"Here they come, Kid! Stop them!"

Nort threw himself in front of one of the ponies just as the group of
horsemen were about to dash through. Yellin' Kid jumped to Nort's
side, gun drawn.

"Hold up there!" he yelled. "Stick 'em up! High!"

There was a vivid flash of lightning. In the glare the two challengers
saw that Delton was directly in front of them, and behind him were four
others. Delton reached for his gun. Then the heavens opened with a
crash of thunder and the rain poured down in a deluge.

CHAPTER XIX

THE CHASE

Through the darkness came many and varied sounds. The thunder rolled
long and continuously. The angry voices of men rose loud and hoarse.
Along the drenched road came the smugglers' car, its exhaust roaring.
And over all the rain came down in torrents.

"Out of the way there, you!" came a voice. "We ain't got no time for
foolin'!"

"Stick to it, Nort!" the Kid yelled. "Don't let them through!"

The two boys were standing in the middle of the road, guns out,
determined to prevent Delton and his men from closing in on Hawkins,
who was grimly awaiting the smuggling car. If they could be held off
until the auto pulled in and stopped, the party at the other side of
the ranch house might succeed in capturing the Chink runners.

There was a sudden shot.

"Hurt, Nort?" the Kid called anxiously.

"Nope! Missed! Put those guns up, you! We've got you covered! Climb
down off those horses quick, or we'll fill you full of holes!"

There was a desperate ring in the boy rancher's voice, and Delton must
have recognized this, for he yelled something to the men back of him
and they all halted. The thunder was less frequent now, although the
rain had not let up. The boys standing in the road were soaked to the
skin. Still they remained firmly in their place, listening to the roar
of the approaching car, and hoping they could hold Delton until it
reached the ranch. By the sound it was almost to the Shooting Star
ranch now. In another moment----

"Hey, you guys, what's the idea?" through the night came a questioning
voice. "Don't you know it's rainin' here? How about lettin' us in the
ranch to get dry?"

"You stay where you are!" the Kid yelled. "You'll have plenty o' time
to get dry all right!"

"Kid--here's the car! Watch out now!" Nort was at the Kid's side, but
facing the other way. "Can you see anything--any of Delton's bunch?"

"Nope--only hear that guy that