He raised his rifle, and stepped out into the open to get a better aim. Then of a sudden his weapon dropped to his side. "Dan! Dan Radbury! What in thunder are you doing out here?" At first Dan did not hear the call, for the hoof-strokes of the mustang made considerable noise on the rocks over which he was clattering. But then the youth caught sight of the old frontiersman and his face beamed with joy. "Poke Stover! and is it really you?" he exclaimed. "Yes. What are you doing here?" "I just escaped from four Mexican soldiers, who are hiding in a cave up the ravine." "The greasers we are after!" "Are you after them? They said something about being followed." "Yes, I am after them, and so is your father, who is in command of our party." "Father! Where is he?" "At the top of the ravine--in that direction," and Poke Stover pointed it out. "He jest sent me out to do a bit o' scoutin'." "To locate the greasers?" "Yes." "I can tell you all about them. They are at the cave on guard. I took this mustang from them, and also this musket." "Then thar won't be no need fer me to scout any more, Dan, and we might as well join the rest," answered Poke Stover. "We must capture them greasers." "How did you come to go after them?" Stover told the particulars as they were climbing out of the ravine, Dan leading the mustang by the head. In a short while, the youth was with his father. Of course the parent was astonished to find his son in this wilderness, so many miles from the ranch home, and Dan had to tell his story in detail. "I am glad you are safe," said Amos Radbury. "But what of Ralph?" "I can tell you nothing of him, father." "We saw the white mustang twice, but nothing of him," added Amos Radbury, thoughtfully. And then he decided to go on a hunt for his boy as soon as the affair of the four Mexicans was settled. To the others Dan pointed out the exact location of the cave, and the entire party drew within a hundred yards of the opening, without exposing themselves. The Mexicans, also, kept out of sight. "We are now eleven to four," said Amos Radbury. "I believe if they understood the matter, they would surrender, rather than risk being shot." "If they won't surrender I know what you can easily do," returned Dan. "And what is that?" "Starve them out. They are all as hungry as bears,--and so am I, for the matter of that." "An excellent idea. But if you are hungry, here are rations in the saddle-bags," and Dan was speedily supplied with sufficient food to stay his hunger for the time being. One of the party, who could talk Spanish fluently, was now ordered to show a white handkerchief tied to a stick, and this he did, moving to the very edge of the ravine for that purpose. At first, owing, probably, to the darkness, the Mexicans did not see the flag of truce, but at last the captain came forward, and demanded to know what was wanted. "We want you to surrender," said the Texan.