“I could not imagine how that door came to be open,” said Uncle John, with something like a sigh of relief, “for I took particular pains to lock and bolt it myself. I was almost afraid that there was a traitor among us, and some of the herdsmen thought so, too; but this explains everything to my satisfaction. Philip went out after I locked the door, and before he came back the raiders arrived, found the door open and thought they would walk in and surprise us. But Jake surprised them, I guess! He happened to be awake, and that was all that saved us.” “Was there anybody hurt?” asked Ned. “Not on our side, I am glad to say. We escaped without the least damage.” After the various exciting incidents connected with the events of the night had been talked over, the herdsmen, who had followed the boy into the office, to listen to his story, went out one by one, and finally Ned and the Mexican followed. The hall through which they passed was still filled with smoke; the walls and doors were dotted here and there with bullet-marks, and the floor was littered with weapons, sombreros and various other articles, which the raiders had left behind them in their hurried flight. The sight of these things made Ned tremble again. The Mexican accompanied him as far as the door of his own room, and when the latter was about to slam the door in his face, the man gave him a look and a nod that were full of meaning. “That fellow means to make trouble for me, sooner or later,” said the boy to himself, after he had lighted his lamp and securely fastened his door. “I can see it in his eye. I wish I had asked father to discharge him long ago, for I never did like him; but if I have him sent away now, he will spread it among the men that I had that stolen horse in my possession and wouldn’t give him up. If that story ever gets wind in the settlement, I don’t know what will become of me.”