"I think it's going to snow," observed Tad consulting the skies reflectively.
"Yes, the air is very chill," returned Ned Rector solemnly. "Shouldn't be surprised if some one perished in this outfit."
Stacy Brown looked from one to the other of his companions in disgust.
"Ho, ho! ho, ho!" he exploded. "Hard luck when a fellow's company is so thick that he has to laugh at his own jokes. Ho, ho, ho! Ha, ha, ha! It is to smile, but nobody smiles. You make me tired."
"As I have already observed, I think it is going to rain," said Tad.
"Must be getting warmer, then. A minute ago you said it was going to snow. It's my private opinion that you don't know what you think. Ned doesn't know any more. The professor is the only one in the outfit who has a sense of humor.Heknows when it's time to laugh. Ha, ha!"
Professor Zepplin was smiling broadly. Stacy's joke was just dawning upon the professor. But Tad's mind at that juncture was in another direction. The lad had raised his head in a listening attitude, his glance fixed keenly on the other side of the camp ground.
"Did you see something?" whispered Walter.
Tad shook his head.
"You heard something?"
"Never mind. Go on with the fun. Get Chunky to tell you when it is time to laugh."
About this time Stacy got up, still chuckling to himself, and started for a cup of water.
"Time to laugh. Ha, ha! What! Ha, ha; ho, h—-"
The fat boy paused abruptly. He was down on his knees about to dip up a cupful of water when chancing to raise his eyes he saw something that caused the word to die on his lips.
A man stood just on the other side of the stream, lounging against a tree, observing the fat boy with an amused smile.
"Oh, wow!" howled the fat boy, in such a tone of alarm that the rest of the outfit sprang up and ran toward him. "Wow! Look!"
At this juncture the stranger leaped the narrow stream and was standing beside Stacy facing toward the camp when the others came up.
"I suppose I should introduce myself before matters go any further," smiled the newcomer. "I know you, but you do not know me. You are the Pony Rider Boys. I am Captain Billy McKay of the Rangers."
Stacy uttered a shrill laugh, whereat the captain shot an inquiring glance at him.
"You—-you are—-are Captain McKay?" stammered Professor Zepplin.
"Yes. I had hoped to see you when you camped with Lieutenant Withem—-"
"Yes, we were with 'em," muttered Stacy. "And I guess we've got 'em now."
"Unfortunately I was called away on that occasion. I promised myself that I should look you up at the first opportunity. I got on your trail this afternoon and as you were going in my direction I considered this an excellent opportunity to make your acquaintance. So here I am."
"But—-but—-" stammered the professor.
Tad was smiling, the others gazing at the newcomer blankly.
"Well, sir, what is it? One would think you had seen a ghost," laughed the captain.
"But, sir, you are the second man who has introduced himself to us asCaptain McKay of the Ranger troop, to-day."
The captain's blue eyes twinkled.
"Indeed! Then I must have a double. I should like to meet him."
"You look like the real thing," observed Stacy.
"Thank you. Then the other man did not?"
"He did not—-to me," answered Tad Butler.
"How are we to know that you are the captain in person?" asked the professor suspiciously.
"I wear the badge and then here's my open countenance," answered theRanger with another hearty laugh.
"Professor, there can be no doubt that this is Captain McKay. I should know him now from the description given to me by Lieutenant Withem. Won't you join us? We have just about finished the grub, but there is more. I'll cook something for you," proposed Tad.
"I'll join you in a cup of coffee, thank you," replied Captain McKay.
"Lucky for him that Ned didn't make the coffee for supper," mutteredStacy, but so low that the captain did not hear the remark.
Captain McKay, the real Captain McKay this time, was almost boyish in appearance. He was of about the same build as the other man who had declared himself to be the captain, but the real captain had light hair and laughing blue eyes, as opposed to the dark hair and eyes of the other man. The captain's skin was fair. It seemed not to have suffered from exposure to the sun and storm of the plains.
Tad led the way to the camp, followed by the visitor and the rest of the Pony Rider outfit.
"Most remarkable, most remarkable," muttered the professor, taking keen sidelong glances at Captain McKay.
"You are Butler, aren't you?" called the captain.
"Yes, sir," answered Tad, glancing back.
"I knew you the instant I set eyes on you. You're a sharp young man.You discovered me before I got into your camp."
"Discovered you?" exclaimed the professor.
"Yes. He heard me. I stepped on a stick that bent down under my foot. The stick didn't snap and how that young scout ever caught the faint sound is more than I can explain."
"So, that was what you were looking at?" laughed Ned.
"Tad's got ears in the back of his head," added Stacy.
"I observe that all of you have pretty keen senses," smiled the Ranger captain. "Something smells good."
"It's the coffee that Tad's making for you," answered the fat boy solemnly. "How's the going?"
"Pretty fair. How is it with you?" returned the captain.
"So, so," answered Stacy carelessly. "You heard about my getting shot, didn't you?"
"Oh, yes, I heard all about it."
"I got wounded in the fracas, I did. I'm going to France one of these days to fight the Huns. Then I suppose I shall get shotted up some more. You take it from me, though, I'll put some of those savages on the run before they get me," declared Chunky belligerently.
"Perhaps you will explain why your men ran away from us the other night, sir?" spoke up Walter.
"They were called away. I guess the 'possum hunt was too much for them," answered the Ranger with twinkling eyes. "You rather put it over my boys, young man," he said nodding at Stacy, whose face flushed a rosy red.
"What's that?" demanded the professor.
"Drove them out of their tent by unloading a bag of fleas on them. Ha, ha, ha! I guess you got revenge on them, young man. By the way, you're Brown, aren't you?"
"I was done brown down there in the bush that night. Mosquitoes were worse than a volley of rifle bullets."
"But—-I don't understand," protested the professor.
Captain McKay laughingly explained. He told them how the Rangers had been so pestered by the fleas and other insects that Stacy had captured in the 'possum bag that the men were forced to get up and walk all the rest of the night, until a messenger had come from their commander, ordering them to go on a hurry scout some forty miles from where they were camped.
