Senor, you will be killed!" - -"Maybe!" said Jim, grimly. "But I'll start that bonfire, anyway!" - -He related his plan to Terry, who warmly assented, and a little later -Jim worked his way to a side of the house where there was no shooting. -Senorita Mercedes wanted to send her ranchman out on the perilous -venture but Jim had opposed it. - -"No, I'll go," he said. "It means everything to have it succeed, and the -man might get scared or bungle it in some way. Let me do it." - -He opened a low window on the quiet side of the house, while Terry stood -in the shadows, prepared to shoot down anyone who should loom up. Jim -dropped out of the window and lay flat alongside of the house, and after -a moment he raised his head. The attacking party was in the front and -the rear of the house and he had not been seen. Terry closed the window -and watched Jim slide forward along the ground toward the distant barn. - -Fortunately the night was dark and Jim had a good opportunity. Using -extreme care he reached the barn and then looked toward the hill where -the tar barrel stood. The senorita had stood it on the hill because she -was afraid of fire and thought it best to keep it away from the ranch -building. Bending low Jim ran quickly toward the black barrel and -reached it in safety. - -Near the house he could see three shadows and he knew that they were -Sackett's men. They had not dreamed that anyone would be foolhardy -enough to leave the building and so they waited for a favorable -opportunity to rush the doors and break in. They had no intention of -doing so as long as those three guns were flashing out viciously. - -There were still three flashes from the house and Jim readily saw what -had happened. Terry or the senorita had given the ranchman who had -brought the news of the attack a gun and he was firing. Probably the -attacking party thought Jim was still in the house. Lying flat on the -ground Jim took a long piece of paper from his pocket and a box of -matches. He placed the papers in the soft tar and lighted it. - -The tar caught fire quickly, so quickly that Jim was bathed for a second -in its light. He had made no plans for a retreat, and as the tar barrel -burst into flames he was clearly revealed. - -A shout arose from the men who were attacking the house and they sprang -recklessly from cover and dashed toward him. This piece of carelessness -cost them dearly, for the senorita and Terry each brought one man down -with accurate shots in the legs. At the same time Jim sprinted for the -corner of the barn and crouched there, his rifle held in readiness to -bring down anyone who should attempt to put out the blazing beacon. - -Higher and higher blazed the barrel with its cargo of tar, sending its -light for several miles over the surrounding countryside. The outlaws -had now rushed back to cover, to consider what move to make next. - -"I surely hope the others are at Ned's and that they see that light," -thought Jim fervently, as he waited in his position back of the barn. - - - - - CHAPTER XXI - THE CAIRN - - -Professor Scott, the captain, Don and Ned were all sitting around a fire -in the living room discussing the next move to be made. To their intense -disappointment they had not found the missing boys upon their return to -the ranch, nor had they come across a single trace on their homeward -journey. They had just decided that a more vigorous hunt must be started -in the morning when Yappi hastily entered the living room. - -"There is a large fire at the ranch of Senorita Mercedes, senor," he -informed Ned. - -The young man jumped to his feet in dismay. "Oh, I hope those fellows -haven't set her ranch on fire!" he groaned. "Let's see what is up." - -The entire party ran to the back door and looked across the plains in -the direction of the Mercedes ranch. Just as the mestizo had said, the -sky in that direction was red and they could see the flames against the -sky. But it was several feet south of the house. - -"It isn't the house," decided Ned. "Perhaps they are just burning some -old rubbish." - -"Why should she select a hilltop to burn rubbish on?" asked the -professor, sensibly. "Does she usually burn things at night?" - -"No," admitted Ned. "There must surely be something wrong. Yappi, the -horses!" - -The mestizo sprang around the house and went to the barn, from which he -soon led mounts for all of them. He was instructed to stay at the ranch -with the cook, in case the boys should return, and then the others threw -themselves on the animals and started off. Ned and Don rode well in -front, their anxiety making them impatient, while the professor and the -captain, who were not riders of note, lagged somewhat. - -It was not a long journey to the ranch of the senorita, but to the boys -it seemed long, and when at last they ascended the last hill they drew a -breath of relief. They were now near enough to see that the blazing -beacon was a tar barrel, and the circumstances became more puzzling than -ever. But before they had much time to wonder about it they had topped -the rise and were looking down on the scene below. - -The light from the blazing barrel showed them a curious scene. The -outlaws had realized that they must make one last desperate assault, and -at the present moment they were making it. Four men were close to the -front door, flat in the yard, a log rolled before them as a shield, over -which they were firing at the door, splintering the wood badly. They -were rolling the log before them as they advanced, and hoped in this -manner to get close enough to the door to make a determined rush. From -the interior of the house came occasional flashes of fire from three -rifles and from the corner of the barn came another. - -While the relief party was taking this in the professor and the captain -joined them. The attacking party had not yet become aware of their -presence, and seeing that the moment was favorable Ned and Don charged -down the hill, the older men following. A single shot, fired by Ned, -told Sackett and company that help had arrived, and without even -stopping to offer resistance they fled in every direction. - -The captain instantly discharged his gun at one of the fleeing men and -he went down in a heap. The professor shot Abel in the shoulder and Ned -and Don pounced on the same man, springing from