They were
looking for the prints of horses' hoofs.
"_Aqui'sta!_" exclaimed one of the men on foot, pointing to the
ground.
The captain drew near and leaned over from his horse to see more
clearly.
He was evidently satisfied, for he straightened up and gave
another command and the two horsemen sprang to their saddles.
Another command and every man's sabre flashed in the air.
Raising his own sabre aloft, the captain was about to give
another command, when there was the sound of a single shot from
the rear and the captain's sabre went flying from his hand,
struck by a rifle ball.
"_Carramba!_" he cried. "_Emboscado!_" meaning "an ambush," and
putting spurs to his horse he turned and fled in the direction
from which he had come, followed by the entire band, while the
Americans fired a volley into the air.
"They'll never stop running," laughed the corporal, "until they
reach home--wherever that is."
"And in the meantime we'll get out of here," said Mr. Black.
The men sprang to their feet and to their horses. At the same
moment there came from the woods to the left the well-known
whistle of the Broncho Rider Boys.
"It's Don!" cried Billie, as he gave the answering call, and an
instant later Donald came into view through the trees, closely
followed by half a score of Uncle Sam's troopers.
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