The Pony Rider Boys laughed uproariously at this. Once more they sat down with a captain, but the same thought was in the mind of each—-who was the first man who had passed as Captain McKay? McKay himself did not appear to be over curious as to this. However, after the meal was finished he turned to the professor.
"Now tell me about my double," he said.
"I don't know what to tell you except that he was about your age and build, dark hair and dark eyes, a very pleasant gentleman, I should say."
"Did behave a scar on his left ear lobe?"
"I must say that I did not notice."
"Yes, he had," spoke up Tad. "It looked as if he had been shot there."
"Exactly, young man. You are very keen. I put a bullet through that ear myself, more than a year ago. I suppose you do not know who the gentleman is whom you entertained?"
"No, sir," chorused the boys.
"That, my friends, was the infamous Willie Jones, one of the most desperate characters on the Texas border."
Exclamations of amazement greeted the announcement of the Ranger captain.
"Willie Jones!" gasped the professor.
"That is the man. You see what a sharp fellow he is. I suppose he pumped you gentlemen pretty thoroughly?"
"I guess he learned all he wanted to know," replied Tad, flushing. "I don't recall much of anything that he missed."
Professor Zepplin wiped the perspiration from his forehead.
"This is most disturbing, sir. I see now that Tad was right. He counseled caution. I gave no heed to his words of warning."
"Master Tad is a very shrewd young man, Professor. I guess I shall have to take him in with us."
"Impossible! Impossible!"
"Why impossible?"
"I could not permit it."
"Let me tell you something. Willie Jones now knows all about the part you and your young men have played in capturing Dunk Tucker. He knows that it was your party that drove off his men when they were trying to get Lieutenant Withem. Do you think Willie will overlook that? Not Willie! Willie will be on your trail from now on. He will watch his opportunity and when he thinks he is safe from the Rangers he will strike—-he or his men. Then you young men will need to be resourceful, indeed, if you get off with whole skins."
"Oh, wow!" groaned Stacy. "I'll get it! I'll stop some more bullets.I'm the mark for all the lead that's flying around in these parts, I am!"
"I am of the opinion that we had better leave the border then," declared the professor.
"Oh, don't do that, don't do that," begged the boys. "We never ran away yet. Let's not do it now. We have taken care of ourselves before this and we can do so again."
"Of course I do not wish to influence you. It is for you, Professor, to do what seems best to you. If you decide to remain I think I shall be able to protect you."
"What would you suggest, sir?"
"I was about to ask if you look to spend most of your time in the mountains here?"
"That was our intention, later journeying down to the Rio Grande."
Captain McKay nodded reflectively.
"That will suit my plans very well. I have come to the conclusion, from certain things that have come under my notice, that the headquarters of this band of Border Bandits is here in the Guadalupes. Search as we might we have been unable to locate their cache."
"You mean where they hide?"
"Yes, that and something else. You see their plan of operation is this. These men indulge in various forms of rascality. In the first place they steal stock when possible. This they drive over the border and exchange for Mexican goods, which they smuggle across the river and store away until such time as they are able to dispose of it. Of course there are some people higher up who are receiving and disposing of these goods. We are on their track, but we haven't sufficient evidence to convict any of them. The first thing to be done is to capture Jones and his band. When they are safely behind the bars the traffic will stop short. Perhaps when we get them all in limbo one or another of the newer ones will confess. That will make our work easier. In fact it is what we are depending upon at the present time."
"I understand. But will there not be danger in our remaining here?"
"Perhaps. There's always more or less danger, and Jones will never let up on you until either he gets you or we get him."
"I think I understand," nodded Tad. "You think we shall be able to assist you?"
"Exactly."
"Will you please explain?" begged Professor Zepplin.
"You can help us a great deal, by remaining here. It is safe to suppose that the band will devote no little effort toward getting even with you. That means that they are quite likely to hover about in your vicinity. That will narrow down our field of operations considerably. We shan't be faraway from you at any stage of the game; in fact, I think it might be well to have two or three of our men in your party all the time. Do you understand?"
"I begin to," nodded the professor.
"That will be fine," answered Tad with glowing face.
"Then we will be Rangers, too," exclaimed Walter.
"Yes, you will be Rangers, too," laughed the captain. "You are pretty good rangers already. By assisting in rounding up these men you will be serving your country, for, if we can put these Border Bandits out of business, we shall be destroying some of the Kaiser's worst trouble makers on the border."
"And get shot full of holes," added the fat boy.
"That will do you good. It will give you an appetite," jeered Rector.
"He doesn't need a tonic," spoke up Tad. "His appetite is quite enough for this outfit now. It's all we can do to keep enough supplies to keep him going. My, it's an awful thing to have such an appetite."
"Well, Professor, what do you say?"
"I am agreeable, if the boys are."
"Hurrah!" shouted the Pony Rider Boys.
"Of course, with the understanding, Captain, that you will see that we are properly protected?"
"You shall be. Of course there may be occasions when you will be going on alone. You will expect that. Generally we shall be somewhere in the vicinity. When we are all away it will mean that your enemies are also away."
"The man Tucker is safe behind the bars, is he not?"
"He was at last accounts," smiled the captain. "I am sorry Jones knows what happened to Dunk. I had hoped to keep him in ignorance of that until we had rounded up the rest of the gang. However, what's done cannot be undone."
"Where is your horse?" asked Tad.
"A little way down the creek. He's all right. Don't worry about him."
"By the way, when shall we see your men?" asked the professor.
"You should see some of them soon now. They know where I am, and a half dozen or so will be riding this way before morning, I think."
"You will remain with us to-night, of course?" urged Tad.
"If you insist," smiled the Ranger captain.
"Certainly we insist," emphasized the professor.
"Of course we do," added Chunky. "Maybe if there are any bullets flying about you will stop them instead of my doing it. I'm tired of stopping bullets. It hurts."
"Having stopped a few in my time I think I know all about it, young man."
They could not believe that this sunny-tempered, soft-spoken young fellow was the most dreaded of all the officers of the law who hunted down the desperadoes of the border. It was also difficult to believe that Captain McKay was a marked man who had been condemned to death by these same desperate characters. Something of the resourcefulness of the man was shown to the boys in a most marked manner later in the evening.