their horses upon the -man. The fourth man, who was Sackett, ran to the thicket, made a single -bound into his saddle, and thundered away, passing close to Jim in his -corner of the barn, who fired at him but missed in the excitement. - -Jim looked for an instant after the fleeing outlaw and then dashed -around the barn and entered it. The horses stood there, moving -restlessly, and he selected a fine looking steed and hastily saddled it. -Leading it from the barn he mounted and started off with all speed after -Sackett. - -The slim edge of a moon was rising above the horizon and by its somewhat -sickly light Jim was able to follow the course of the bay pirate. The -man was making straight for the mountain and felt confident that he -would make it, but he was soon undeceived. The horse which Jim had -selected from the stables of the senorita was a high strung, fiery -animal, and he was eager to run. Jim needed no spur to keep him at top -speed, and the lead which the bandit had held was steadily cut down. - -Seeing that he could not make the mountains before the pursuing boy was -well within gunshot the outlaw made for a patch of trees that stood -nearby. They were a little more than a mile before him, and consisted of -a fairly dense tangle of low bushes and trees. His idea was probably to -make a last stand there, Jim decided, and the race settled down grimly -in that direction. - -Once Sackett turned and fired at Jim, but the shot went wide of the -mark, for the ground was uneven and the distance too great for accuracy. -From that time on he gave his attention to the task of escaping, bending -low over the neck of his steed and urging it on. The patch of trees was -now very near and Sackett well in the lead. - -The outlaw drove his horse into the shelter of the little refuge at -headlong speed and vanished from Jim's sight. Jim pulled the steed to a -halt and paused uncertainly. Sackett was in the thicket and armed, and -he knew better than to recklessly dash on. If his theory was right the -pirate was waiting for him to do that very thing, and it would be the -worst move he could make. So he sat quietly in the saddle, wondering -what his next move should be. - -It was impossible for Sackett to escape to the mountains without being -seen for Jim could see all around the thicket, and if the man tried to -slip from the other side and continue his flight Jim would surely spot -him. And yet, his object in running into the brush also puzzled Jim. -What could he gain by that? In a few minutes the others would come up -and they would be able to charge him and take him prisoner. It seemed to -Jim that there was some deep scheme in the head of the outlaw, and so he -watched with all his senses alert, keeping well out of gunshot. - -In this position Don and Ned found him when they galloped up a half hour -later. Don fairly threw himself on his brother in his joy and Ned was -equally enthusiastic. Jim was in rags but was a welcome sight to Don. - -Jim explained the position of the outlaw in the thicket and they were -undecided. No sound had come from the thicket all the time that Jim had -been stationed there, and no one had left the place. Ned decided that -they had better spread out and rush the cover. - -"If we rush the woods on three sides we'll have him," he said. "He can't -shoot at all three of us at once, and we can fairly hurl ourselves into -the place. By coming up on three different points we can prevent him -from running out of one side of the thicket while we charge in another." - -"We must rush the thicket in a zigzag course," Don put in. "If we don't, -we're likely to be shot." - -Agreeing on a gunshot for signal purposes the three boys took up -positions on three sides of the silent thicket and looked to their -rifles. Each one could see the other and at last Ned discharged his gun. -At top speed they bore down on the thicket, driving the horses in an -irregular line. - -To their astonishment there was no shot or sound from the thicket and -they entered it together, to find it empty of life except for Sackett's -horse, which was quietly grazing close to the edge of the brush. The -patch inclosed by trees was about twenty-five feet in diameter and was -nothing more than a mere cluster of trees and bushes. The only thing to -be seen, beside the horse, was a huge pile of stones. They jumped from -the horses and looked at each other in perplexity. - -"Now, where in the world did that man go?" demanded Ned, holding his -rifle in instant readiness. - -"You can search me!" answered Don, in bewilderment. "He's not in the -trees, is he?" - -Ned looked quickly up and then shook his head. "No, there isn't room -enough in these trees for anyone to hide themselves. He must be in the -place, because he certainly didn't walk out while we were there." - -"He didn't get away before you came, either," Jim said. "I kept an eagle -eye on the place, and he couldn't have made it without my seeing him." - -"Well, he's gone," said Ned, walking to the horse and examining it. -"Just vanished into thin air." - -Don was looking at the heap of stones. It was a high cairn, composed of -stones which had been heaped there generations ago for some unknown -reason, and moss had grown over the mound. Stones of a larger size made -up the bottom and smaller stones lay above these. Near the base of it he -found a straight slab with some Spanish lettering cut upon it. - -"What is written on this stone?" he asked Ned. The young engineer bent -over the stone, lighted a match and read the inscription. - -"I can't make it all out," he replied, as the match expired in his hand. -"But it seems to be the burial place of someone of importance. They had -a custom once of taking a distinguished man and piling a cairn of stones -over his grave. Sometimes the custom was for anyone who came past to add -a stone to the pile and in that way it grew larger. This is one of those -piles, and someone is buried down at the bottom of it." - -"All of which doesn't bring us any nearer Mr. Sackett," murmured Jim. -"I'd give anything to know where that gentleman went to!" - -"It just seems silly!" said Ned, impatiently. "You chase him in here and -he simply disappears. That isn't logical." - -"Look here!" cried Don, who had been moving around the pile of stones, -and who was now on the other side. "Shouldn't