Part 23 (1/2)

”You've got me!” ad to starve us; and what's become of our ponies?”

The last question was answered first, for dick pointed to where, off to one side, Blaze and Blackie were contentedly grazing, being pegged out, as were a number of other horses

And, an hour or so later, came the answer to the other question, for a man, who evidently acted as camp cook, came to the tent with a pot of coffee, some tin cups, and the head of a barrel used as a tray, on which was piled so, dick and Nort would have eagerly welcory But, as a matter of fact, the food was clean, and well cooked The two professors, whatever ame, evidently insisted on adequate culinary operations

”Sail in!” exclai odor of the hot coffee, and what appeared to be some Mexican dish, cooked with plenty of beans, and more red peppers than the boys cared for

But, as I have said, they were hungry, and this is the best sauce in the world None of the condiments so freely used by the Mexicans was needed, and soon there was silence in the prisoners' tent, broken only by the clatter of knives and forks on the tin cauard looked at the boys in what dick and Nort both agreed, later, was a hungry style The pot of coffee was h they ate up all the food And it hile feeling in his pockets for a toothpick that Nort's fingers touched so which played a very prominent part in subsequent events

Slowly Nort drew forth a small bottle, and held it up so dick could see it, but so that it was concealed from the Greaser at the tent entrance

And then dick noted that Nort held up a four ounce flask of paregoric

Nort had been suffering froh for some reason it had not bothered him since he and dick had beco that incident quieted the nerves At any rate Nort carried the bottle of paregoric with him, for one of the cowboys had recouive relief

Nort found that it did, and since then he had carried the bottle with hi the time he expected to visit a dentist He now held this phial of paregoric up so dick could see, at the sa first to the Greaser and then to the coffee pot

”Now?” asked dick, in reply to Nort's obvious statement that he intended to adht,” was Nort's answer, and then he put the bottle back in his pocket

dick's eyes lighted up He knew the effect of a large dose of paregoric, comparatively harmless as it is in small quantities, or as Nort used it

Noay seemed opened for the boys If only they could command the other elements necessary for success

Nortout a cup of coffee, liberally sweetening it with sugar froe to one side on the ground under his cot

The camp cook came to carry ahat the boys had left--which was notabout it Perhaps this was because, just then, some of the cattle tried to break out of the corral, and there was a shout raised for help--to which the cook responded But the Greaser guard did not leave his place Evidently his orders were i to try it?” whispered dick to Nort, as the shadows began to lengthen, and night settled down on the camp

”Not until after dark--say about ten,” replied Nort in a low voice

”It will take about two hours for hiet aboard our ponies and trust to luck”

”If he only goes to sleep,” sighed dick

”I'll give half the bottle full,” whispered Nort

The Greaser paid no attention to their talk, but sat i the time the boys had been held prisoners no one had coht them a plentiful supper, and also another barrel-head tray for the guard The day had passed with several blasts having been set off, though the effect of them, and the object, was concealed from the boy ranchers

In accordance with their plan, Nort and dick dawdled over their nightconsuht o'clock, came to remove the dishes

”Git 'e that he was going to turn in, and the boys could keep what they had until the next day This exactly suited the to be sleepy, Nort produced the cup of coffee he had saved out Quickly he e it to e, offered it to the Greaser