This was voted a good plan, so a fire was made and a camp staked out. From their side of the river Vasco and his companions viewed these preparations with satisfaction.
“They cannot escape us now,” said the leader of the Mexicans. “We can easily cross the river after dark and get close to them. I wish Noddy would hurry up.”
At that instant there was the sound of wheels in the road, to the left of which Vasco and his men were concealed. In a little while Noddy, with Dalsett, Berry and Pender, rode up in the machine.
“Where are they?” asked Noddy, eagerly.
Vasco pointed through the screen of bushes to the other side of the bank, where the professor and boys were encamped.
“Good!” exclaimed Nixon. “We’ll pay them a visit to-night.”
All unconscious of the nearness of their foes, the Cresville boys, having had a good supper, sat talking about the camp-fire. The professor was engaged in sorting over the specimens he had gathered during the day.
At this same time Noddy and Dalsett, with Vasco and the six Mexicans the latter had provided, were preparing to cross the river, under cover of the darkness.
They did not undress, but waded in as they were, the gleaming camp-fire on the other side serving as a beacon to guide them.
“Softly!” cautioned Vasco, as the nine crawled up on the opposite bank, and began creeping toward the campers.