all of these stones be -covered with moss?" - -"I suppose so," Ned replied. "Why." - -"Because they aren't covered with moss on this side. The stones here are -different than the others, and seem to be looser. Come here and give me -a hand." - -The other two boys hastened to Don's side and found that he was right. -The stones to which he pointed had a brighter look than the others, and -where the chinks and crevices of the other rocks had long since been -stopped up by moss, these rocks were singularly free. Moreover, they -were not well placed, and the boys were struck by the same idea. - -"Ah, ha!" exclaimed Ned, as he began to tear away the upper stones. "I -think I see a thing or two! Help me with these stones." - -The other two went to work with a will and soon the stones were pulled -out and tossed to one side. To their intense satisfaction a large -opening was revealed. - -"Just as we thought, the opening of a tunnel!" exclaimed Don. - - - - - CHAPTER XXII - THE DEN - - -No sooner were the words out of Don's mouth than a burst of flame came -from the interior of the cairn and a shot whistled uncomfortably close -to their heads. They made all haste to retreat, Ned dragging Jim aside -somewhat roughly. - -"He's in there, all right," said Jim, grimly. - -"Yes, there must be a regular hiding place in there," responded Ned. -"The question is: how are we going to get him out? We certainly can't -rush him in there." - -"We can starve him out," suggested Don. - -"That will take too long," said Ned. "However, if there isn't anything -else to do, we'll do that." - -"I have another plan," put in Jim. "We'll smoke him out!" - -"Smoke him out!" echoed Don and Ned. - -"Sure, why not? I doubt if there is any other outlet to that cairn, -except maybe some small air-hole, so we can easily smoke him out. Let's -gather some of this green wood and set it afire." - -Keeping a vigilant lookout toward the mouth of the uncovered tunnel so -as to guard against a sudden dash or shot the three boys gathered some -fairly green wood, with which they mixed some dry dead wood, and after -piling it near the mouth of the tunnel, pushed it into place with the -butts of their guns. They knew that the tunnel was straight and not wide -enough to allow the penned outlaw to fire on them unless they stood -directly before the opening, so they took excellent care to keep out of -range. When the wood was piled Ned leaned cautiously forward and lighted -the pile. - -The dry wood caught fire and blazed up, touching the green wood and -causing it to smoke. The boys stood with guns in readiness to fire a -shot into the entrance of the cave if the bandit tried to make a thrust -at the fire with a view to scattering it. The flames mounted higher, -causing a heavy pall of smoke from the green wood. - -"Take off your hats and fan it down the opening," said Ned, suiting the -words by the action. All three of the boys fanned the smoke vigorously, -causing it to go into the tunnel. - -They did not have long to wait for results. After a few moments they -heard a violent coughing and then at last Sackett staggered out into the -opening, still coughing and wiping his streaming eyes. Before he could -use the gun which he held in his hands they were upon him and had -disarmed him. - -"Well, Squint Sackett," said Ned, grimly, as they bound his hands with a -piece of rope which was on his own horse. "We have you at last." - -The bandit replied by a fit of coughing that made him red in the face. -Seeing that he was quite safe Don scattered the fire and stamped it out. -The quest was now over and the bay pirate securely bound. - -"You kids'll pay for this!" the man said, hoarsely. "You can't prove -anything against me!" - -"No, not at all," said Don cheerfully. "Just stealing, breaking into a -ranch, kidnapping, and a few other trifles. I guess we can put you where -you belong this time. It was an unlucky day for you when you decided to -attack Professor Scott." - -"Suppose we take a look through this cairn and see what it looks like -before we go?" suggested Jim. - -"All right," agreed Ned. "But first we'll tie this slippery gentleman -up. He mustn't be allowed to get away again." - -Sackett was tied to a convenient tree and then the boys made a torch of -a dry stick of wood. With this in hand Ned took the lead and they -entered the mouth of the tunnel, bending low to keep from scraping their -heads on the roof of the passage. They went down on a slight slope for a -distance of about four feet and then came to a single cave-like room -hollowed out under the rocks. - -"I see the whole business now," remarked Ned, as they peered about the -little cave. "This place was evidently some pirate's den years ago, and -in some way Sackett learned of it. You can see that the place was built -for no other purpose, and the slab outside is a plain blind." - -Ned was right in what he said. Some forgotten pirate had purposely built -the cairn retreat for a refuge in time of storm, when the law was -hunting him along the coast. The room was large enough to contain a -blanket and a low table that had evidently been constructed in the -place. Overhead there was a concealed opening between the rocks, so that -air could get into the place and the inmates could breathe. Once inside -it was an easy matter to place the rocks before the opening in such a -way that no one except a careful observer would ever discover it. - -"It is a pretty clever hiding place," remarked Don. "Anyone would have -one chance in a hundred of finding it. I only stumbled across it because -I was curious about the whole mound." - -"It pretty nearly stood Sackett in mighty good stead," Jim said. - -They left the cairn and went back to the thicket, to find the outlaw -tugging frantically at his bonds, but when he saw them he sullenly -ceased and became quiet. They untied him from the tree, leaving his -hands tied, however, and helped him mount his horse. Then they left the -thicket and started back for the ranch of the senorita. - -Three miles from the ranch they were joined by the professor, the -captain and Terry, who had become anxious because of their long absence -and who had mounted and set out to find them. The meeting between the -reunited friends was warm and they were glad to see that the author of -all their troubles was taken at