Next instant the engineer had disarmed the prostrate ruffian.
"The Kennard jail for you," said he, in English.

"A bad _hombre_, eh! Up with you, quick." But what followed neither the engineer nor the contractor anticipated.
With a lightning-like roll of his body the man vanished under the side of the tent.

When the others rushed out in search of him he had made good his escape; and a search through the dark camp would be useless.
They therefore emptied the keg upon the ground, extinguished the lamp, and returned to Lee's office.

Though the Mexican had got away, they nevertheless had put a foot on the malicious scheme.
All at once Dave, who was walking at Bryant's and Pat's heels up the street, exclaimed: "I've got that greaser's number now! We saw him once at the depot in Kennard, Lee.

He was watching you, remember ?" "I guess you're right; I recall him." "Bet that old devil in Bartolo put him up to this." Dave asserted.
"Tut, tut, kid! Language like that on Christmas Eve! Charlie might--but not his father, I imagine." Dave, however, was not altogether to be suppressed.
"Well, I don't put anything past either of them," he sniffed..