"It won't be necessary to kill them, I hope," said Beth, smiling. "All
we wish is to secure our escape."

"Vot a time dey make me!" said Dan'l, more calmly. "You see, I am
living peacefulness in mine bungalow by der river--ten mile away. Dot
brute Tim, he come unt ask me to fiddle for a dance. I--fiddle! Ven I
refuse me to do it, he tie me up unt by forcibleness elope mit me. Iss
id nod a crime--a vickedness--eh?"

"It certainly is, sir," said Uncle John. "But do not worry. These
girls have some plan in their heads, I'm sure, and if we manage to
escape we will carry you home in safety. Now, my dears, what is it?"

"Oh, we've only begun to think yet," said Patsy, and walked to the
window. All but Myrtle and Dan'l followed her.

Below the window was a jungle of cactus, with hundreds of spines as
slender and sharp as stilettos sticking in every direction.

"H-m; this room is burglar proof," muttered Uncle John, with marked
disappointment.

"It also makes an excellent prison," added Patsy. "But I suspected
something of this sort when I saw they had left the window open. We
can't figure on getting out that way, you see."

"Id vould be suiciding," Dan'l said, mournfully shaking his head. "If
dese fiends were as goot as dey are clefer, dey vould be angels."