last. - -"Well, Sackett," said the professor, with a twinkle in his eyes. "It is -certainly time that we took you. You had your inning at taking most of -us and now it is our turn." - -"You won't keep me long," snarled the man. - -"No, we won't," struck in Captain Blow. "But the big house with the bars -will hold on to you for a good long time, my bucko!" - -"Who are you?" demanded the bay pirate. "I never did anything to you!" - -"No, but your friend Captain Ryan took a couple of my sailors with him -when he sailed on his last voyage. He's taking another sail right now, -down to San Francisco to the jail." - -"Tryin' to be funny, aren't you?" retorted the river pirate. - -"All of your gang is in custody, Sackett," said Professor Scott, -quietly. - -They went back to the ranch, to find the senorita taking care of four -wounded men, all of whom had slight wounds in the legs or shoulders. The -overseer was one of them and he pleaded for mercy with the boys. Jim and -Terry were undecided but Captain Blow and the professor were not. - -"Can't let these fellows go, any of 'em," said the old captain. "He -would have left you two boys' bodies out there in the desert without -thinking about it, according to Terry's story, so you can't let him go. -Maybe he wouldn't ever turn up to harm you again, but he's a potential -murderer and he's better off behind bars." - -It was now late at night and the whole party accepted the invitation to -remain at the ranch until morning, at which time they were to take the -prisoners to Quito and see that they were taken from there to San -Francisco. The night passed without incident and in the morning the -whole party, with the wounded men in a wagon which belonged to the -senorita, started for the sea coast. - -The journey to Quito was a long one and all of them did not make it. The -professor dropped off at the Scott ranch and the others kept on with the -cargo of dangerous rascals. In due time they reached the town, made out -the proper papers, and then waited two days for a government boat to -come and take the prisoners away. When this was done they went back to -the Scott ranch. - -Subsequently Sackett, who was wanted for many types of crime, was placed -behind the bars for the rest of his life and his crew of men each -received all that was coming to them from their lives of dishonesty. The -river pirates and bay pirate gang, of which Ryan and his crew formed the -main branch, was broken up once and for all, and it was a good many -years before any of them ever became free again. - -Captain Blow left a message at Quito for his mate and then joined the -party that was going home. He had been invited to go with them on their -gold hunt and was eager to do so. But this time all stories had been -told and the boys in particular were impatient to go and dig for it. - -"Well, now we'll go have a look at that Spanish gold," said the captain, -as they started on the return trip. "And I want to have a look at that -ship moored in the sand for so long! They say some of those old-timers -were pretty good sailors, but I don't think much of a skipper who runs -his windjammer under the ground!" - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII - THE DRAGON'S LAST STROKE - - -The sun had barely raised above the horizon on the following day before -the ranch echoed to the preparations for the treasure hunt. The boys had -slept poorly, looking forward eagerly to the time when they should be in -close contact with the long buried ship in the desert sands. With hurry -and bustle and good-natured shouts they prepared to set out. - -Now that their minds had been relieved of all anxiety concerning Sackett -and his gang their spirits soared as only those of the young adventurous -can. They had spent a jolly evening around the fireplace on the previous -day, talking, planning and laughing over some of Captain Blow's humorous -stories. It was late before they sought their beds, and the professor -had been compelled to curb some of their animal vigor. - -Jim had stood at the foot of his bed, surrounded by Ned, Don and Terry. -Captain Blow and Professor Scott were preparing for bed in another room -at the time. There had been some pillow throwing and now Jim was acting -a part. - -"This is the way Terry kicked the gun out of the overseer's hand," he -said. He was in his pajamas at the time and the other boys were also -ready for bed. Jim loosed a vigorous kick in front of him, but his -enthusiasm proved his undoing. The force caused him to lose his balance, -and amidst the shouts of delight of his companions he thumped to the -floor, knocking the wind out of himself. - -"That was some kick!" exclaimed Don, laughing. "No wonder the poor -overseer lost his gun! If the kick had that much force I bet the gun -sailed clear into the ocean!" - -"I protest," put in Terry, solemnly. "I never cut such a wild figure as -that! Your imagination is running away with you, Jimmie, my boy!" - -"Somebody else had better start running away!" puffed Jim, in huge -disgust. "Just wait until I get up!" - -Once up he bore down on the grinning Terry and bowled him onto the bed. -Don reached for his foot, but received a hearty thrust in the stomach -from the foot, which Jim declared he had tickled. Don then jumped on the -wiggling chums and Ned stood laughing. But in a minute he too was drawn -into hostilities. He attempted to pile pillows on the warring factions, -who promptly turned upon him, and the four young men were soon engaged -in a frantic tussle that overturned one bed and mussed them up royally. - -Such was the scene that greeted the eyes of Captain Blow and Professor -Scott as they hastily entered the room. The professor opened his mouth -to protest, but the captain, his gray eyes snapping with mischief, -whispered something to him. The professor smiled and nodded and they ran -forward, the professor seizing the ankles of Terry, who happened to be -on top of the pile, while Blow grasped his shoulders. - -"Heave aloft!" bellowed the captain, and in concert they heaved. - -To his astonishment Terry felt himself lifted bodily from the struggling -mass and tossed through the air, to land with a bounce on the bed. Ned -Scott followed and Jim followed him. Don, seeing what was in the wind, -made a frantic scramble to get under the bed, but to the delight