All hands had been sitting about the fire, the boys trying to draw out Captain McKay to tell of his experiences, which the Ranger was loth to do. What experiences he did tell them were such as chiefly concerned others than himself. According to his version Captain McKay had played a most inconspicuous part in the splendid work of the Texas Rangers. Not once did he refer to the fact that he was the terror of every evil-doer in the State of Texas.
Finally it came time to turn in for the night. The captain lazily rose and stretched himself. The others were still seated, but were preparing to rise and prepare for bed when the interruption came.
A flash and a report from the bushes toward which the Ranger's back was turned caused every one of the boys to jump. Tad had his wits about him.
"Down!" he commanded.
"Oh, wow! There it goes again," moaned Stacy. "They're shooting at me again!"
Professor Zepplin had rolled into a depression in the ground, thus concealing his body from the unseen shooter. But in the meantime Captain. McKay had not been inactive. It seemed as if the bullet that had been fired at him from the bushes had barely shrieked past his ear, when the captain wheeled. His revolver—-two of them—-had appeared in his hands as if by magic.
Bang, bang! crashed the captain's weapons as he whirled. A yell sounded off there. Captain McKay dashed toward the spot, followed by Tad on the jump.
"Stay back!" shouted the Ranger, but Tad did not obey. He proposed to have a share in whatever trouble was before the brave Ranger captain. Chunky had taken to the bush. The others were lying flat on the ground.
As the captain ran he let go two more shots. This time there was no answering yell from the bushes. But he distinctly heard a crashing in there and drove in two more shots. He charged the bushes utterly regardless of the peril to himself, with Tad Butler close behind him. Tad had his revolver in hand, but he was cool headed enough not to indulge in any indiscriminate firing.
It was evident that either more than one man had been in the attacking party or else one who had been wounded had not been badly enough hurt to prevent his getting away. Not a sign of a human being was the Ranger able to find, though his keen eyes soon picked up the trail. He followed it a short distance, finally having reached soft ground, getting down on his knees and examining it critically.
When he looked up he found Tad standing over him.
"I thought I told you to stay back, young man?" he said sharply.
"I don't like to stay back when there's anything going on. What do you find?"
"There were two of them. Here's where they mounted their ponies. I wish I knew who they are. You see those fellows are watching."
"Watching you?"
"No. They came here to clean out the Pony Rider Boys, I reckon," laughed the Ranger. "They didn't expect to find me here. But when they saw me they couldn't let the opportunity go without taking a pot shot at me. I moved—-I stretched—-just at the right second, or I'd have been a dead man before now."
"The cowards!" breathed Tad, his eyes glowing angrily.
"Oh, yes, they're all of that. They shoot when the other fellow isn't looking, and they shoot to kill. But we might as well go back. I could follow them, but it hardly is worth while. They will be hidden long before we can run them down. They'll leave a blind trail pretty soon after they get far enough away to make it safe for them to stop and cover their tracks."
"But, will they not come back again?" urged Butler.
"Not to-night. They know I am on my guard now. They will put off their attack on you until some other time. Lucky I chanced to be here when they first came. I hope they don't take the alarm and keep away from you now."
Butler grinned. He hoped so too, though the others of his party might not share this hope with him, especially Professor Zepplin who was getting rather more excitement out of this journey than he had looked for.
By the time the two had returned to the campfire the others had mustered courage enough to stand up. The professor, his whiskers bristling, had crawled from the depression into which he had rolled at the first sign of trouble, and Chunky was making his way cautiously from the bushes.
"Captain McKay, how much of this sort of thing shall we have to face?" demanded the professor.
"You might have had to face a good deal more of it, had I not been here," answered the Ranger shortly.
"What do you mean?"
"That had I not been here you would have got the bullets fired at me.As I have already said to Butler, those men were after your party.When they saw me they knew they would not dare to waste a shot on anyone else."
"While they were shooting you up, they knew my arsenal would get into action. They figured on killing me the first shot. But they didn't," added the captain with a mirthless grin.
"I don't like this at all," declared Professor Zepplin with a slow shake of the head.
"Neither do I," agreed Chunky. "I'd as soon be shot to death as scared to death. I'll bet my hair is turning gray already. Oh, wow!"
"All hands, turn in," commanded the Ranger briskly. "I will stand watch over the camp for the rest of the night, though you will not be disturbed."
Confident in the watchfulness of Captain McKay the Pony Rider Boys slept soundly all through that night. Even Chunky forgot to talk in his sleep, thus saving himself from sundry digs in the ribs from his companions.
But when the morning came again the lads were treated to still another surprise. Captain McKay was sleeping in front of their tent door, rolled in his blanket, using one arm for a pillow. Still further out lay three other men, with one sitting up. The latter was none other than Dippy Orell, one of the Rangers. A second glance showed the boys that the other three men were also of the Ranger band.
"Hullo, Bugs," greeted Dippy upon catching sight of the fat boy.
"Hullo. You here?" demanded Stacy.
"I'm here, what's left of me."
"Bring any 'possum for breakfast?" grinned Chunky.
"No, but I've a rod in pickle for you."
"All right. Keep it in pickle for yourself. I don't like sour stuff."
"Hey, there, Bugs!" greeted another Ranger sitting up.
"My name's Brown," Stacy informed him with dignity. "When did you come in?"
"We blew in with the dawn," answered Dippy.
"And we're going to blow out with the sun," added Polly Perkins.
"Say, Kid," growled Cad Morgan, rubbing his eyes sleepily as he sat up blinking.
"His name is Bugs," interrupted Dippy.
"All right. Say, Bugs, I've got some news for you."
"I don't care about any news you've got to give out It's probably got a bullet in it somewhere. I'm sick of bullets. What I need is a little rest from chunks of lead. I'm coming down with nervous prostration as it is. Everything seems to happen around me. No matter what I do, I always get the worst of it. Why, that reminds me—-"
"Is Chunky going to tell a story?" cried Ned, stepping over the sleeping captain as he came out.
"It sounds that way," laughed Tad. "Go on the Rangers are here to protect us if you tell another watch story. I reckon they'll arrest you if you try anything like that on them."
