Cole grinned when Denton spoke of killing him on sight, and, indeed, he was tempted to enter and confront the pair. Sam was heavily armed, and, besides, he was a very daring fellow. “I will go in,” he muttered, and he did so. Skip’s pistol was out in a jiffy. “You!” he roared. “Hold on, mister.” Cole also drew a pistol. “Where is the old man?” Denton asked. “Speak quick, or it will go hard with you.” “You mean the old gent that occupied the garret?” “Who else?” cried Dick. “Well, he ain’t up there any more,” replied Sam. “In fact, he has changed his residence.” “You carried him off, you black hound!” exclaimed Brodie, toying nervously with his weapon; “I saw you.” “Oh, yes, I accompanied him to his new quarters.” “You must give him up,” said Denton. “Must?” “Yes, must.” “I’ll think about it,” remarked the negro; “in fact, I have been thinking something about it, but I have not as yet made up my mind to do so.” “The sooner you do the better.” Brodie took deliberate aim at Sam’s head as he spoke. “How much will I get if I bring him back?” asked Cole. “You’ll be killed if you don’t conduct us to where he is,” yelled Skip. “I will see that you get at least a thousand dollars, Sam,” said Dick. “When we first came here, I told you that you would be well taken care of, and here you go to work and play this dirty trick upon my pal and me.” “It was only a joke,” muttered the negro, “only a joke, Mr. Denton.” “Confound such jokes,” cried Brodie, “I suppose tying me up was another joke?” Sam laughed at this, and, had Denton not knocked the pistol out of his hand, Skip would have shot the fellow. “I came here to take you to the place where the old man is,” said Cole, not in the least upset by Brodie’s effort to kill him. “I would not go back on you, Mr. Denton, but I would advise your friend to be a little more careful with that shooter of his, or I may be compelled to hurt him.” Sam led the way into the wood, and the pair followed, leaving Tambourine Jack and Dell behind in the cabin. They had not penetrated far into the woods when, with a loud laugh, the negro sprang away. He dodged about the trees, and none of the bullets directed at him reached the mark; neither were Dick nor Skip able to overtake the fleet-footed fellow. It was late when the chagrined pair returned to the hut and found Dell Ladley alone. Tambourine Jack was absent, but he could not have gone far, because Crackers was left behind. “What luck?” the girl asked. “None,” replied Denton; “the black fiend was conning us. I’ll come across him yet.” Skip Brodie was beside himself with rage, and he paced the floor, growling like a wild beast. After all his work he found himself without a cent and in danger of his life for the murders he had committed. “Elmer Greer first,” Brodie said, “then the negro, and I shall feel somewhat resigned when the hangman eventually places the noose about my neck.”