of the -watching boys he was switched from under by the active captain and -treated to a ride through the air. When he had finally landed with a -thud on the bed the two older men promptly sat on him. - -"Now," said the professor, with mock severity. "What is the meaning of -all this?" - -"Jim was illustrating something," replied Terry, gravely. "And we helped -him out!" - -"By jumping tinder!" cried the captain. "I don't know what in time you -could have been illustrating! Showing your affection for each other, -likely!" - -"What ever it was," said the professor. "I suggest that you stop it. We -want to make an early start in the morning and you can save some of that -energy for digging sand. From the noise we heard we thought that Sackett -had returned and was trying to carry one or all of you off. Who upset -the bed?" - -"All of us," said Don, truthfully. - -"I don't doubt it. Well, to bed now, and calm down a bit." - -Now, on the morning of the hunt, the boys impatiently ate their -breakfast and placed blankets and provisions on the horses. There was no -telling how long they would linger around the sunken galleon, and they -wanted to be sure that it would not be necessary to cut the visit short -because of a lack of provisions. It had been decided to take the mestizo -along with them and leave only the cook at home. When all arrangements -had been made they started briskly off. - -The day was bright and somewhat cool and they made rapid progress, the -boys in their eagerness keeping always ahead of their elders. The older -men wisely held them in check, realizing that there was a long journey -in front of them and not wishing to run the risk of tiring out before -they got there. They halted once for a meal and then pushed on, not -stopping for a nap in the afternoon, since it was not hot enough to do -so, and just as evening drew on they topped a small hill and looked down -on the valley in which Jim and Terry had so nearly lost their life. - -"There is the wreck!" shouted Jim, pointing to the corner of the galleon -which they had uncovered. "Looks as though no one had been near it, all -right." - -No one had apparently been near the place, for there were no traces of -footmarks in the sand other than those left by the two boys and the -treacherous overseer. They rode down the incline and picketed the -horses, hastening at once to the few feet of deck uncovered. The -professor gazed at the uncovered rail in rapture. - -"By George, this is wonderful!" he exclaimed, his face glowing with the -enthusiasm of the scholar. "Just think, after reading a story like that, -to run across the very ship on which it happened! I hope we can uncover -the whole ship!" - -"Ned," asked Don. "Where was that piece of wreckage found, the piece -that first gave the idea of a sunken galleon?" - -"About three miles north of here," replied the engineer. "I guess I see -what you are getting at. You think that the piece was washed out of the -creek that used to be here, and was found, after it drifted down shore?" - -"Yes," nodded Don. "Don't you think so?" - -"I surely do," assented Ned, stepping down onto the deck of the buried -galleon. "Is this the hatchway?" - -Terry lifted the hatch, which they had replaced when they had left the -galleon with the Mexican. "Yes, and here is the flight of stairs. Did -anyone bring a flashlight?" - -"I have one," said the professor, producing it from his saddle bag. -"Let's be very careful about going down those stairs." - -It was now dark and the flashlight was needed. The professor flashed the -beam of light down the stairs and went first, treading with infinite -care, but the steps were apparently solid. The others, with the -exception of the mestizo, who would not trust himself in a place which -looked so much like a trap, followed the savant down into the hold of -the ancient ship. - -"There is the treasure chest," said Jim, and the professor swung the -beam of light on the mouldering chest. Don lifted the lid and the gold -was revealed. - -They fingered it and found that it consisted of coins of various -degrees. The professor did not recognize any of them except some pieces -of eight. - -"Sorry I didn't study up on ancient coins," murmured the teacher. -"However, I'm pretty sure that there is quite a fortune here." - -"No doubt there is a substantial treasure further down in the sand," -suggested Ned. - -"Yes," the professor agreed. "Cups and plate silver and perhaps other -things. The sailors didn't carry anything away with them, expecting to -return and gather it all on some other occasion, I presume." He turned -his light from side to side. "The hold here was filled with water, and -all above deck must have been burned. We won't find much of anything -until we get down under the sand." - -After some more looking around they went outside and made camp close to -the wreck, the boys again hacking firewood from the remains of the -galleon. They ate supper and then sat around the fire discussing plans -and waiting for the morrow and daylight. - -"It is going to be quite a job digging into that sand," observed the -captain. "In the first place, it's mighty wet." - -"Yes," said the professor. "I'm very much afraid it is too much of a job -for us to attempt. It will take a whole crew to dig down into those -ruins, and a regular excavating gang will be the ones to do it. However, -we can look around and see what we can pick up ourselves, and then later -see to it that the right sort of a company goes to work on the job." - -"We'll have to make a legal claim to it, won't we?" asked Jim. - -Ned nodded. "That will have to be our first job. If we don't anybody who -comes along will be able to take it right out of our hands. It is much -the same as discovering a gold mine, only in this case the gold is -already refined and cast for us." - -"I can't wait until morning!" said the impatient Terry. - -"I'm glad you said that," the professor spoke seriously. "I want you -boys to promise me that you won't go on the wreck at any time during the -night or in the morning before we are all awake and ready to tackle it. -We have had quite a bit of trouble so far and we want to avoid any more, -certainly any that may turn out to be more serious than any we have had. -I don't believe that there are any ghosts or goblins on the thing that -will hurt