He ran into the expected ambush a half mile from the mine, at a point where the road dipped down a wooded slope to a sandy wash. "Hands up!" ordered a sharp voice. A horseman loomed up in the darkness beside the wagon. A second appeared from the brush. Other figures emerged dimly from the void. Jack gave his mules the whip and the heavy wagon plowed into the deep sand. Before the wheels had made two revolutions the leaders were stopped. Other men swarmed up the side of the wagon, dragged the driver from his seat, and flung him to the ground. Even though his face was buried in the sand and two men were spread over his body, the captive was enjoying himself. "This is no way to treat a man's anatomy--most unladylike conduct I ever saw," he protested. He was sharply advised to shut up. After the pressure on his neck was a little relieved, Jack twisted round enough to see that his captors were all masked. "What is this game, boys--a hold-up?" he asked. "Yes. A hold-up of a hold-up," answered one. Three of the men busied themselves moving the ore sacks from his wagon to another that had been driven out of the brush. A fourth, whom he judged to be Bleyer, was directing operations, while the fifth menaced him with a revolver shoved against the small of his back. The situation would have been a serious one--if it had not happened to be amusing instead. Kilmeny wanted to laugh at the bustling energy of the men, but restrained himself out of respect for what was expected of him. "I'll have the law on you fellows," he threatened, living up to the situation. "You'd look fine behind the bars, Bleyer." "All those sacks transferred yet, Tim?" barked the superintendent. "Yep." "Good. Hit the trail." The wagon passed out of the draw toward Goldbanks. For some minutes the sound of the wheels grinding against the disintegrated granite of the roadbed came back to Jack and the two guards who remained with him. "Hope this will be a lesson to you," said the superintendent presently. "Better take warning. Next time you'll go to the pen sure." "Wait till I get you into court, Bleyer." "What'll you do there?" jeered the other man. "You'd have a heluvatime swearing to him and making it stick. You're sewed up tight this time, Jack." "Am I? Bet you a new hat that by this time to-morrow night you fellows won't be cracking your lips laughing." "Take you. Just order the hat left at Goldstein's for the man who calls for it." For an hour by the superintendent's watch Kilmeny was held under guard. Then, after warning the highgrader not to return to town before daybreak, the two men mounted and rode swiftly away. Jack was alone with his mules and his empty wagon.