"As I was saying that reminds me of a couple of years ago when my uncle bought a lawn mower because the grass was getting so long in our front yard that the cats couldn't chew it—-"
"Cats chew it?" jeered Dippy.
"Yes, before a rainstorm. They always do."
"Go on, go on. I'm pretty tough," urged Polly. "But don't drive me too far or I'll buck."
"As I was about to say—-"
"You said that once before."
"I offered to run the lawn mower. Uncle thought that was fine. You see work and I never had hitched very well together. But I thought that would be some fun. So I started in mowing the yard the next morning," finished Chunky thoughtfully.
"Well, what happened?"
"Would you believe it, be—-before I'd been at work half an hour, the town constable came up and arrested me for exceeding the speed limit. Now—-now wasn't that hard luck?"
The Rangers gazed at each other hopelessly. No one laughed, thoughWalter Perkins was heard to chuckle under his breath.
"If it might be proper, I reckon I'd like to ask what being arrested for exceeding the speed limit has got to do with catching bugs in a 'possum bag?" demanded Dippy Orell.
"Why—-why—-the—-the constable came up in a buggy, don't you see? Ha, ha. Don't laugh. It might hurt your countenance. I'm used to laughing at my own jokes and—-"
"Hee—-haw, hee—-haw!" wheezed Polly in imitation of a donkey. "What'd we better do with him, fellows?"
"I reckon I'd better tell him the news I was going to," answered Morgan.
"I reckon that'll take the starch out of him right smart," nodded Polly.
"Dunk Tucker has got away, Bugs."
"Em" Chunky was interested at once.
"Don't make me say it so many times. It hurts me. I said that DunkTucker has got away. He 'busted' out of the calaboose over at ElPaso some time yesterday morning and he's on the warpath."
"G—-g—-g—-got away?" gasped Chunky.
"Yep, and he's heading in this direction to get even with you fellows for taking him up. What d'ye think of that, Bugs?"
"Oh, help!" groaned the fat boy.
"Is this right?" questioned Tad. "Has Tucker really escaped?"
The Rangers nodded.
"That's what we're here for, to catch him up when he makes connections with his crowd again. I reckon he'll be on the trail of this outfit, first of all, before he joins out with his own outfit. He'll never rest till he puts a bunk of cold lead under the skins of the fellows who got him."
"This is where I—-I get shot again," wailed Stacy. "I knew it. I knew something else would come along to spoil all my fun!"
"No use trying to sleep in this bedlam," cried Captain McKay springing to his feet. "Saddle up. I want to make the Ten-Mile cross-trail before noon. We'll find two men waiting there for orders. Professor, can you get under way at once?"
"Of course we can," answered Tad for the professor.
"Don't we get any breakfast?" cried Chunky.
"Yes, but you'll eat it cold this morning."
"Oh, pooh!"
"If you are going to be a Ranger you must be willing to take a Ranger's fare," smiled the captain.
"I haven't said I wanted to be a Ranger. I don't. I want to be a peaceful citizen."
"With four square meals a day and a whole pie thrown in," suggested Tad.
"Something like that," smiled Stacy.
The tent was already coming down. The Pony Rider Boys showed the Rangers that they were used to quick work. Twenty minutes later the boys were ready. The Rangers had watched their preparations with interest.
"Good work," said Captain McKay approvingly.
"Anybody'd think you had traveled with a one-hoss circus," grinnedDippy.
"We've got some of the animals left yet," laughed Tad.
"The Fattest Boy on Earth and—-" began Polly when Chunky shied a tent stake at the head of the Ranger, thus sharply ending the discussion. A few moments later they were on their way. The boys had to ride rather fast to keep up with their escort, for the Rangers were rapid riders under all circumstances. A great deal of their success was due to their ability to cover long distances between daylight and dawn or sunrise and sunset, appearing in localities where they were not in the least expected. In this way they had been enabled to make many important captures. But the riders did not move so rapidly in this instance that they were not able to poke fun at the fat boy. Stacy was the butt of almost every joke.
To all of this Stacy Brown did not give very much heed. He was planning how he could turn the tables on the Rangers again, amusing himself with whistling, making queer noises in his throat, trying to imitate birds that he passed.
But all at once there came a sudden end to his practice. Stacy's pony suddenly leaped to one side, planting its front feet firmly on the ground and arching its back like an angry cat at bay. Stacy did a beautiful curve in the air, landing on his shoulders on the hard ground. He had a narrow escape from breaking his neck.
The Rangers howled. They were still bowling when Stacy, getting his breath back, sat up, bunching his shoulders to get the kink out of them, and rubbing himself gingerly. The pony stood looking at its young master sheepishly.
"What's the trouble, Stacy?" cried Tad riding back.
"I—-I fell off."
"I know you did. There couldn't be any mistake about that, but what caused him to throw you?"
"I—-I don't know."
"That pony was frightened at something. What was it?" demanded the captain of Cad Morgan.
"I'm blest if I know, Captain. There wasn't anything that I saw."
"Take a scout around through the brush, you and Polly. There may be some one taking a parallel trail."
"Yes, there may be some German raiders hiding out there in the bush, laying for us. We ought to have some bombs. They would clean those fellows out in short order," declared Stacy.
The two men trotted from the line and disappeared among the trees, while the fat boy got back in his saddle, somewhat more sad, but no wiser than before. But he was thinking a great deal.
"He must have got scared at some of my imitations," decided the lad."I don't blame him."
"But which one was it? I'll see if I can do them again."
Letting his horse drop back a few rods behind the others, Chunky went over his list of accomplishments in the imitation line, trying each one cautiously, keeping a watchful eye on the ears of the pony.
All at once the eyes of the fat boy lighted up. Something struck him as funny. He laughed aloud.
"Chunky's got them again," chuckled Ned Rector.
Stacy waited until all hands were looking ahead when he tried the imitation that he believed had caused his mount to halt. His success was instantaneous. The pony leaped clear of the ground, coming down with a jolt that made the boy's head ache.
"What's the matter with that horse?" called Captain McKay.