you, but we had better not do anything that we'll regret." - -"I for one won't," Terry promised. "I remember what that dragon says in -the old manuscript!" - -The others promised, and after some further talk they all went to sleep -and remained asleep until daylight. After a hasty breakfast they went to -the wreck once more. - -"Fine day we have for our treasure hunting party," remarked Don, as they -went down the hatchway. - -It was indeed a fine day, with a clear blue sky and a bright sun. Once -down in the hold, however, all light and warmth was shut out, except for -a single shaft that came in from the open hatchway. - -"Now," said the professor, who was the leader. "We aren't going to be -able to do much with this proposition, but I suggest that we at least -dig out this room. It wouldn't be of any use to dig down into the main -hold of the galleon, for it would take us months and it would be -dangerous work. Before anything like that is done all sand would have to -be cleared away from the sides of the ship." - -The room in which they stood, and which held the chest of gold, was -about fourteen feet square. With small trench shovels brought from the -ranch they went to work on the moist sand, digging it out and by a -system of relays throwing it out on the deck. Don stood on a wide step -where the sand was deposited by Ned, the professor and Jim, and -shovelled it up to the hatch, where Terry and Blow threw it to one side. -They worked on with a will, and although it soon became hard work no one -complained. - -It was soon found that the chest of gold had been upon a table at the -time of the sinking of the galleon, for they had scarcely begun their -work before they struck the top of the table. It was soon uncovered and -proved to be a massive affair of black wood. It was about four feet -high, and when they had cleared away the sand down to the bottom they -found solid flooring. - -From time to time they changed positions so as to give each one a chance -to work inside the buried galleon and also to get a chance at the -sunlight. The person who relayed the sand on the stairs had the hardest -job, as he was compelled to stoop down, scoop the sand, straighten up -and throw it out of the hatch. Don was not sorry to give up his post and -get out on the deck, and later on to get down into the old hold. - -When Don got downstairs the room had been almost completely excavated -and some more treasure had been found. Several bars of solid silver had -been uncovered in one corner and even the walls held relics, in the -shape of several old muskets and knives, along with a rusted sword. -There were two heavy chairs in the room also, which were both -overturned, probably by the force of the shock when the galleon ran -aground. - -They stopped at dinner time to eat, all of them being profoundly -grateful for the respite. The room in which they had been working was -now almost empty and they decided to do a little more work and then take -the gold and as much silver as they could carry and go back to the -ranch, there to put in motion the necessary machinery to make the -treasure theirs. Accordingly, as soon as the noon meal was finished, -they went back to work. - -"Better not do much more excavating," warned Captain Blow. "That pile of -wet sand on the deck is getting pretty heavy." - -They finished excavating that room, finding nothing more of importance -and then held a parley. There was a door in one side of the room and -they were in doubt as to whether to open it. The professor feared that -something might happen if they did, but the others disagreed with him, -so the door was finally chopped open. - -It came out of its frame with a rush, disclosing nothing but a blank -wall of sand. Some portion of the deck, as yet under sand, had evidently -been ripped off or had burned off, and in that manner the ship had -filled completely, much as a paper boat that a child buries in the sand. -They picked at the wall of sand before them, but it was solid and they -gave it up. - -"I guess this will be as much as we'll want to do," the professor -announced. "The rest of the job is for a regular crew of excavators, and -moreover, must be undertaken scientifically. We'll be satisfied to go -back with what we have and lay claim to the rest of it in the right -way." - -"Are you thinking of starting tonight?" asked Terry, looking at his -watch. "It is five o'clock now!" - -"Is it that late?" cried Captain Blow. "By thunder mighty! this day -zipped right by!" - -"Yes, it is that late," retorted the professor, consulting his own -watch. "We've been so busy and interested that we haven't kept track of -the time. No, we won't start back tonight. We'll stay in camp and start -early in the morning!" - -"All right, suppose we get back," suggested the captain. "The bottom of -my stomach is sunk lower than this fishing smack!" - -They went up the stairs, Ned and Don stopping to examine one of the -musty guns that was on the wall. The others stepped off of the deck and -onto the sand, and seeing that the two boys were not with them, the -professor called out: "Come on, boys, back to camp." - -"We're coming!" Don replied, as he started up the stairs, with Ned a -step or two back of him. Don had just thrust his head out of the -hatchway when there came a warning shout from Terry. - -"Hurry up!" he yelled. "The sand is sliding!" - -The wet sand which they had piled up during the day suddenly slid down -the hill with gathering force. Don sprang forward quickly, but was too -late. The sand hit the deck of the galleon, there was a dull report and -a sucking sensation, and then the whole room which they had excavated -caved in. The deck, rotting and weakened, gave way under the descending -weight of the wet and dry sand, and went through with a roar. Don and -Ned disappeared from sight, buried alive in the wreck of the galleon! - -The party on the shore stared dumbly for one minute, appalled by the -horror of the tragedy, and then Captain Blow leaped forward. - -"Come on and dig!" he cried. "If we don't dig like fury they'll smother -to death!" - -As the others followed him the intrepid captain leaped down on the heap -of sand where the boys had last been seen and began to dig frantically. -The sand was loose and he sank down in it, but he dug without heeding -his own peril, and