“His gun’s empty,” whispered Frank; “I’ve pulled the snake’s fangs. Now for a rush in on him. Ready, Bob?”
“Yes, say when,” answered the other, nerving himself for the concluding act in the stirring little drama.
“Now! Come on!”
At these words Frank sprang forward, with Bob at his side, ready to do his best to assist in the work of rounding up the treasure thief.
They no longer cared to conceal the fact of their coming. Indeed, it seemed to Bob that his chum made more noise than was really necessary as he plunged down the side of the hill toward the spot from whence those flashes had sprung.
“He wants to make the fellow think a whole army is closing in on him, and scare him into surrendering!” was the thought that flashed through Bob’s mind, even as he was leaping forward.
That was just what Frank meant. He knew that the fellow could still give them more or less trouble if he tried to continue his mad flight down the descent. But as he already believed that he had foes beyond, since the stones had crashed in the bushes there, with these new enemies coming down on him from the rear he must feel that he was hemmed in.
“Surrender!” shouted Frank, as gruffly as possible.
“We’ve got you surrounded! No use trying to run away! Better give up!” called Bob, falling in with the idea which he realized his comrade had in view.
They must by now be very near the spot where the unknown crouched. The question which arose was whether he would be seriously impressed with a sense of his position, and surrender or try to escape.