Hal threw up both hands in a gesture of dismay.

“You’re beyond hope,” he declared.

After what seemed like hours of climbing, though in reality it was not more than two at the most, the three reached what apparently was the top of the mountain, and the road stretched out level ahead of them, heavily shaded on both sides with trees.

“Nice place for a fellow to hide and shoot a man,” said Stubbs almost cheerfully.

Hal just looked at the little man but said nothing.  Edwards grinned.

“Real cheerful little fellow, aren’t you?” he said dryly.

Stubbs grinned back at him.

“I just said—­” he began.

“We heard you,” interrupted Hal.

The three trudged along silently for a few moments.  Then, coming to a place where the trees crowded the road even closer and the branches hung low across their path, Stubbs again broke the silence.

“An assassin—­” he began.

The interruption this time came from another source.

The little man’s hat suddenly leaped from his head.  There was the low whine of a bullet and a rifle cracked from the woods on the left.

Stubbs threw himself to the ground almost before his hat settled near him and he gave a loud cry.

“Help!”

Startled though they were by the unexpectedness of the attack, Colonel Edwards and Hal acted promptly.  A revolver flashed in the hand of each and both fired into the woods toward the point from which the shot had come.  Then they leaped for shelter among the trees that lined the road on the right.  Stubbs, for the moment forgotten, still lay in the road and seemed to be attempting to bury his head in the dirt.

Hal, now sheltered by trees, perceived the little man’s plight.

“Can’t leave him there,” he called to Edwards.  “Cover me if you can.”

Edwards nodded and held his revolver ready.

Hal dashed quickly from his shelter, grasped Stubbs by the right arm, jerked him violently to his feet and turned his face toward the woods on the right.

Stubbs seemed too frightened to realize in what direction lay safety, and breaking from Hal’s hold, whirled about and dashed across the road, almost directly toward the spot from whence had come the shot a few moments before.

Hal gave a cry of dismay and dashed after him.  But even as he would have given chase, there came a second rifle shot from the trees and Hal felt the breeze as a bullet sped by his ear.  At the same moment Edwards yelled: 

“Come back!”

Hal wasted no time in thought.  He obeyed Edwards’ command and dashed back to shelter with all speed.

“Whew!” he muttered.  “That was pretty close.”

“Rather,” agreed Edwards dryly.  “Where did the little man get to?”

“Oh, he’s over there with our unseen enemy some place.  He got away from me.”

“I saw him,” said Edwards grimly.  “He’s likely to have a warm time on the other side of the road.”