“They have left their rifles in the camp.  They’ve got their revolvers with them, of course.  Take your rifles.  Put out all the lights, then while the watch is being kept we’ll step out and give them a volley.  Be careful to get to one side of the opening so we don’t draw their attention too sharply to the opening.  That might leave some marks and lead them to investigate when day comes.  We’ll be a long way from here by that time, but I hope we’ll leave a few dead Rangers behind us.”

Dunk Tucker was grinning broadly.  This was the opportunity for which he had longed.

“Sneak out quietly.  Take a good aim.  Give them a rattler of a volley.  Every man pick his mark.  You can’t miss.  I’ll look for McKay.  But don’t all aim at the same mark or you won’t do much damage.”

Tad could not repress a shudder.  He realized the desperateness of Willie Jones’ character fully now.  A man who could plan such a cold-blooded crime could have no heart.  And the worst of it was that Tad saw no way to prevent the crime.

“How about it up there?”

“They’re over in the bush now.”

“I want them when they are just outside the bush.  If their backs are turned toward us, all the better.  We’ll give them a hot dose that will give them something to think about,” jeered Willie.

“Well, isn’t he the cold-blooded fish?” whispered Chunky.  “I’d like to take a pot shot at him right where he stands.”

“So should I,” answered Tad.  “But I couldn’t do it, bad as he is.”

“No, I guess it wouldn’t be exactly prudent,” returned the fat boy.

“That wasn’t what I meant.  Prudence hasn’t anything to do with it.  It would be cold-blooded.”

“Ready!  Work the lever,” commanded the captain as the voice of the lookout called down the one word “Right!”

“Get ready,” whispered Tad.  “I’m going to bolt.  Don’t make a sound.  We may lose our lives, but I’m going to save the others.  If I shoot, drop in your tracks, but be careful not to drop in the opening.  Now think as you never thought before!”

“Wha—–­what are you going to do?” stammered the fat boy.

“Watch me.  I can’t explain it to you now.  There goes the tree.”

The operation of the huge bulk was very simple.  One of the men procured a long pole from a crevice in the rock.  This he thrust down under the roots of the tree, adjusted it and then began working the pole as one would a pump handle.  The tree began to rise at once.  Tad saw that the outlaw was working a pneumatic jack, on which he figured a piece of timber had been placed so as not to crumble the dirt from the roots when the bulk was raised by the jack.  From the outside the bandits no doubt used the same method that the Pony Rider Boys had used to gain an entrance.

“Keep clear of the opening and don’t shoot until we’re all ready.  One volley will be enough, then back and trip the jack.  All ready!”