“We’re all hunky-dory thus far.  Pierre don’t seem to be so bad a fellow, after all; in fact, he’s a brick.  He treats us like gentlemen; but, of course, we’d rather be at home, so please send on the money for Archie and me, and see that Mr. Harris and Mr. Vane do the same for Johnny and Arthur.”

“You’re sure, now,” said Pierre, as Frank handed him the letter, after addressing it to Mr. Winters, “that you haven’t told your uncle where we are, or advised him to try to rescue you?”

“There’s the note,” replied the prisoner, “and if you think I have been trying to deceive you, read it yourself.”

“I guess it’s all right,” said the chief.  “At any rate, I’ll run the risk.  I have treated you like gentlemen, and if you want me to continue to do so, you must behave yourselves, and not try to play any tricks upon me.  Now, mind what I say.  If any of you hear the others talking of escape, and don’t tell me of it, I’ll pitch every one of you into that gully.”

Having given utterance to this threat, and emphasized it by scowling savagely at his prisoners, Pierre turned on his heel and walked away.

By this time, dinner was ready, and the boys were invited to sit down and help themselves.  The principal dish was dried meat, but there were luxuries in the shape of sandwiches, cakes, crackers, and tea and coffee, which the cook had found in the pack-saddle, and which he did not hesitate to appropriate.  The table was the ground under one of the trees, and the grass did duty both as table-cloth and dishes.

“Now, boys,” said the chief, “here’s a dinner fit for a king.  Pitch in, and don’t stand upon ceremony.”

“I don’t think you will find us at all bashful,” said Archie, dryly, “seeing that the most of this grub belongs to us.”

As the robbers and their prisoners were hungry after their long ride, they fell to work in earnest.  Archie sat on his knees in the midst of the group, and, while his teeth were busy upon a sandwich, his eyes wandered from one to another of the Rancheros, and finally rested upon Mr. Mercedes, whose actions instantly riveted his attention.  It had evidently been a long time since the robbers had sat down to a respectable dinner, and they all seemed determined to make the most of it—­especially Antoine, who devoted his attention entirely to the eatables that had been found in the pack-saddle.  He lay stretched out at full length on the ground, one hand being occupied in supporting his head, and the other in transferring the sandwiches from the table to his capacious mouth.  Two of the sandwiches would have made a good meal for an ordinary man, unless he was very hungry; but they did not go far toward satisfying the appetite of Mr. Mercedes, for, during the short time that Archie sat looking at him, he put no less than half a dozen out of sight, and seemed to have room for plenty more.  Archie began to be alarmed.  By the time he could finish one sandwich, Antoine would have swallowed every one on the table, and there would be nothing left but the dried meat.