Anyway," he hurried on, "they split up into two groups, and one kept on going, while the other rushed me before I could do much shooting, and-well, I guess you know the rest," he concluded, lamely.

"I'll say we do," said Frank, gripping his big comrade's shoulder. "Boy, I'll never see the like of that fight again."

"But, Bob, I wonder why they rushed you instead of trying to shoot you down," said Jack.

"Search me," said Bob.

"I'll bet I know," said Frank.

"What?" asked both.

"They wanted to take you alive, Bob, for some reason of their own.

Probably, would have tried to take us alive, too, if they'd gotten the chance."

"Well, maybe so," said Bob. "Anyhow, that's that. Now what shall we do?"

CHAPTER XIII.-MR. HAMPTON RECALLED.

Jack and Frank regarded each other with distaste and even horror in their eyes.

"Has to be done, though," said Jack, as if in answer to a remark of Frank's.

Frank nodded.

"I know."

"What are you two chumps talking about?" asked Bob.

"Those four men we shot down, you know," Frank explained.

"Think you-"

Bob's question went uncompleted.

"I don't know," Frank replied. "We shot straight. It was your life and ours against theirs."

"Well, come on. I know how you feel, but I expect that's the first thing to be attended to. If any of them is no more than wounded, it will be up to us to do what we can for him."

"Right, Bob," said Jack.

"Come on," Frank said shortly, starting down the hillside, in the direction of their successful, though impromptu, ambuscade.

"Go easy," warned Bob. "If they're able to shoot, they'll take a crack at us."

Bob's advice was followed, and the trio approached the spot warily. But precaution was needless, or, while still some distance away, they could see the four bodies outstretched motionless where they had fallen.

Frank's face went white, and he shuddered. Jack was pale. Big Bob, although he had had no hand in the affray, had to take a grip on himself, in order to force his laggard steps to continue. Though many were the affairs of danger in which they had been, the boys had never before shot to kill nor had death been brought so close to them.

Frank stopped. He was trembling violently.

"I-I can't look at them," he gasped.

Bob threw an arm over his shoulders.

"You and Jack stay here," he ordered, gruffly. "I had no hand in this.

I'm the fellow to attend to it. Wait for me."

At that Frank protested, and started to proceed. But Bob shoved him back, kindly but firmly.

"The pair of you have been through enough," he said. "Do as I say. Wait here."

And with quick, firm step, keeping himself to the task, he plunged on through the trees. For a moment or two both Frank and Jack watched him fascinatedly, then Frank sank down to a sitting position, elbows propped on his knees, his face in his hands. Jack faced about, and stared unseeing through the trees.

Presently, Bob's solid, crunching footsteps could be heard approaching, and they looked up. His face was grave, but unflinching.

"Look here, fellows," he said, firmly, "may as well face the facts. All four were killed instantly. Drilled through the-- But why discuss it?

The fact is, they're dead. They were rascals of the first water, and, as you say, it was their lives or ours. Self-preservation is the first law of Nature. Now, what are we going to do about it? We haven't any tools to dig with."

Frank shook himself into alertness.

"Let's get the axes-our outfit has some-and cut off some spruce boughs and cover them over. Then we can roll some stones on top."

As quickly as possible, without speaking during the task, and working feverishly, the three carried out Frank's idea. Then, back at camp, they sat down and brewed a pot of coffee. The hot, scalding liquid steadied their shaken nerves.

"Guess we better try to get in touch with your father, Jack," suggested Bob, at length.

"How long have they been gone?"

Bob looked at his watch.

"Three hours. Seems like a lifetime."

"Things have certainly happened fast," said Frank. "Thank goodness, that party missed our radio. If they had destroyed it, we would have been out of luck."

"More luck than I deserve," said Bob, savagely. "Think of going to sleep on the job. If I had been awake, they never would have been able to land."

"Forget it, Bob. You certainly have nothing to reproach yourself with."

"Oh, that's nonsense," said the big fellow. "I'm always getting you into trouble."

Frank smiled.

"Yes, and then getting us out again," he said.

"Well, let's try the radio, anyway," suggested Jack. "They've been gone three hours. With the best of luck they can't have made more than eight or ten miles, considering the detour they planned to take, and everything."