"Guess he's feeling his oats," flung back Chunky. The boy hugged himself delightedly. What he had done was to give a trilling tongue movement accompanied by a hiss. It was a perfect imitation of the trilling hiss of the rattlesnake. When Stacy had first given the imitation he did not realize what he was doing. He had fooled his pony. The Pony Rider Boy was delighted. He tried it again with equal success, though this time he was thrown forward on the neck of his mount. This jolt nearly broke Stacy Brown in two.
"That was the blow that near killed papa," grinned the lad. "I never knew I could do that. I reckon. I'll be having some fun with this outfit. Yes, I'll try it on right now."
Stacy spurred his pony close up to the leaders. The lad's face was solemn, but it shone like an Eskimo's after a full meal of blubber. Ned Rector was next ahead of the fat boy. Chunky pretended not to see Rector. Riding close up to him, the fat boy softly gave his rattlesnake imitation.
Ned Rector made a high dive, landing head first in a thicket of mesquite brush, while his pony was left kicking and bucking on the trail. Stacy was having more trouble with his own pony.
"Whoa, there, you fool! Whoa! What's got into this beastly pinto?" howled the fat boy.
"That's what I'd like to know too," snapped the captain, wheeling his horse, giving the fat boy a quick, sharp glance.
Ned, having picked himself out of the mesquite bush, was limping back.
"You hit him, Stacy Brown!" shouted Rector.
"I never touched him. What's the matter with you?" protested Chunky indignantly.
"No quarreling, boys," warned the professor.
"Well, he doesn't want to be poking my pony!"
"Well, he doesn't want to be accusing me of poking his old bundle of bones."
"Pretty lively critter for a bundle of bones, I should say," answered the captain grimly.
"Nobody trailing," announced the scouts returning a few minutes later. The captain may have had a suspicion, but if so he kept it to himself, making no reply to the report of his two scouts.
For reasons best known to himself Stacy did not give his rattlesnake imitation again. But every little while a broad grin would grow on his countenance, which the fat boy would suppress as quickly as possible.
"This is too good a thing to be nipped in the bud," he muttered. "No, sir, I don't give my secrets away yet awhile. Mebby I never shall."
Stacy well knew that swift punishment would be meted out to him if the others caught him at his new trick, so the fat boy kept silent, looking the picture of innocence.
The Ten-Mile cross trail was made about half past one o'clock in the afternoon. Walter Perkins entered the camp on his head, Tad Butler hanging to the mane of his bucking pony, both feet out of the stirrups, Stacy Brown making desperate efforts to quiet his own mount.
The ponies had heard the soft hiss of a rattlesnake, but the ears of Rangers and Pony Riders had failed to catch the sound. Perhaps it was the yell that the fat boy had uttered instantly after giving the imitation that had too suddenly attracted the attention of the party.
"What's the matter with those fool cayuses?" shouted Dippy Orell."What—-"
Dippy did not finish his remark. He landed on his back thoroughly shaken down. He was up with a roar, starting for the pony with blood in his eye.
"That'll do, Dippy!" commanded the leader sternly. "If you'd been riding as you should have, you never would have fallen off. Now you're off, stay off." The captain uttered a bird-call which was answered in kind. The boys understood at once that the Rangers were exchanging signals. A few moments later, a bronzed, weather-beaten Ranger rode into camp. He held a few moments' conversation with the captain, after which he rode away.
"Anything doing, Cap?" asked Morgan.
The leader shook his head.
"Something may turn our way to-night. Joe has been detained. I don't know what is keeping him. But we'll wait here till he comes in. Professor, it is possible that we may have to make a hard night ride to-night. Do you wish to go along?"
"Of course we do!" shouted the boys. "We don't want to miss a single thing."
"No, we don't want to miss a thing," agreed Chunky solemnly. "I see I've been missing a great deal lately. I don't propose to miss another thing as long as I'm out on this cruise."
"He thinks he's on a canal boat," jeered Dippy.
"Maybe if I do it's because we've got some mules to pull it," retortedStacy.
"Ouch! But that one landed below the belt!" exclaimed Dippy.
"Our fat friend has a sharp tongue," observed Polly.
"I guess we'll have to file it. Might hurt himself on it if he happened to stumble over a root and fall," added Cad Morgan.
"Chunky, are you going to get busy and help settle this camp?" demandedTad.
"I don't have to work. I'm a guest of the management," answered Stacy.
"The management disowns you. You're out in the cold world," laughedButler.
"All right. That's good. Then I don't have to work."
"No, he doesn't have to work," agreed the professor. "Nor does he have to eat. No work, no eat, is the motto of this outfit."
Chunky got busy at once. Captain McKay had little to say. He was very thoughtful, evidently perplexed by some word that his scout had brought him. The other men made no further effort to learn what was disturbing their chief. They knew he would tell them if he wanted them to know. At McKay's suggestion, nothing was unpacked save the stuff necessary for their meal. Of course all the packs were removed from the ponies to give the little animals a rest. The ponies apparently had ceased from their tantrums and were as docile as if they had never known what it was to buck off a rider.
Polly was getting the dinner while Tad and Ned were starting and keeping up the fire. The others occupied themselves with various duties about the camp, all save the captain who sat on a rock some little distance from the scene of operations.
Suddenly Captain McKay leaped from the rock, taking a long spring away from it, at the same time drawing a revolver and whirling. Chunky, who was passing at the time, was bowled over by the captain's sudden spring.
"Look out for the rattler!" commanded the Ranger sharply.
"Oh, wow!" howled Chunky springing back apparently in great terror. "Snake, snake!" he cried waving his arms to the others near the campfire. "Look out for the snake!"
McKay saw no snake to shoot at. Deciding that the reptile must have squirmed away, the captain, his face wearing a sheepish smile, shoved his weapons back into their holsters and strode back to the camp, where Stacy had preceded him.
There were no further indications of the presence of rattlers, and in a few moments the adventure was wholly forgotten. Shortly after dinner the captain sent his men out on a long scouting expedition, himself riding from the camp, taking Tad Butler with him. Tad was proud to be thus singled out. While they were on their ride, some twelve miles to the southward, the Ranger captain taught the northern lad many things about trailing human beings. This was all new to Tad. He listened with rapt attention, though he hoped it never might fall to his lot to have to trail men for a livelihood. The captain also told him many things about the bad men of the Texas border in the old days. Captain McKay was a lad then, but he was out with his father much of the time, the father also having been a Ranger, having been killed in a battle with a desperado whom he had been sent to capture. Captain McKay's two brothers had shared a similar fate. Now there remained only Captain Billy.
