wounded twice, ere he stopped.

"Fine, fine!" The captain leaned back and laughed uproariously. "You
are a funny boy. I wish I had you with me. I could teach you a lot
about dodging bullets."

"I'm a pretty good dodger already or I shouldn't be here at this
minute," answered the fat boy pompously.

"Where did they take the prisoner? Are you informed as to that?" asked
the captain.

"They took him to El Paso, I believe," replied Professor Zepplin. "I
thought you were aware of what had been done."

"I got wind of something of the sort. You see I have been away in
another part of the state on a secret mission for the Governor."

"Exactly."

"Did my men say where they were going before they left you this
morning?"

"No. As I have said, they left most mysteriously."

"Which direction did they take?"

"We do not know that either. They disappeared utterly."

"Just like Withem," nodded the guest, smiling. "But I'll pick him up
some time to-night. I suppose they are on the track of some of the
fellows who have been raising trouble around these parts of late."

"Yes, that's what the lieutenant said. They are after what they call
the Border Gang. But I have no need to tell you about it. You surely
are familiar with the subject."

"I reckon I know all about it, Professor. Was it some of my men who
shot up the bandits the other night and---"

"No, that was us fellows," interjected Stacy suddenly. "We did give
them the run. And they thought it was the Rangers too. Oh, that was
a good joke. I nearly laugh myself sick every time I think about
that funny scrape. We bluffed them and they ran away."

For the briefest part of a second the eyes of the visitor darkened.
They grew almost filmy, then the old sparkle came into them and a
grim smile appeared on the face of their owner.

"You sure are a fine crop of youngsters. You probably will be claiming
the reward for the capture of Tucker, eh?"

"Not at all, not at all," protested Professor Zepplin. "My young men
are not looking for rewards. It is reward enough that they were able
to serve the authorities in the capture of a very bad man. We shall
do whatever we can in our small way to help the Rangers round up the
rest of this disreputable gang."

"Of course, of course," answered the captain reflectively.

Tad had taken no part in the conversation. He did not like this
freedom of speech on the part of the professor. What they had learned
wer