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wall behind him. With a second yell Tony dodged behind the safe and besought

Mary to protect him.

From above Benito peered through the hole into the blackness below. Down the

hall came the barefoot landlord, awakened by the screams and the shot. Behind

him came Bridge, buckling his revolver belt about his hips as he ran. Not having

been furnished with pajamas Bridge had not thought it necessary to remove his

clothing, and so he had lost no time in dressing.

When the two, now joined by Benito, reached the street they found the guard

there, battering in the bank doors. Benito, fearing for the life of Tony, which if

anyone took should be taken by him, rushed upon the sergeant of the guard,

explaining with both lips and hands the remarkable accident which had

precipitated Tony into the bank.

The sergeant listened, though he did not believe, and when the doors had fallen

in, he commanded Tony to come out with his hands above his head. Then

followed an investigation which disclosed the looting of the safe, and the great

hole in the ceiling through which Tony had tumbled.

The bank president came while the sergeant and the landlord were in Billy's room

investigating. Bridge had followed them.

"It was the gringo," cried the excited Boniface. "This is his room. He has cut a

hole in my floor which I shall have to pay to have repaired."

A captain came next, sleepy-eyed and profane. When he heard what had

happened and that the wealth which he had been detailed to guard had been

taken while he slept, he tore his hair and promised that the sentry should be shot

at dawn.

By the time they had returned to the street all the male population of Cuivaca

was there and most of the female.

"One-thousand dollars," cried the bank president, "to the man who stops the thief

and returns to me what the villain has stolen."

A detachment of soldiers was in the saddle and passing the bank as the offer was

made.

Which way did he go?" asked the captain. "Did no one see him leave?"

Bridge was upon the point of saying that he had seen him and that he had ridden

north, when it occurred to him that a thousand dollars--even a thousand dollars

230

The Mucker