ear after him on the jump. _Muy pronto_
that grizzly came up awful sudden. The more he jerked the nearer he was
to being choked. You better believe Mr. Puncher was hitting that trail
right willing in the meanwhile."

"You talk too much with yore mouth," growled Irwin.

"It's a difference of opinion that makes horse races. I was just aiming
to show you that _if my friend hadn't happened to have a rope along he
would have been in a bad fix_. But, you notice, he used his brains, _and
a rope did just as well as a gun_."

The eyes just above the window casing disappeared. Brad attended to the
business in hand, which was that of getting away with bacon and biscuits
while he kept an eye on the man opposite. His prisoner also did justice
to his supper, to his flow of conversation, and to the window behind the
unconscious jailer.

In that open window were presently framed again the head and shoulders
of young Sanderson. Irwin pushed back his chair to get some more coffee,
and the picture in the frame shot instantly down. The guard, his coffee
cup, and his revolver went to the stove and returned. Phil reappeared
at the window, his rope coiled for action. It slid gracefully forward,
dropped over the head of Brad, and was instantly jerked tight.

Keller vaulted across the table, and flung himself upon the struggling
man. Brad's arms were entangled in the rope, but one leg shot out and
hurled back the nester. But before he could free himself from the taut
loop his prisoner was upon him again and had borne him to the ground.

Of the two, Irwin was far the more powerful, Keller the more agile and
supple. He knew every trick of the wrestling game, whereas the other was
clumsy and muscle-bound. By main strength the older man got to his feet
again. Over went the table as they surged against it.

A chair, stamped into kindling, was hurled aside by the force of their
impact. The stove rocked, and the bed collapsed as the locked figures
crashed down upon it. The ranger, twisting as they fell, landed on top
and his fingers instantly found the throat of his foe. Simultaneously
Phil came to his assistance.

Even then, taken at an advantage, with two much younger men against him,
the big jailer fought to the finish like a bear. Not till he was
completely exhausted and they nearly so did he give up and lie quiet.
All three of them panted heavily, the allies lying across his chest and
legs. The nester managed to draw the loop taut about I