"Encourage us?" grinned Harry.
"Well, then, I'm going to make you stay here, if you like that word any better."
"That will be more difficult," suggested Hazelton.
"First of all, we're going to tote your assay outfit over to our camp. You won't be able to do much without that. Look around a bit, Eb," added Dolph, turning to one of his companions. "Perhaps you'd better get the furnace out first. Two of you can carry it. I wish we had our other man back from Dugout. We need hands here."
"Can't you use some of my muscle in helping you to loot our camp?" suggested Hazelton, ironically. "I'm fairly strong, you know."
"Yes; I know you are. That's why we've tied you up," growled
Gage.
The man addressed as Eb had taken the other fellow aside, and they were now lifting the assay furnace in order to decide how heavy it was.
"It doesn't weigh much over a hundred and fifty pounds," called out Dolph Gage. "Two men like you can get it over to camp. And bring over our guns, too. It was a mistake to leave 'em over in camp."
Gage watched until the pair were out of sight among the trees.
"Hurry, you men!" Gage roared after them.