"And I expect one of them will get me one of these days," he concluded steadily.
"Why not stop then before they do get you?" questioned Tad.
"A fellow's got to die some time, hasn't he?"
"I suppose so."
"And he won't die till his time comes, will he?"
"I couldn't say as to that, sir. I guess we are not supposed to know about those things here on earth."
"No, a fellow doesn't go till his time's come," answered the Ranger with emphasis. "So what's the use in dodging? Why, if my time had come and I had quit and gone to the city to live I'd most likely be run over by a trolley car or something of that nature. I'd a sight rather die in a gun fight with a real man than to get bucked over by a hunk of wood and iron and lightning, called a trolley car. No, I'll take my medicine, as I always have and—-But let's go back."
"Still it is no worse than fighting the Germans," observed Tad. "I have wondered why you have not enlisted and gone to France, you and your men? What splendid fighters you would make."
"Every man of them wants to go—-I want to go. I can hardly hold myself down, Kid. Every one of us has offered his services, but the government would not hear to it. Because of the activity of the Kaiser's agents in Mexico and on the border, Uncle Sam decided that we could best serve him right here on the border, and here we are," answered the Ranger thoughtfully.
"Have you found what you came out here for?" asked Butler.
"Surely I have," smiled the captain. "Haven't you?"
"I haven't found much of anything unless you mean that a couple of horsemen crossed back there some few hours ago."
"How'd you know that?" exploded the captain.
"I saw the trail they left."
"Shake!" cried the captain leaning from his saddle. "You're the alfiredest sharp youngster I've ever come up with. Oh, it's too bad that you have to waste your talents in a city! Too bad, too bad! You ought to be out here on the plains and in the mountains where one's manhood counts for something."
"Did you come out to pick up that trail, sir?"
"That's what I came for, my boy. I reckoned those two fellows who got after us in camp last night would take this trail and head for the lower end of the mountain range. That's what they've done. This trail proves that. Of course they may get sidetracked, but that's their idea up to this point. I think we are safe in following our original plans now."
Captain Billy did not say what those plans were, nor did Tad ask him. They now turned about and started toward home at a slow jog trot, riding side by side where the trail permitted and in single file where it did not.
On the way back the captain asked Tad many questions about himself, the members of his party and their experiences during their various journeyings into the wilder parts of their native land.
"Ever think of joining the army yourself, Tad?" questioned the Ranger.
"Have I? I am thinking of it most of the time. Oh how I wish I were old enough. I know I could give my country good services now."
"You bet you could, Kid. You would make a wonderful scout over there," declared the captain, nodding.
"Some day, if the war lasts, I shall go," asserted Tad in a low voice, tense with emotion.
Billy said he had been East to Chicago once, where he had been robbed of everything he had on except his clothes.
"Funny, isn't it? I'd like to see a fellow go through me out here in my native pastures. But back there in the city—-" Billy shook his head. The subject was too great for words.
They found the camp quiet and in order. The three boys and the professor had been sleeping a good part of the afternoon, and without having put out a guard, either. The captain shook his head, glancing significantly at Tad as he heard this. In fact the two had to shout to awaken the party. Then to learn that they had been sleeping all day—-well, there was nothing to be said.
"Do we move to-night, sir?" asked the professor.
"Can't tell you. Not until I hear the reports of my men, and the messenger or scout whom I looked for to meet us here at noon. Seen. anything of that rattler around these diggings, Professor?"
"No, we haven't seen any rattler."
"We don't want to see any rattler," piped Chunky. "I'd snip his head off with my pistol if I caught sight of him."
"Yes, you would!" grinned Tad.
"You'd have to learn to shoot first," scoffed Rector.
"Perhaps Captain McKay will give us some lessons in revolver shooting," suggested Tad.
"From what I hear I guess you boys are pretty handy with both rifle and pistol as it is. However, if there are any drawing or sighting tricks I can show you I'll be glad to do so."
"Thank you. If we are where it is safe we will ask you to make good that promise to-morrow," declared Tad Butler.
While they were preparing the supper that night the Rangers whom the captain had sent out on a scouting expedition rode into camp, tired and gloomy. It was a personal and keen disappointment to every man of them that some ruffian hadn't shot at him once during the ride. Not once had the Rangers' weapons been out of their holsters. Whatever their mission the men merely shook their heads in reply to a questioning glance from their commander. That was all. No words were wasted in explanations. The captain knew that his men had done their work thoroughly. No explanations were necessary. This perfect confidence and understanding between commander and men was not lost on Tad Butler. It was an object lesson that made a deep impression on him.
The men had returned with sharp edges on their appetites, but they ate in silence. Stacy had little to say at dinner. He was observing the Rangers with wide eyes, stuffing his cheeks with food and listening while the professor, Tad Butler and Captain McKay discussed a variety of subjects.
"I don't understand why Joe hasn't come in, boys," said the captain finally. "He had passed Tonka Gulch at four o'clock this afternoon. He should have arrived here a long time ago."
The men nodded.
"Perhaps he's come up with Withem," suggested Cad Morgan.
"I don't think so. The lieutenant isn't due there until some time to-morrow. He will have to finish investigating the El Paso end before he can come along and join up with us."
Tad wondered how the captain knew that his scout had reached a certain point in the mountains when none had seen him or heard from him. But there were many mysteries connected with the work of these brave men. They worked in mysterious ways that added to the awe in which they were held by those whose ways were dark.
The night was warm and soon after supper the Rangers threw themselves down on the ground wrapped in their blankets. In view of the fact that the whole party might be called out all turned in early. The men had barely closed their eyes when suddenly there sounded the menacing hiss of a rattler right among them.
"Look out!" yelled Polly, jumping up.
"What is it?" cried half a dozen voices, as their owners sprang up with drawn weapons.
