be even with Gage for shooting your brother and for
trying to finish you. Won't it give you more satisfaction to
feel that you've put Gage day for his bread and water? I know
that is the way I'd want to punish a man that I had cause to hate.
At least, I believe it's the way; I don't really know, for I
can't recall any man that I hate hard enough to wish him worse
than out of my sight."

"Say, it would be kinder funny to go up to the state 'pen' some
day, and see Dolph Gage walking lock-step with a lot of rascally
Chinamen, drunken Indians, Knife-sticking foreigners and sassy
bill-collectors, wouldn't it?" grinned Jim Ferrers.

"I'm glad your sense of humor is improving," smiled Tom Reade.
"Now, tomorrow, morning, Jim, you take two of the other men,
and our ponies, and ride into Dugout. If you run across Gage
don't try to pick up any trouble. Of course, I don't mean to say
that you shouldn't shoot in self-defense if you're attacked, but
try, if possible, to keep out of any trouble with Gage. Just
save him for the sheriff. It's the law's business to handle such
fellows. Let the law have its own way."

"I'll do it," promised Ferrers. "Putting it the way you've done,
Mr. Reade, it doesn't seem like such a baby trick to use the sheriff
instead of killing the hyena, myself. Yes; I'll sure leave it
to the law. If Dolph Gage gets caught and sent to the 'pen' I'll
sure go there on some visiting day and see how he looks in his
striped suit!"

Instead of being offended, it was plain that Ferrers was in high
good humor. He went about camp whistling that night, and with
a cheery word for everyone.

Camp had been moved over to the ridge, and the young engineers
were ready to begin blasting operations the following morning.
Ferrers was no longer concerned with cooking, he having engaged
a man to do that work. The new man kept a sharp eye on Alf Drew,
making that youngster do a really honest day's work every day
in the week.

"I hate to take two men from you, Mr. Reade right at the start
of operations," complained Jim, the next morning at breakfast.
"I don't need two men, either, to protect me."

"I don't need the two men here, either, Jim for a few days. As
for you, you don't know how many men you are going to need. All
three of Gage's partners have vanished, and I'm sure that they're
together somewhere out on the Range. They undoubtedly have rifles
again, at that, and if you meet them, three men won't be any