Even in their trepidation the completeness of

  "You fool us, too," grumbled Werner.   "To-morrow night at midnight we strike. Boss asleep, everybody asleep. Police asleep, too. Sure thing!"   "I be blowed!" Werner snarled to himself. "Here I been counting on a week or so to live--or make a getaway. Now I'm to be shot at midnight! A dog would get a fairer chance."   "At supper to-morrow tell the men," ordered Koppy. "Morani get dynamite. Werner take ten men and watch Mr. Conrad--perhaps a knife. Heppel tear up track and stop Police. Lomask take ten rifles back of boss's shack. Hoffman smash boss's speeder. One-Eye Sam take rock-hogs to trestle. Dimhoff cut wires."   Silence was over the group. Even in their trepidation the completeness of their leader's programme over-awed them. Werner alone, driven by his fears, forgot to await the formal dismissal that was the main feature of the ritual, and started away. Koppy waved him back angrily.   "One thing--remember!" He glared about on them.   "There's a hundred and one I'm trying to remember before I kick the bucket," murmured Werner. "But all I seem to get is a picture of a thousand bullets meanderin' about loose to-morrow night in the dark at midnight, and the worst of them's not going to be going away from us."   The leader closed the mouth of the fearful one with a look.   "Remember"--the grimness of Koppy's tone was a threat--"the girl's mine."   "First catch your fish," muttered Werner.   "All the others, kill. But the girl--must not--be hurt! Understand?"   "Not till you get your ugly paws on her!" said Werner with a significant leer.