"Which they are, as you say."

"Very good," said Jefferson. "Now I don't want to play the part of the
wet blanket, and to dash your hopes to the ground before they are half
formed, but I wish to guard against running away upon a false track."

"In what way?"

"All your hopes of ransoming the boys rest now upon the fact of Hunston
and Toro being with the brigands."

"Yes."

"Well," added Jefferson, "how do you know that Hunston and Toro are
really in the band? You only suppose that."

"I can answer positively for that," said a voice at the door.

They turned.

There stood Nabley, the detective.

"Nabley!"

"Nabley here!"

"Himself," said the indefatigable officer, coming forward. "Hunston is
with the brigands, very much with them, in fact."

"That we know," said Harkaway, who then related the death of Pike, and