"Don't you see my game?" went on the young inventor quickly, and in a low voice, for several times of late he had surprised some of the Mexicans sneaking about the tent. "As soon as we start off Delazes is going to follow us."
"Follow us?" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my shoe horn, what do you mean?"
"I mean that he still suspects that we are after gold, and he is going to do his best to get on our trail. Of course he can't follow us through the air, but he'll note in what direction we start and as soon as we are out of sight he and his men will hit the trail in the same direction."
"What, and leave the camp?" asked Ned.
"Yes, though they'll probably skip off with some of our supplies. That's why I'm going to take along an unusually large supply. We may not come back to this camp at all. In fact, it won't be much use after Delazes and his crowd clean it out and leave."
"And you really think they'll do that, Tom?" asked his chum.
"I'm almost sure of it, from the way the Mexicans have been acting lately. Delazes has been hinting around, trying to surprise me into saying which direction we're going to take But I've been careful. The sight of that golden image aroused him and his men. They're hungry for
