ed the blade under the lasso, and cut it through.

Dick started as if he had received an electric shock. He threw back his
head and uttered a sudden exclamation.

Although I was almost paralyzed with fright I put my hand on his
shoulder and whispered: "S-s-s-h! It's Ken!"

Greaser uttered a shrill cry. Dick leaped to his feet. Then I grew
dizzy, and my sight blurred. I heard hoarse shouts and saw dark forms
rising as if out of the earth. All was confusion. I wanted to run, but
could not get up. There was a wrestling, whirling mass in front of me.

But this dimness of sight and weakness of body did not last. I saw two
men on the ground, with Dick standing over them. Stockton was closing
in. Greaser ran around them with something in his hand that glittered in
the firelight. Stockton dived for Dick's legs and upset him. They went
down together, and the Mexican leaped on them, waving the bright thing
high over his head.

I bounded forward, and, grasping his wrist with both hands, I wrenched
his arm with all my might. Some one struck me over the head. I saw a
million darting points of light--then all went black.

When I opened my eyes the sun was shining. I had a queer, numb feeling
all over, and my head hurt terribly. Everything about me was hazy. I
did not know where I was. After a little I struggled to sit up, and with
great difficulty managed it. My hands were tied. Then it all came back
to me. Stockton stood before me holding a tin cup of water toward my
lips. My throat was parched, and I drank. Stockton had a great bruise
on his forehead; his nostrils were crusted with blood, and his shirt was
half torn off.

"You're all right?" he said.

"Sure," I replied, which was not true.

I imagined that a look of relief came over his face. Next I saw Bill
nursing his eye, and bathing it with a wet handkerchief. It was swollen
shut, puffed out to the size of a goose-egg, and blue as indigo. Dick
had certainly landed hard on Bill. Then I turned round to see Dick
sitting against the little sapling, bound fast with a lasso. His clean
face did not look as if he had been in a fight; he was smiling, yet
there was anxiety in his eyes.

"Ken, now you've played hob," he said. It was a reproach, but his look
made me proud.

"Oh, Dick, if you hadn't called out!" I exclaimed.

"Darned if you're not right! But it was a slick job, and you'll tickle
Jim to death. I was an old woman. But that cold knife-blade made me
jump."

I g