Spawn undoubtedly was in this plot to attack his mine! He said, "At the mine we have arranged everything. Damn this American! But for Perona I would not bother with him." "But you will bother," Perona interjected. De Boer laughed again. "I would be witless could I not figure this! He is a young man, and so handsome he has frightened you with the little Jetta! Is that it, Perona? Jealous, eh?" I had been holding the image finder so that Hanley might see them. Hanley's voice rattled my ear-grid. "Phil! Get away from there! Look! De Boer is searching!" * * * * * De Boer had, a moment before, spoken quietly aside to Gutierrez. And now three or four of the men were spreading out, poking about with small hand-flashes. Searching for me! The possibility that I might be here, eavesdropping! Hanley repeated vehemently, "Phil, they'll find you! Get out of there: the way is still open!" Gutierrez was approaching the archway. But I lingered a moment longer. "Chief, you heard about that girl, Jetta, Spawn's daughter--" I stopped. Perona was saying, "Spawn, was Jetta still in her room? You did not untie her?" "No." "And gagged? Suppose the Americano was back there now? She might call to him, and he would release her--" De Boer: "How do you know he is not around here? Listening?" With the assumption that I might be within hearing, De Boer tried to trap me. Gutierrez, at a signal now, suddenly dashed through the archway and planted himself on the path outside. The other searchers spread their rays; the rocks all about me were lighted. But my niche was still untouched. De Boer: "If he is around here--" Perona: "He could not have followed me; I was too careful." I was murmuring: "Chief, they've got that girl." "Phil, you get away! Go to Markes. Stay with him." "But Chief, that Jetta, I--" "Keep out of this! You're only one; you can't help any! I've sent for the Porto Rican patrol ship to handle this." "Chief, I'm going back to Spawn's." "No--" I cut off abruptly. In another moment I would have been discovered. The searchers were headed directly for me. * * * * * I moved, crouching, back along the inner wall of the archway. The moon was momentarily behind a cloud. It was black under the arch; and out front it was so dim I could only see the faint blob of Gutierrez's standing figure, and the spot of his flashlight. Perona: "He is not around here, De Boer. That is foolish." Spawn: "He could have gone anywhere. Maybe a walk around the village." Perona: "Go back home, Spawn. De Boer will come--" Their voices faded as I moved away. A searching bandit behind me poked with his light into the crevice where a moment before I had been crouching. I moved faster. Only Gutierrez now was in front of me. He was at the far end of the arch. I could slip past, and still be fifty feet from him--if I could avoid his swinging little light-beam.