“They won’t be!” declared Graybill.
Mendoza now approached the two, declaring that the provisions were all packed on the Louise, and that they were ready to take their departure.
“All we’ve got to do now,” he went on, “is to fix these boys so they won’t run out and tell tales after we’re gone!”
“Nothing doing!” exclaimed Graybill, and Mendoza turned away sullenly.
A few moments later, when Jimmie and Kit were awakened by the clatter of the Louise’s motors, they crawled sleepily out of their shelter-tent and looked up into the starry sky.
“That’s a joke on us!” Jimmie said.
“Yes,” Kit admitted. “We didn’t understand that they could operate the machine themselves, so we went to sleep. Now we’ve lost the murderers and what’s worse, we have lost the Louise!”
“And the Bertha,” added Jimmie, “and Ben, and Carl, and Mr. Havens, and the whole bunch!”
CHAPTER XXI.
STROUP’S INSTRUCTIONS.