moment, break into hostilities, with human lives at stake, Tom
glanced coolly downward for a few seconds after his first startled,
unheard remark.

"I'm going, to duck out of this," whispered Alf Drew, whose slim
little figure was shaking in a way suggestive of chills.

"Don't be in a hurry," Tom murmured. "We may be of some use to
some of these people."

"Tote those guns away, friends," spoke one of the revolver-armed
men with the automobile party, "and march yourselves under the
guns. Remember, we have women here."

"They can get away," returned one of the sullen-faced men with rifles.
"We won't hinder 'em. We'll give 'em two full minutes to get where
it's safe. Then we're going to turn our talking machines loose."

From the top of the low cliff came Tom Meade's drawling voice:

"Oh, I say, friends!"

Startled, all below glanced quickly upward.

"There seems to be trouble down there," Tom suggested.

"There sure is," nodded one of the armed men with the automobile
party.

"Now, it's too glorious a day to spoil it with fighting," Reade