The others looked back.

It was true. With loud shouts and waving their revolvers aloft, almost a
dozen men galloped forward.

There came a cry of alarm from Stubbs, in the center of the little troop.

"Hey! Let's get away from here."

He dug his heels into his horse's ribs and dashed through the others.

"Spread out!" ordered Hal. "We make too good a mark this way."

The others obeyed this order, Ivan still keeping close behind Nicolas,
and then Hal commanded:

"Forward!"

They went forward at a rapid gallop. The pursuers gave chase with wild
yells, firing wildly as they did so.




CHAPTER XIII.

A SAD LOSS.


The leader of the flight was Anthony Stubbs. He had covered considerable