"There's a rattler in camp. Get a torch, somebody!"
Tad, who had snatched an ember from the dying campfire, was poking about cautiously, the torch in one hand, a club in the other ready to dispatch the reptile on sight. The Ranger who had been on guard duty hurried in upon hearing the uproar. He said he had heard a snake just after leaving the camp. The men jeered when they saw Stacy half way up a small tree, peering down at them with scared eyes.
"Afraid of the snake, eh, Bugs?"
"No, I'm not afraid of any snake. I just thought I'd get out of your way so you could work better."
The men jeered again. Morgan stepped over and gave the tree a shake, whereat the fat boy came sliding down to the ground. The search for the reptile was a fruitless one. After a time the Rangers turned in again. They had not been rolled in their blankets more than five minutes when that same fearsome, trilling hiss smote their ears again. This time the men were mad. They declared they'd find the "pizen critter" before ever they turned in again.
"Pile on some wood. We've got to have light here," ordered the captain."Where was he?"
"That's what we're trying to find out, Captain. It isn't any easy matter to locate a sound like that. The critter may be 'most anywhere."
"Have—-have you looked in your pockets?" stammered Stacy.
"Yes, maybe he's crawled in your clothes to get warm," grinned Tad.
"Oh, close up!" growled a tired Ranger.
"I was just trying to help you," answered Chunky indignantly. "You needn't get mad about it."
"No, don't grouch," laughed the captain. "We are losing too much time as it is. Better roll in your blankets and go to sleep. The fire will drive the fellow away."
Some of the men tried to sleep standing, leaning against trees. Others took the chance and rolled in their blankets. But there was little rest in the camp that night. About the time the men had settled down, they would be awakened to their surroundings by that same trilling hiss. It was beginning to get on the nerves of the Rangers. They were getting mad. The Pony Rider Boys felt a sense of discomfort too, though none showed any nervousness. It was not the first time the young explorers had passed through such an experience. Just the same they would have preferred to be in some other locality just then.
Finally Stacy went to sleep. When he woke up with a start, he tried to recall what had been going on when he dropped off. Then he remembered. He had been indulging in his famous imitation of an angry serpent. Had any of the men been awake at the moment he might have seen the fat boy's blanket shaking as if the boy were sobbing. But Stacy Brown was not sobbing.
It was some moments before he had subdued his merriment sufficiently to hiss again. The hiss was unheard. Stacy opened his eyes as he saw the captain striding into camp. He saw McKay awaken the Rangers, then start to arouse the Pony Rider Boys. In his wonderment at the proceeding Stacy forgot to hiss again for some time.
"Saddle up," commanded the captain sharply, but in a low tone.
The camp, so silent a few moments before, was now a scene of orderly activity. Every man in it was packing his pony and in less than ten minutes after the alarm had been given the men were in their saddles. The Pony Rider Boys were full of anticipation. It looked to them as if something were going to develop that was worth while.
Starting off in single file the men dozed in their saddles, but the Pony Rider Boys did not. The latter were too much excited for sleep. All at once that trilling hiss came again. Two dozing Rangers landed on their backs in the bush. The party was in an uproar, but as suddenly quieted by a stern word from the captain. The latter wondered at their being followed by a rattler. It was peculiar to say the least.
Stacy hissed again. Then the boy shivered, for a heavy hand was laid on his arm, closing over it until the fat boy yelled.
"Ouch! Let go of my arm!" he cried.
"Young man, I think I've got the rattler this time," said the stern voice of Captain Billy McKay, as the fat boy fairly shrank within himself.
"What's that?" roared Dippy.
"Here's your rattler. I've been suspecting him ever since early in the evening. This young man has been imitating a rattler's hiss and I must say he did it mighty well."
"What's that? 'Bugs' been causing us all this trouble?" demanded Dippy."Let me at him! Let me at him!"
"Here, take him, but don't make too much noise about it," grinned theRanger captain. "And don't be too rough about it, either."
Dippy had Stacy by the collar. With a powerful hand he jerked the fat boy across his saddle and such a spanking as Stacy Brown got that night he had not had since he was considerably younger. The other Rangers clamored for a chance at him, but after Dippy had finished the captain decided that the fat boy had had enough. There was stern business on hand. Still McKay thought a lesson might not come amiss at that time, so he had permitted the little diversion.
Growling and threatening, Stacy was dropped back into his saddle.
"Remember, we haven't had our turn yet," warned Cad Morgan. "Remember, you've spoiled a few hours of sleep for us fellows."
"Yes and re—-re—-remember you made me stand in the mesquite bush for three hours waiting for the 'possum to jump into the bag," reminded Stacy. "I guess we are about even now. But, if you want some more trouble, I'll think some up for you. If I can't think it out alone Tad will help me."
"I don't believe you need any assistance," laughed the captain. "No more disturbance now. Gentlemen, I am going to divide up our party. The time has arrived for me to tell you my plans. I have received information from one of my scouts that some half dozen of the men we want are heading for a point yonder in the mountains. They are to rendezvous at a place about three miles from here where they are to meet others of their outfit. It is my intention to surround them. One of my men is now on their trail, following them as closely as possible. There may be some shooting. If any of you wish to stay back you may go into camp right here and we will pick you up later."
"No, no! Take us along," begged the boys. "We don't want to be left behind. How about you, Chunky?" called Tad.
"No, I don't want to be left. I—-I guess I'd be afraid to stay here all alone."
The captain quickly disposed of his forces, directing Tad Butler to come with him. Upon. second thought he decided to take Stacy along also, perhaps believing that it would be safer to have the fat boy under his own eyes, as there was no telling what Chunky might otherwise do.
The party broke up, leaving the spot in twos, after having received their orders, but in each case the Pony Rider Boys were accompanied by one or more of the regulars.
In a few minutes all had left the place, except McKay, Tad and Stacy.These waited for the better part of half an hour.
"Now forward and no loud talking, boys," the captain directed, touchinghis pony's sides with the spurs. "Be ready to obey orders quickly.And, Brown, no more imitations on your part. This is serious business.A slip and you're likely to stop a bullet 'most any time."
