p and
smash their way through the undergrowth. Cedar twigs flew.

With a yell, Mike Train slumped down over his saddle pommel and rolled
off his horse. At the same instant, the two others--Lefty Warren and
Red Morton--reached for their guns. The thing had happened so quickly
that until now they had not thought of drawing their weapons.

But Kid Wolf stopped them.

"Don't pull 'em, boys!" he cried. And at the same time, he dropped
both his own guns. It was a surprising thing for the Texan to do, but
his mind had worked quickly. His sharp eyes had taken in the
situation. They were covered, and from all sides. His first quick
shots had brought one man down, but there were at least six others, and
all were behind shelter and had a deadly drop. If The Kid had been
alone, he would, no doubt, have shot it out there and then, using his
own peculiar tactics. But he had the others to think of. If they
touched their guns, they would be killed instantly.

The Texan's doubts had been well founded. They should have kept to the
mesa top. They had jumped into a trap. Surrender was the only thing
to do now, for while there was life, there was hope. The Kid had
slipped from tight situations before.

Lefty Warren, Red Morton, and The Kid elevated their hands. A low
laugh came from behind the cedar thicket, and a group of desperadoes on
foot slipped through, holding drawn and leveled Colts. In the lead was
Blacksnake McCoy. His eyes fell on Kid Wolf and widened with surprise.
Then his teeth showed through his close-cropped beard in a snarl of
hate.

"Well, if it ain't the gamblin' Cotton-picker!" he ejaculated. "I
didn't know I was goin' to have such luck as this! Keep yore mitts up,
the three of yuh. Pedro, collect their guns!"

A grinning desperado disarmed Lefty and Red and picked up The Kid's two
Colts.

"It'd 'a' been better fer yuh if yuh'd shot it out," sneered
Blacksnake, "because Gentleman John will have somethin' in store fer
yuh that yuh won't like. Wait till he sets eyes on yuh, Cotton-picker!
Boilin' alive will seem like a picnic! I knew we'd get yuh sooner or
later, if yuh kept stickin' yore nose in other folks' business."

"Blacksnake," said The Kid softly, "yo're a cheap, fo'-flushin' bully."

Blacksnake's evil eyes went hard. His face reddened with anger, then
paled. He was trembling with fury and deadly hate. He turned to his
men.

"Take the others up to the Yellow Houses and wait f