Pierre and his band were obeying their instructions to the very letter, indeed, they were altogether too zealous in their efforts to appear “natural,” and Arthur began to be suspicious that they were in sober earnest with him, as well as with the others.  He looked up into Pierre’s face, in the hope of receiving from him some friendly token—­a sly wink or a nod, which would satisfy him that he was “all right,” and in no danger of receiving bodily injury; but he saw nothing of the kind.  The chieftain’s face wore a terrible scowl, and he even lifted Arthur’s gun above his head, as if he had half a mind to knock him out of his saddle.

“Quarter! quarter!” gasped Arthur, striving, with nervous fingers, to pull the lasso from his neck, and beginning to be thoroughly alarmed.  “I surrender.”

“Well, let that be your last attempt at escape,” said Pierre, in a very savage tone of voice, “or you will find, to your cost, that we are not to be trifled with.”

In the meantime, the other Rancheros, while holding fast to their prisoners, had relieved them of their weapons; and, as soon as Pierre had seen Arthur conquered, he seized the bridle of the pack-horse, while each of the other members of the band took charge of one of the boys, and the cavalcade started down the ravine at a rapid gallop.

All this happened in much less time than we have taken to describe it.  Before the young hunters had fairly recovered from the astonishment caused by the sudden appearance of Pierre and his band, they had been disarmed, and were being led captive into the mountains.

Frank and his two friends were more bewildered than alarmed.  The whole thing was so unexpected, and had been accomplished so quickly and quietly!  Remembering the particulars of Frank’s previous encounter with Pierre Costello, they did not stand in fear of bodily harm.  Although they had not the slightest suspicion that their capture was the result of treachery on the part of Arthur Vane, they well understood the motives of the robbers, and knew, as well as if Pierre had explained the matter to them, that they were to be used as a means to extort money from their relatives, and that they had nothing to fear, so long as they submitted quietly to their enemies.  But this was something that one of the three boys, at least, had no intention of doing.  Frank’s brain was already busy with plans for escape.  He had twice beaten Pierre at his own game, and, if the robber did not keep his wits about him, he would do it again.  As for Arthur, although his plans were, thus far, as successful as he could have desired, he was very much disappointed.  The three boys, who had dared to hold him up to the people of the settlement in his true character, were prisoners, and he had Pierre’s assurance that they would remain such until the demands he intended to make upon their relatives should be complied with.  But, after all, Arthur did not experience the satisfaction he had hoped he would, for the robbers had treated him very roughly.  The chief had raised his own gun over his head; another had choked him with his lasso, and a third had pointed a loaded pistol at him.  That was a nice way to treat a visitor!  Arthur began to wish that he had never had any thing to do with Pierre and his band.