e was the figure of a tall man, and
the other that of a well-grown youth.

"Why, that's Brassy Bangs!" whispered Fred excitedly.

"Yes. And the man is Bud Haddon," returned Andy.

"What do you bet Haddon isn't after Brassy for more money?" put in Fred
excitedly.

While the youngest Rover was speaking, he and the others saw that the two
figures on horseback had disappeared behind a mass of rocks.

"I'm going ahead and find out about this," declared Jack. "Come on! So
far as we can see there are only two of them, so the six of us have
nothing to fear."

"Especially as we're armed," added Fred, who carried his pistol with
him.

Throwing down the last of their torches, the six boys advanced with
caution. They heard the horses beyond the rocks occasionally stamping a
hoof and caught a faint murmur of voices. Then, led by Jack, they mounted
the rocks noiselessly, presently gaining a point where they could look
directly down upon Brassy Bangs and his companion.

"It's all wrong, Bud Haddon, and you know it!" they heard Brassy declare.
"And sooner or later the authorities will get after you for this."

"See here, Lester Bangs, you don't have to preach to me!" growled Bud
Haddon. "You're just as deep in some things as I am in others."

"It isn't true, and you know it!" whined Brassy. And now the lads who
were listening could see that their fellow-cadet was very much upset.
"I'm not guilty, and I never have been guilty of any wrongdoing!"

"You tell that to the police and see what they have to say about it,"
sneered Haddon, "You know well enough that you set fire to John Calder's
barn and burnt up horses that was worth thousands of dollars."

"And I always said it was some cowboys or tramps that did it!" stormed
Brassy.

"Not much! You did it! I know it, and so do Jillson and Dusenbury! We've
got the goods on you."

"What were Jillson and Dusenbury and you doing around the place?"
questioned Brassy suddenly.

"Never mind what we were doing around there. We know you set the barn on
fire. Didn't you have a quarrel with old Calder?"

"Yes, I did. But I didn't make any fire. Maybe you had a quarrel with him
yourself."

"Hold on there, Bangs! None of that!" cried Bud Haddon sternly.

"Well, you wouldn't be too good to set the fire," added Brassy, with
sudden recklessness. "Not after the way you are acting out here, running
away with those horses, and after the way you acted at Colby Hall, trying
to rob every roo