Although the troops appeared to gain the upper hand, the fighting continued with as much fury as before.
A sudden fusillade of bullets coming dangerously near Bob and Joe prompted the boys to make a dash toward the end of the town, where the mules and Dr. Rander were probably waiting.
“Let’s get out of here,” suggested Joe. “We’ll get hit if we don’t.”
“All right. Wonder if Dr. Rander is still where we left him?”
The chums were greatly surprised when, a few minutes later, they saw that the old man was not in sight. But the mules were tethered to a stout post, and this gave the boys hope.
“Chances are, he’s gone to see what the shooting’s about,” Bob said. “Wish he’d come back. He’s likely to get killed if he stays around there close.”
The youths were beginning to worry when Dr. Rander appeared up the road, glancing occasionally over his shoulder.
“Quite a commotion, wasn’t it?” he said when he had come nearer. “But the soldiers drove them away.”
“What was it, a revolution?” inquired Joe.