Ned saw it through the veil of smoke rush upon the Mexican camp. He saw the startled Mexicans running about, and he heard the shrill neigh of frightened horses. Never was a camp abandoned more quickly. The men sprang upon their horses and scattered in every direction through the woods. Two on horseback crowded by Ned. They did not see him, nor did he pay any attention to them, but when a third man on foot came, running at the utmost speed, the boy seized him by the shoulder, and was dragged from his feet. "It is I, Obed!" he cried. "It is I, Ned Fulton!" Obed White stopped abruptly and the Ring Tailed Panther, unable to check himself, crashed into him. The three, men and boy, went to the ground, where they lay for a few moments among the bushes, half stunned. It was a fortunate chance, as Urrea, who had retained his presence of mind, was on horseback looking for the prisoners, and he passed so near that he would have seen them had they been standing. The three rose slowly to their feet and the two men gazed in admiration at Ned. "You did it!" they exclaimed together. "I did," replied Ned with pride, "and it has worked beautifully." "I was never so much in love with a forest fire before," said the Ring Tailed Panther. "How it roars an' tears an' bites! An' just let it roar an' tear an' bite!" "We'd better go on the back track," said Obed. "The Mexicans are all running in other directions." "My horse is back that way, too," said Ned. "Come on." They started back, running along the edge of the burned area. Before they had gone far the Ring Tailed Panther caught a saddled and bridled horse which was galloping through the woods, and, they were so much emboldened, that they checked their flight, and hunted about until they found a second. "There must be at least thirty or forty of 'em dashin' about through the woods, mad with fright," said Obed. "Three are all we can use, includin' Ned's," said the Ring Tailed Panther, "but I wish we had more weapons." They had found across the saddle of one of the horses a couple of pistols in holsters, but they had no other weapons except those that Ned carried. But they were free and they had horses. The Ring Tailed Panther's customary growl between his teeth became a chant of triumph. "Did the Mexicans capture Obed an' me?" he said. "They did. Did they keep us? They didn't. Why didn't they? There was a boy named Ned who escaped. He was a smart boy, a terribly smart boy. Did he run away an' leave us? He didn't. There was only one trick in the world that he could work to save us, an' he worked it. Oh, it was funny to see the Mexicans run with the fire scorchin' the backs of their ears. But that boy, Ned, ain't he smart? He whipped a hundred Mexicans all by himself." Ned blushed. "Stop that, you Panther," he said, "or I'll call for Urrea to come and take you back." "Having horses," said Obed, "there is no reason why we shouldn't ride. Here, jump up behind me, Ned."