"I know," said Jeb Cotton, "so that the Indians, or whoever it is firing at us, will see it and think we are still there." Rob nodded approvingly. "That's it," he said, and plunged off into the blackness of the tunnel. He led the others through it at a rapid pace, but they did not travel so fast that they beat the daylight, however, for when they emerged at the other end it was dark, and the stars were shining above them. Far below they could see little flickering points of fire, where the cow-punchers were keeping watch. "Wish we were down there," muttered Tubby, as they all emerged on the ledge. "I'm hungry." "So am I," agreed Rob, "and the quicker we get down the mountain the quicker we'll get some hot supper." As he spoke, from the mouth of the tunnel, which acted as a sort of gigantic speaking-tube, there came what seemed to be the hollow echo of a shout. "The Indians!" gasped Rob; "they're after us! Up the steps, everybody, quick!" A rush for the rough stone steps followed, and so fast did the boys press forward that Rob had to warn them of the danger of speed. "If you slipped you'd be over the edge," he said. It was enough. The rush moderated. The thought of slipping off into black space was enough to alarm the stoutest hearts among them. Tubby was the last up but Rob, who remained behind with drawn revolver. He had nerved himself to fire at the first Indian head that showed out of the tunnel. "Come on, up with you," Rob urged, as the fat boy placed his foot on the rough flight hewn in the sheer face of the cliff. "All right, Rob," rejoined the stout youth, scrambling upward. "I'll be up before----" He broke off short, with a terrible cry that rang out far into the night. Rob, speechless with horror, saw the stout youth's feet slip from under him, and his hands clutch unavailingly at the smooth face of the cliff. The next instant--for the whole thing happened in the wink of an instantaneous photographic shutter--Tubby was gone. With a dreadful sinking of his heart, Rob stretched far over the edge of the ledge, which hung like some flying thing, between heaven and earth. Below him was utter blackness. CHAPTER XI. CAPTURED BY MOQUIS. Too frightened to utter a sound, the others, who by this time had reached the summit of the cliff, gazed over into the inky depths beneath them. It was Merritt who first found his voice. "Rob, oh, Rob! What has happened?" "Don't ask me yet," gasped the boy below him, and, throwing himself flat on the narrow shelf, he peered over into the black void. "Tubby, Tubby!" he called softly. "Gee, that was a drop, all right!" came up a voice from below him. The astonished Rob almost fell over the edge of the ledge himself in his excitement. "Oh, Tubby, is that really you?" "I guess so," came the voice below, "but I wish you fellows would hurry up and get me out of this; I'm hungry." "Gracious!" thought Rob; "fancy thinking of hunger in such a position as he is in."