The three men started away, with the captain in the lead. They traveled all of two miles when McKay called a halt.
"Butler, you will go to the right, straight ahead. Stop after you have gone about a quarter of a mile as nearly as you can judge. When you hear an owl hoot, move slowly forward. Don't use your gun, no matter what happens, unless some one shoots at you. Even then don't shoot unless you have to. But let no one get past you. We hope to get those fellows in a pocket and hold them up without any shooting. But we may have to waste some powder. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"You are not afraid?"
"I am not."
"I thought you wouldn't be."
"Where do I go?" asked Stacy apprehensively.
"You will remain with me. I'll take care of you. All right, Butler."
Tad without another word rode away. Finally after having gone what he thought was the proper distance, he halted and sat his pony silently, head bent forward listening for the signal. It came at last, sounding faint and far away. The boy smiled, shook out his reins and the pony moved forward almost as silently as the boy could have done himself. The night was dark, but Tad was able to make out objects with more or less distinctness. He used his eyes and ears to good purpose. Once Tad thought he heard a twig snap a short distance ahead of him. He halted abruptly and sat steadily for fully ten minutes. There being no further sounds he moved forward again.
It was a trying situation for a boy. Tad Butler felt the thrill of the moment, but he was unafraid. It is doubtful if Tad ever had realized a sense of fear, though he was far from being foolhardy, nor was there the faintest trace of bravado about him. He was simply a steady nerved, brave lad who would do his duty as he saw it no matter how great the obstacles or how imminent the peril.
The boy had gone forward for some thirty minutes when all at once his quick ears caught a peculiar, low whistle some distance ahead. Tad with ready resourcefulness answered the whistle, imitating it as nearly as possible. But he made a mistake. That whistle was not the right whistle.
Bang!
A flash of flame leaped toward him and he heard the "wo-o-o-o" of a bullet over his head. The boy was off his pony. Then Tad tried the tactics of an Indian. Quickly and silently tethering his pony, he fired a shot high enough so that he did not think it likely to hit any one. Skulking a few paces farther on, he fired again. Several shots were in this manner fired, and in quick succession, giving the impression that there were several men shooting.
Half a dozen answering shots were fired at him, then the lad caught the sound of hoofbeats. He knew the other man was riding away. Tad gave the hoot of an owl as best he could. Rather to his surprise the signal was answered off to the left. Tad repeated it and received the same answer. He rode forward, on the trail of the fleeing man. In a few minutes he was joined by Captain McKay and Stacy, both riding hard.
"Did you draw them out?" demanded the captain sharply, but without a trace of excitement in his tone.
"Yes." Tad explained what had occurred.
"That was one of the outposts. The others will begin to stir soon. We are too early. All the ruffians are not in yet. Well, it's too late now. The alarm has been given. There they go!"
A succession of shots followed from distant points, widely separated.McKay listened.
"Our men are shooting. It's time to close in. Stick behind me. Don't try to ride off to one side. Keep your eyes and ears open."
The ponies leaped forward. The man and the two boys were riding a dangerous pace considering the roughness of the trail, but none gave a thought to the danger. The captain's voice was raised in a long-drawn hoot, which was answered by another from some distance away. Then the firing broke out afresh. It seemed as if no one could escape that fusillade of bullets. Tad could hear the bullets screaming overhead. He sat his pony, his eyes glowing, firing rapidly into the air. Stacy Brown also sat his own pony, but he couldn't have moved a muscle to save him. The fat boy was literally "scared stiff." Stacy really was suffering, but no one, unless he had observed his eyes, would have thought him afraid.
"Close in, boys. Ride and shout!" commanded the captain.
Butler exercised his lungs. Chunky's lips moved, but no sound came from them. His pony, however, followed the others, nearly causing its stiffened rider to fall off.
Every few moments the captain would utter his owl-call, which would be answered by other similar calls pretty much all around the compass. In this way the Rangers were able to locate each other's positions, thus avoiding shooting each other.
The shots of the enemy were now scattering.
It was only occasionally that McKay was able to determine that one of the bandits had fired a gun. How he could tell the difference between the rifles of friends and foe was a mystery to young Butler. Ere long the Rangers had narrowed down their circle until they were able to see each other. For the past twenty minutes, they had been stalking cautiously. Now they paused, after having exchanged signals. Deep growls were heard on all sides.
"What does it mean?" questioned Tad.
"It means those fellows have given us the slip again," grunted the captain. "They've managed to slip through our lines somehow. Well, never mind, we'll get them one of these times. I thought we had them pocketed this time so there would be no escape."
Tad had thought so, too. He was convinced that there was more to this escape than even the Ranger captain realized. The boy did not wish to make suggestions so he kept silent. Yet he determined to make an investigation on his own hook on the following morning, provided they were anywhere in that vicinity.
There was nothing more that the Rangers could do. Their prey had eluded them, disappearing as suddenly as if through a hole in the earth. It was the first time that such a thing had occurred to Captain McKay and his failure bothered him, but he presented a smiling face when, after having withdrawn a mile or so, the men went into camp for the rest of the night, building up a campfire and putting out a heavy guard to prevent a surprise during the night.
"Don't you think the rascals have a hiding place there where they evaded us so neatly?" asked Tad, upon getting the captain's ear.
"There is no hiding place there. I know the locality well," was the terse reply.
"But surely they could not have got through your lines," objected the boy.
"Yet they did. That's all there is to it."
Not a man of the Rangers had been hit, nor was it believed that any of the enemy had been wounded. Night shooting at skulking figures in a forest is uncertain work. Tad realized a sense of thankfulness for this. He was not anxious to see bloodshed, but now that the danger was over, Chunky grew very brave. He told them all about it and how "We" had driven the bandits off. The story grew and grew with the telling until Stacy was convinced that he had fought a very brave battle.
Tad lay awake a long time that night thinking over the occurrences of the evening, pondering and seeking for a solution of what he considered was a great mystery. On the following morning the greater part of the band were off at an early hour, before the boys had risen, on a day's scout, to try to pick up the trail of the bandits. It was to be a day of excitement for some of the party and hard work for others, for many miles would be covered by the Rangers before their grilling ride came to an end.