“It’s unfortunate that we didn’t find him out long ago,” said Archie, who had by this time recovered his usual good nature.

“Our plans for escape are all knocked in the head for this night,” continued Frank; “but we will hold ourselves in readiness to seize the first opportunity that is offered.  Dick and Bob will be on our trail in a few hours.”

At this moment, Pierre entered the glade from the side opposite the spring, and stopped to say a few words to the sentinel, who immediately approached the prisoners, and took his stand within a few paces of them.

“These villains must be afraid of us,” said Frank, with a laugh.

“They’d better be,” returned Johnny.  “I wouldn’t like to have sixty thousand dollars wrapped up in such slippery customers as we are.”

“I wonder if Pierre thinks we can fly?” said Archie.  “That’s the only way I can see for getting out of here, while these robbers are all around us.  I say, old fellow,” he added, turning to the sentinel, “are you a good shot on the wing?”

The Ranchero shrugged his shoulders, and tapped his revolvers significantly.

“I judge from that you are a good shot on the wing,” continued Archie.  “Let me advise you to keep both eyes open; for the first thing you know, you’ll see us disappearing over the tops of these mountains.  Each of us has a patent, duplex, double-back-action flying-machine in his pocket.”

Archie was going on to explain to the Ranchero the principles on which his imaginary flying-machine operated, when the call to supper interrupted him.

During the meal, the robbers were quite as polite as they had been at dinner.  They gobbled up every thing within their reach, devouring it greedily, as though they feared that somebody might get more than his share, and the boys, having learned by experience, that, when one sojourns among Romans, it is a good plan to do as Romans do, snatched what they liked best, and ran back to their blankets.

“Look at Benedict,” said Johnny, speaking as plainly as a mouthful of cracker would permit.  “He’s hot about something.”

Arthur was sitting on the ground beside the robber chief, to whom he was talking earnestly, and even angrily, judging by the frantic manner in which he flourished his arms about his head, and struck with his fists at the empty air.  Pierre was listening attentively, and so were all the other members of the band, who appeared to be deeply interested in what he was saying.  Arthur had told the chief that his secret was discovered, and Pierre had urged him to use every exertion to allay the suspicions of the boys.

“You don’t know them as well as I do,” said the Ranchero; “and, if you will take my advice, you will try to make friends with them again.”

“That’s something I’ll never do,” said Arthur, decidedly.  “Shall a gentleman’s son stoop to beg the good-will of a lot of young Arabs?  Not if he knows himself; and he thinks he does.  They have found me out, somehow, and I don’t care if they have.  I may as well throw off the mask entirely.  I’ll let them see that, while they are prisoners, and bound hand and foot, I am at liberty to go and come when I please.”