ingly.
"And now we're going too. We'll be safe after this."

At that instant three shots, fired in rapid succession, rang out.

CHAPTER III

JIM'S "ARMY" APPEARS

"Down on your faces!" called the older of the armed men with the
motor party.

"Not necessary," spoke Tom, dryly. "The shots were fired by Jim
Ferrers's army."

"And I missed the pesky critter, too!" spoke Jim's voice, resentfully,
as he showed his head over the edge of the cliff, where three puffs
of smoke slowly ascended.

"Don't show yourself, Jim! Careful!" Reade warned their guide.

"It's all right," declared Ferrers indifferently, as he rose to his
full height, then discovered the path by which Tom had descended.
"The critters took to cover as soon as they heard me making a noise."

With that explanation Ferrers slid rather than walked down into the
gully.

"Where are the rest of your men?" questioned Mr. Dunlop, eagerly.

"I'm all there are," explained Jim, "except one pesky little puffer
of cigarettes. He's hiding his stained fingers somewhere in the
brush half a mile from here."

"There are no more men to your crowd?" spoke Dr. Dunlop anxiously.

"None," Tom broke in. "My order to the boy, Drew, was intended
by way of conversation to interest your four callers."

"Then, indeed, we must look out for an ambush," said one of Mr.
Dunlop's companions, a man of thirty.

"And you will be in real danger every minute of the time," said
Dunlop's daughter, fearfully. "Father, why can't you come out
of this wild country? Is the money that you may make out here worth
all the risk?"

"Yes," answered Mr. Dunlop, with a firmness that seemed intended
to settle the matter.

"Why did you fire on those men without provocation?" Tom asked,
aside, of Jim Ferrers, who stood stroking his rifle barrel with one
hand.

"I had provocation," Ferrers answered.

"Oh," said Reade, who was none the wiser.

"I'll 'get' Dolph Gage yet, if I ever have a fair chance without
running my neck into the noose of the law," added Ferrers, with
silent fury in his tone.

"Is there a story behind it all, eh" queried Tom mildly.

"Yes, Mr. Reade. Too long a story to tell in a minute."

"I didn't mean to pry into your affairs, Ferrers," Tom made haste
to say.

"Well, for one thing, Dolph Gage shot the only brother I ever
had---and got cleared of the charge in the court!" muttered Ferrers.

"Was your brother killed?" Tom inquired.

"Didn't I state