I ain't sure,
anyway, but what it would be better to shoot first and talk afterward."

Harvey understood from the words exactly what had been done, and Jet
heard him crawling out from the bushes, in order to assist at the
capture.

"Take your time, sir," the boy said, calmly. "I've got this fellow
where he won't care to run the chances of wiggling very much."

"I'll kill you some day," the man growled, hoarsely.

"You won't try it for quite a while yet. Look out. Hold your hands
higher!"

This last remark was called forth as Joe lowered his arms ever so
slightly, probably for the purpose of learning if his captor was on the
alert.

By this time Harvey had managed to crawl from his place of concealment,
and, at the expense of severe pain, raised himself to his feet directly
in front of the prisoner.

"Keep your revolver where it is, and fire at the least show of
resistance," he said to Jet, as he proceeded to search Joe's pockets.

"Now, lower your hands, but don't take a step forward," he said when
the man's weapons and money had been thrown on the ground.

Joe obeyed sullenly, and Jet heard the dick of a pair of handcuffs as
they were fastened on the former's wrists, with his arms behind his
back.

"Now sit down," the detective said, as he gathered up two revolvers, an
ugly looking dirk-knife and a well-filled pocket-book.

Joe obeyed in silence, but if a glance could have killed, his captors
would soon have been lying lifeless before him.

"Hadn't we better take him into the thicket?" Jet asked.

"No. Stand in front of him while I write a note. Now, you must start
for the town without delay."

"And take this fellow along?"

"Certainly; we can't afford to run the chances of a rescue."

It was such a job as Jet did not fancy, but he made no protest.

When Harvey had ceased writing on a leaf of his note-book, he handed it
to Jet as he said:

"March your prisoner into the first town you come to, and demand to be
shown to a magistrate. Give him the letter, which will explain the
outlines of who this fellow is, and tell him all of the story save such
as is connected with the murder. That we will keep secret for a while.
Then telegraph to the inspector to send an officer without delay to
carry him to the city."

"Is that all, sir?"

"Except as to the manner of traveling. Keep your prisoner in advance,
and do not hesitate to shoot if he fails to obey every reasonable
order. Above all, do n