ESCAPING IN THE DARKNESS.
It was after midnight when the camp settled down to rest. Fetter had not returned, and Matt Gilroy was much worried in consequence. Yet he was tired out, having lost a good portion of the night previous in traveling, and he lay down with the others.
The guards at the entrance to the cave had been changed. Those now there were two young men, recruits to the desperadoes' organization.
Inside of the cave Captain Moore, Joe, and Darry, having untied each other's bonds, held a long consultation, the upshot of which was that they intended to escape if the deed could be accomplished.
"There is no use in telling you that we will run a big risk," said the captain. "But as for myself, these rascals are plotting against Colonel Fairfield and the soldiers at the fort, and I feel it my duty to do my best toward getting away and warning my commander."
"Whatever you do, Will, I will back you up, so far as I am able," was his brother's answer.
"And I will back you up, too," came from Darry. "But we must be cautious, for these desperadoes will not hesitate to shoot, and shoot to kill." And the boy shivered in spite of himself, for no matter how brave a person may be he seldom cares to run the risk of losing his life.
The prisoners had been ordered to keep to the back of the cave, but after all but the guards had retired Captain Moore made bold enough to walk carefully to the mouth of the place.
"Hi, you want to keep back there," growled one of the guards, promptly raising his rifle.
"Don't be hard on us," pleaded the captain. "Let me get a little fresh air. It's vile in the back of the cave."
"Orders were to keep you out of sight," growled the second guard.
"All right, I'll go back as soon as I've cleaned out my lungs."
While the captain was speaking he was peering around sharply, trying to locate the other desperadoes and ascertain what the chances of escape really were.
As he gazed first to one side and then the other, he caught sight of a hand waving in the air. A second later he made out the head and shoulders of old Benson, as the scout rose to his feet behind some brushwood.
The thought that the scout was at hand to assist them cheered the young officer wonderfully, and he drew a deep breath of satisfaction.
"Are you going back soon?" growled one of the guards.
"Yes," answered the captain. "But I say," he went on, "why can't we come to terms?"
"Don't want to make any terms with you," growled the other guard.
"It might be better for you to do so."
"We know our own business best, captain. You just go back as you was ordered to do. If you don'tââ"
"I don't feel safe in the cave, men, to tell the truth. What is that pounding overhead?"
"Pounding overhead?"
"Yes."
"Don't know of any pounding. Do you, Ike?"
"Nary a bit," replied the other guard.
By this time Joe and Darry were just behind the young officer.
"Watch out," whispered Captain Moore. "Old Benson is outside, in the bushes on the left."
"Good for him!" whispered Joe joyfully.
"What are you talking about?" demanded one of the guards.
"I want to know about that pounding overhead," said Captain Moore. "I don't want the roof to cave in on us."
He spoke so decidedly that both of the guards were deceived.
"Nobody is up there," said one of the two. "It must be some wild animal."
"Can't one of you go up and look?" asked the young officer.
"You want the chance to get away," was the suspicious answer.
"How can we get away, when we are unarmed and you have that rifle," went on the captain, speaking loudly, for old Benson's benefit. "It won't take you a minute to look."
The men, however, refused to budge.
"We'll stay right here," said one, and the other nodded affirmatively.
In the meantime old Benson had crawled closer, until he was directly behind the pair.
Now of a sudden he leaped between them, and as quick as a flash caught their rifles and twisted the weapons from their grasp.
