Allen was lying flat on a high shelf of rock. They watched him for a time. Now he vanished. A little later they saw him again, fifty yards farther along the shelf. From the shelter of some brush he focused his glasses on the long adobe building. Toothpick was puzzled as to what Allen was studying. He decided that it must be the lone window that broke the surface of the western wall in the outlaws' fortress. The window was little more than a porthole, about three feet by two. Toothpick knew that a real purpose lay behind all of Allen's actions; that many of his surprising victories were the result of carefully thought-out plans. But what did the little outlaw hope to gain by studying that window? Allen closed his glasses and looked down at the three watching him. He waved his hand and wiggled out of sight. "What's he aimin' to do?" Sam Hogg addressed Toothpick. The lanky cow-puncher considered a moment and shook his head. "I dunno. But the little hellion has sure got somethin' in his head," he said thoughtfully. "If he's aimin' to go through that window, the gents in there will shoot him in two," the cattleman protested. "Sure would," Silent agreed. "I don't know what he's aimin' to do, but I'm sayin' positive, whatever it is, I'm backin' his play," Toothpick stated emphatically. "Hey, Toothpick, come over here," Allen called from his hidden perch. Toothpick, followed by Sam Hogg, wiggled toward the depression from which he knew the voice came. A rifle cracked from within the adobe building, and Toothpick's hat flew from his head. He flattened out and wiggled the faster. A few seconds later he slid down the side of the small basin to Allen. He was closely followed by Sam Hogg, who had retrieved the hat. Toothpick looked at it ruefully for a moment and poked his finger through the hole in the crown. "Huh! That gent sure parted my hair." "Jim, yuh figured out a way we can get at them hombres?" Sam Hogg demanded. "I ain't sure she works," Allen replied. "Yuh gather Tom Powers and yuhr brother over the hill by that ore wagon--if she works, I'll come and tell yuh about it." The cattleman told himself that Allen deliberately tried to be mysterious. However, he went to collect his brother and Tom Powers. Allen and Toothpick sought out Tad Hicks. The three passed along a deep gully to a ledge some ten feet high. Here Allen explained to them the first part of his plan and the part they were to play in it. A half hour later, when they approached the ore wagon, all three were grinning like schoolboys. "Yuh two is sure baseball players--yuh tossed me at that mark and hit it every time," Allen said to them. Tad Hicks halted to explain to his bosom friends, Windy Sam and Kansas. "The Wolf is goin' to have us toss him through that window, an' he makes us practice tossin' him at a rock an' keeps us doin' it, until we hit it three time runnin' with his head."