the others helped him. Don's hand speedily worked -loose from the sand and they caught hold of it. - -"Work right around his arm," cried the captain. "Be careful not to hit -his head with your shovels." - -The scene was one of wildest confusion. By digging with furious energy -they got Don's head free and only just in time. He was purple and fairly -clawed for air. They attempted to drag him loose, but failed. He pushed -the sand from his mouth and spoke urgently. - -"Get Ned!" he gasped. "He's down around my knees, somewhere!" - -The professor's face was white and he silently kneeled beside Don's head -and dug with all his strength. Terry and Jim held the slippery sand back -as the two men shovelled it away, and in a few seconds, which seemed -like hours to them, one of Ned's shoulders was uncovered. Dropping their -shovels the men wormed their hands beneath his armpit and tore him loose -from the sand. - -"Here, water, senor," said Yappi, appearing beside them with a canteen. - -Ned was blue and unconscious, and they were forced to dig the sand from -his nose and mouth before he could catch his breath. When he had become -conscious he drank some water, and Don followed his example. They both -were free to breathe but were still buried and sinking, for the sand was -sifting down into the room below. - -"This fight has only just begun," said the captain, grimly. "We've got -to get them out of here as fast as we can." - -Then began a spirited battle between the men and the sand, the human -beings putting every ounce of strength into the battle to keep their -companions from being engulfed again and the sand exerting its power to -entomb them once more, with a persistence that was perfectly amazing. -The muscles of the friends ached, for they were tired from the events of -the day, but they knew it was a race of life and death. They dug -ceaselessly, throwing sand as far away as possible, baffled and maddened -by the steady stream of the soil that returned to the charge. - -It grew steadily darker and at last the captain, who had assumed charge -of the rescue operations spoke briefly to the professor. "Tell your man -to light a big fire," he commanded. - -When this was done they labored on, and after an hour had gone by they -were down as far as the boys' waists. They were working in a hollow that -had been made even more of a hole than normally by the collapse of the -deck, and so the sand proved to be a persistent foe. As fast as they -threw it up it slid back, and there was no way to keep it up. - -"Now," said the captain, briskly. "Tell your man to back the horses down -here, throw out a hawser, grapple onto those lads, and tow 'em out!" - -When this had been put into the kind of language that Yappi could -understand he quickly ran the horses into position, threw out a rope, -and it was passed under Don's armpits. Yappi sprang into the saddle gave -the horse the pressure of his heels, his hand steady to check him at -moment's notice. - -The rope tightened, and the boys pushed Don's body, with the result that -he was hauled out of the treacherous hole. Nothing was said at the time, -and Don made all haste to scramble to safety, shaken by his experience. -It was now an easier task to get at Ned, for the freeing of Don had left -a bigger hole, and they tied him up securely. This time the horse -strained, the boy gritted his teeth as the rope cut into his body, and -the others pushed with a will. With a final rush he came up and out of -the hole. - -"Hurrah!" shouted the captain, dropping his shovel. "The battle is won, -mates! By tunket, let's get out of here." - -They made haste to leave the place and then had a happy reunion. The -professor's lips moved as he pressed Ned to him and Jim's eyes were not -steady when he hugged Don. Terry addressed the remains of the wreck, -while the mestizo patted the head of the horse. - -"Pretty smart, you old mud scow!" the red-headed boy said. "That was the -dragon's last stroke, and he nearly made good on it." - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV - NED TAKES A NEW OVERSEER - - -They were all glad enough to rest that night around the campfire. The -muscles of the party were stiff and sore, and Don and Ned declared that -their bodies ached from head to foot. - -"Got enough sand in me to build a new bunkhouse at the ranch," Ned, -declared. - -They told their sensations as the wall of sand closed over them, -sensations by no means pleasant. Smothering in sand was not an enviable -means of ending one's life, according to Ned, who had been closest to -it. Don had felt that he had a good chance for his life, for he had been -near the surface, but his chief worriment had been for his friend, whom -he knew to be lower down. - -"All things considered, I rather think we earned that treasure," the -professor remarked, and the others agreed with him heartily. - -Yappi could not be persuaded to go near the place again. He was firm in -the belief that an evil spirit had tried to punish them for meddling -with the gold of dead men. During the time they had needed his help he -had been brave enough, but now that there was nothing to fear he was -more frightened than he had ever been. More than all the others, he -looked forward to going home in the morning. - -They slept the sleep of the utterly exhausted that night and were late -in getting up on the following day. When all their things were packed -and the treasure which they had taken placed on the horses they left the -place and started for the ranch. - -"That place isn't the best place in the world for us," laughed Don, as -they paused on a rise and looked around. "Jim and Terry were nearly -killed near there and then Ned and I got a sand bath. That guardian -dragon doesn't appear to like young men!" - -"Maybe he doesn't object to the professor and me," observed the captain, -with a broad smile. "We both have beards and are more nearly his age!" - -The journey back to the ranch was made without incident and they were -glad to arrive. After remaining there for a day the professor and the -captain took the treasure and set out with it to the coast, there to go -to San Diego and claim legal right to it. The boys accompanied them to -Quito, where Blow's own schooner, which was fortunately lying at anchor, -took them to their destination. The boys left