The two men proceeded to secure the arms and feet of the captives. Dave knew it was useless to resist the rough treatment he received. Hiram was not so patient. "Say, this is an outrage!" he cried out. "What's the matter with you?" demanded Jerry Dawson, leaning from his seat with a scowl on his face. "What do you want to tie a one-armed fellow up for?" grumbled Hiram. "That's so," said the elder Dawson. "Just attend to his feet and one arm. No use making him safer. He won't be very dangerous with only a broken arm free." First Dave and then Hiram were lifted into the seats behind the pilot's post. As has been said, the Drifter could carry five passengers, and they were not crowded or uncomfortable. "They are going to carry us away with them," whispered Hiram to his companion. "Let them," replied the young aviator. "It may give us a chance to outwit them someplace along the line." Hiram chuckled. Dave stared at him strangely, but his doughty companion did not explain what he had in his mind. "All ready," announced Jerry, his hand on his lever. His father got into the seat behind him. "Wait a minute," he spoke to his son. "You two," he added to the men who had accompanied them, "better get to your friends, divide up your plunder and make yourselves scarce as soon as you can." "That's what we intend to do," replied one of the men. "Hold on!" exclaimed his companion, suddenly turning around at the echo of a loud shout. "What's the trouble now, I wonder?" "Hey, stop the airship! Stop them! Stop them!" yelled the strident voice of a man coming pell mell down the ravine path. He was in a frantic state of excitement and waving his arms wildly. "Don't lose a second," spoke Dawson quickly. Jerry gave the starter a whirl. Dave noticed that his father was quite excited and kept watching the advancing runner. "Stop them, I tell you!" yelled this individual whom Dave recognized as one of the three individuals left behind at the hut with the other bundle. "What for?" shouted one of the two men near the airship. "Robbers-thieves! That bundle they gave us!" "What about it?" "No silks--nothing but a lot of worthless truck. They've cheated us and are making away with the real plunder." Whiz! up went the airship. The three men ran after it. The newcomer shook his fist vengefully after the machine. The other two picked up rocks and hurled them in its wake. "O. K.," chuckled Jerry, as the Drifter shot far out of reach of their deluded confederates. "Do your level best, Jerry," spoke his father. "The revenue men may have another airship in commission." "Oh, I guess not," retorted Jerry airily. "Say, what about the one these fellows had?" "They know and won't tell. Some of crowd will find it, though I told them if they did to dismantle it. They can get something for the old junk." "About all they will get, eh?" leered Jerry. "I'm thinking so." "You didn't give them any of the silk?" "Not I."