"Tell us first why we are locked up," demanded Ralph.
"Why, as I understand it, this worthy man, who is mayor of this village, merely had you detained on suspicion. He thought you might be horse thieves, and——"
"Me a horse thief!" shouted the professor.
"You forget your appearance is——" began the officer, but was interrupted by a good-natured laugh from all three of the adventurers. True, they had forgotten how they must have looked after their adventure in the tunnel. Later, when they saw a mirror, they did not blame the fat mayor so much. Plastered with dirt and mud, scratched and ragged, they did, indeed, look unlike the three trim persons who had set out from the American foothills in pursuit of Black Ramon.
"But he could have found out who we were by asking us," protested Ralph.
"He tells me he was going to do so—to-morrow."
"You forgot we are in the land of manana," reminded the professor.
After some more palaver, the mayor signified that the three Americans could have their liberty, and apologized for their detention on behalf of himself and his village.
It was soon explained to the boys by the officer that he was hastening with fifty picked men to round up the rustlers who had long infested that part of Mexico.