“Oh, it will come in handy, all right!” answered Buck. “Mexican law provides for turning it over to the government, but as there is no government to speak of, we’ll just geezle it! If we turn it over to the people who have charge of the government, there is no knowing whether it will ever get into circulation.”
Once more they tried to talk with the prisoners, but received only scowls in reply. So they gave up the attempt and began the return trip.
“This capture has been an easy one,” was Jule’s comment, as the boys walked along in the rear of the two men who were taking good care that the captured men did not escape. “A little bit too easy!”
“Why too easy?”
“Oh, we may have trouble yet,” was Jule’s reply.
It did look that way to the boys. The prisoners kept an eye out for a chance to make a run for it.
Now and then one of them halted for an instant to listen, but, hearing nothing, walked on again.
“That fellow is expecting someone to rescue him,” Alex said, after some distance had been passed. “Anyhow, we are too near the boats now for any attempt at rescue to prove successful.”
“How do you know that?” demanded Jule. “The boats are no protection. If we find them as we usually have, they’ll need help from us. What’s that?”
The prisoners had made a break for liberty, and, taking advantage of a rocky spot where walking was very difficult, had darted off, bound as they were. Buck and Rube fired several shots, but the men ran all the faster.