them in the town and -returned to the ranch. - -There they passed several happy days, riding, visiting the mines, going -once or twice to visit the senorita, and generally having a good time. -Ned went several times to the senorita's and Terry wisely nodded his -head. - -"Big doings pretty soon," he observed, wisely. - -"What do you mean?" asked Don. They were out near the barn and Ned was -not with them. - -"Wait and see. The young man is going over the hill quite frequently -now, and you wait and see if something exciting doesn't happen." - -"Getting married isn't exciting," said Jim. - -"Don't know, my boy," drawled Terry, trying to throw a lasso. "Never -been that way, myself! Look at that for a throw, will you! Aimed it at -the fence post and got the corner of the barn!" - -When the professor and the captain returned they reported success. Their -claim was legal and they had authority to recruit a gang of men to -excavate the ancient ship. - -"That's the end of the phantom galleon," observed Don. "It won't be a -phantom any more." - -"You pretty nearly joined the phantoms yourself," Jim reminded him. - -Terry's surmise regarding the state of affairs at the Mercedes ranch -turned out to be correct. In a few days Ned announced that they were to -be married. - -"There is no use in allowing her to stay over there and try to run that -little ranch all by herself," he said, as they sat in the living room -one night. "So we are going to combine and form one big ranch, after we -are married. That will end all of her troubles about getting help and -overseers." - -"I see," said Terry, dryly. "You are doing it so as to help her run her -ranch. Funny way to get married." - -Ned made a pass at him and the red-headed boy dodged. The professor -smiled. - -"That's the easiest way of saying it," he said. "Ned wouldn't want you -to suspect that he loves the young lady!" - -"Ned spoke about her difficulty in getting an overseer," remarked Don. -"Another way to look at it is that Ned himself is getting an overseer!" - -"Yes, he'll have to behave himself now," said the captain, as they all -laughed at Ned's red face. - -In the days that followed an excavating crew came down from San -Francisco and went to work on the wreck of the galleon. In a remarkably -short time it was unearthed and systematically cleaned out. A treasure -estimated in value at something like fifty thousand dollars was found in -the wreck, a treasure that consisted of gold and silver plate, gold -coins, silver coins and several gold chains. There was also some silk, -but it had been spoiled. The wreck itself, when uncovered, showed that -it had been burned to the water's edge before being covered with the -sands of the plains. - -"Well, when that is all divided, up, we'll have plenty, each one of us," -said the professor. - -"At last my mother will get a few of the things in life that she has -really needed," said Terry, to whom the fortune meant most. - -Not long after that there was a simple wedding in the Scott ranch. A -minister came to the ranch from Quito and Ned and the senorita were -married in the living room of the ranch which was now to be her home. -Ned was quietly happy and the senorita brilliantly so. All the lonely -years of living alone were now over, and she looked forward to a life of -happiness with the American boy whose simple manliness had always -appealed to her. Don was Ned's best man. - -"By golly," said Terry, when it was all over. "If getting married makes -you feel as happy as Ned and his lady friend looked, I think I'll try -it!" - -"That'll be fine, Terry," responded Jim. "By the way, who is the lady?" - -"What?" asked the red-headed boy, blankly. - -"Who is the lady that will look so happy when you marry her?" Jim -answered. - -"Gee, I don't know!" was the reply. "You have to have a lady friend, -don't you? I hadn't thought of that!" - -"You had better give it some thought," retorted Don. "Most people have -one when they get married." - -After a few more days the boys prepared to return home, along with the -professor, who was eager to return to his classes in school. The boys -were looking forward to their second year at Woodcrest, to the study and -the sports of the coming season. Captain Blow left them a few days -earlier, expressing his pleasure at having met them once more. - -"I hope I fall in with you Mercer boys again sometime," he said, as he -shook hands at the dock. "I always have a barrel of fun when I'm with -you. Makes me young again. If you ever sail past old Mystery Island, -think of me, will you?" - -A few days later they all said goodbye to the new Mr. and Mrs. Scott, -wishing them well and promising to come and see them if they were ever -in that part of the world again. Before long they were back in San -Francisco and on the train, bound for home and school. Terry was with -them, having had "Jumpiter" shipped by rail. - -"Well," remarked Don, as they rolled past long fields of grain. "That's -the end of one of the best vacations we ever had. Now we'll go back to -school, to settle down and take things easy for a change." - -But if Don could have seen the events that awaited them in the coming -school term in the form of a baffling mystery he would not have been so -sure that they would settle down. In the next volume, entitled The -Mercer Boys' Mystery Case, or the '13 Class Trophy Riddle the exciting -things which befell them will be related. - - - THE END - - - - - Transcriber's Notes - - ---Copyright notice provided as in the original--this e-text is public - domain in the country of publication. - ---Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and - dialect unchanged. - ---Generated a Table of Contents from the chapter headings. - ---In the text versions, delimited italics text in _underscores_ (the - HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.) - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mercer Boys on a Treasure Hunt, by -Capwell Wyckoff - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MERCER BOYS ON A TREASURE HUNT *** - -***** This file should be named 53673.txt or 53673.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/6/7/53673/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, MFR and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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