their lives and Billy realized this.

With the slow deliberate movement of a snake he, reached out his
hand when he got near enough and took from the sleeping man's side
his long curved Arab scimitar. Then he glided back to Lathrop as
silently as he had left.

He had just reached his resting-place when there was a stir from the
further side of the camp. Like a rabbit ducking into its hole Billy
was under his blanket and apparently fast asleep in a second. But
his heart beat so loudly that it felt to him that anyone who was not
deaf could hear it a hundred yards away.

The man who had moved was Diego and the boys could hear his cat-like
footfalls as he neared their sleeping-places. Once he stumbled over
one of the sleeping men and the aroused one rose with a start and
called wildly:

"What is it?"

"Hush, Adab," cautioned Diego, "it is I--Diego. I'm going to give
an eye to those two American brats."

"They're tied up hard and fast enough," chuckled the other.

"If they were of any other nationality--yes;" was Diego's reply,
"but these Yankees are brave and clever enough to escape from almost
any trap."

"You bet we are," thought Billy to himself, giving a realistic