im one of the men who prefer being alone to mixing with a noisy crowd. Not that the professor was the lea

lling country which extended for miles back of Ned's ranch, away to the purple mountains in the distance. A feeling of warm c

ipe 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 kitc

er lone meal followed and he spent the evening with another book, sitting under the oil lamp until it was nearly time to go to

he 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

e was enough light from the moon, extinguished the lamp which he had lighted and took off his necktie. His eyes wandered dr

d 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 l

. 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

ting 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 d

joying 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

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

ached it he heard the back door pushed open and he turned. His worst fears were realized when he found Sackett standing on the threshol

n't know you was going out the front door, go

here?" asked the p

e, yet. We want you, for one thing. Keep

nt door," growled

dea what the men wanted with him, although his heart sank a little he resolved to face th

t of this house!" t

Abel kept his rifle pointed in the professor's direction. A

nuel said," he reported. He faced the o

trip," answered th

t treasure?" inquired the outlaw, th

believe that story?" sniffe

nd so do you," r

ntemptuously. "My boy has long since fo

feel like telling," retorted Sackett. "You're coming with

e," said the professor, humorously. "B

" growled the mate. "Want t

sk and took out a piece of paper and a pen, which he dipped in the ink. "You write

ine!" said the pro

nch your head!" growled the o

se men the professor took the pen and wrote a short note

suspiciously. "What'

name, don't you?" aske

our name," ar

ry well, I'll sign it just plain Dad, and t

d. "That will do as it is. Now come along, and mind,

and stolid Mexican, was waiting for them with a horse from Ned's own stock. In silence the professor mounted and the cav

uttered the professor,

, 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 scatte

, 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 t

r 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 brigh

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 cha

as they were all in the room. "Are you going

, I guess you'll have to starve me," returned the professo

man now, I can see that. Maybe when he gets hungry

tairs, 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 c

he said, grimly. "When you feel lik

him, remounted the stairs. The professor stood still, watching the light flash and twinkle