"I've got another idea about this affair," went on Andrews. "Do you remember how they said Jarvey vowed he would get square with the company for discharging him? I've got an idea that it was his scheme to attempt to blow up the bridge, and that he was the one who set off that bomb. Their idea was to get the cattle to some safe place first, and then ruin the bridge. More than likely Jarvey and Pankhurst made a deal with the greasers to that effect--the Americans to help with the cattle and the Mexicans to help destroy our work." "You may be right, Andrews," answered Ralph Obray. "And if you are, it's a pity that you didn't catch Jarvey." Dave and Roger listened to this talk with interest, and also joined in the general discussion of those in the camp regarding the raid, and what would be done with the prisoners. "I suppose they will turn the prisoners over to the United States authorities," was Dave's opinion; and in this he was right. Some government officers appeared by noon of the next day, and after a lengthy talk with the head of the camp and a number of others, the prisoners, including Jack Pankhurst, were taken away. "I wonder if old man Tolman got his cattle back," remarked Roger. "All but three of the animals," answered one of the men present. "Those were trampled to death during the raid. But three are nothing alongside of two hundred." The raid had caused so much excitement in the camp that there was but little work done that day. The boys went down with the others to inspect the bridge, and look curiously at the hole which had been torn in the corner of one of the foundations by the bomb. "That was certainly a mean piece of business," was our hero's comment. "It didn't do anybody a bit of good, and it's going to make a good deal of work to repair the damage." Several days passed, and the camp at last settled back into its usual routine. Dave and Roger worked as hard as ever, and both were much pleased when Mr. Obray told them that they were doing very well. "I am going to write a letter to Mr. Ramsdell," said the head of the camp, "and tell him that I am well satisfied with his pupils," and he smiled faintly. A day or two later word came to the camp which interested the chums as much as it did anybody. It seemed that Jack Pankhurst had been subjected to a "third degree" of questioning. He had broken down completely and confessed that the two other Americans in the raid with him had been former employees of the Mentor Construction Company--one a fellow named Packard Brown, and the other William Jarvey. Pankhurst had also let fall the information that Jarvey had once been an officer in the United States Army, and that he was traveling under an assumed name. "A former officer of our army and acting in that way!" exclaimed Dave, when he heard this report. "I certainly do hope they'll catch him and punish him as he deserves!" "My sentiments exactly!" added Roger. CHAPTER XXVI THE CHASE ON THE BRIDGE