hance,
and you may make sure they won't lay down till you're out of the way."

"Well?"

"That's all, unless you're willing to make a trade with me. There'll
be more in it than by sticking to Harvey, who'll throw you over as soon
as this job is finished."

"Get up and make another start," Jet said, abruptly. "If you have
rested enough to talk, I reckon you can push ahead."

"You'll regret not having listened to me while there is a chance."

"Get up!"

The man obeyed with a very bad grace, and once more the two were
traveling at a fair rate of speed toward the village.

Twice again during the journey did Joe attempt to bribe or frighten his
captor, and desisted from his efforts only when they were within sight
of the town.

This walking through a settlement behind a man at whose head a cocked
revolver is held, naturally created considerable excitement, and Jet
found himself surrounded by a curious throng before he had reached the
main street.

The thought occurred to him that among these people might be friends of
his prisoner, and his anxiety became even greater than while they were
in the woods.

He was overwhelmed with questions; but refused to make any
explanations, asking simply that some one would show him the nearest
magistrate's office, and his silence served to anger the crowd.

"Are we going to let a boy walk through this town with his revolver at
a man's head?" one of the party shouted, angrily, and Joe's face
lighted up wonderfully.

"I'm an innocent man whom a party of villains are trying to down," he
cried. "If there are any here who like fair play, take me along
decently, rather than in this style. I can explain who and what I am."

"Shove that boy out of the way!" another member of the crowd shouted,
and Jet believed his prisoner was about to be rescued.

Drawing his second revolver, he held it in his left hand, as he said
firmly:

"This fellow has nearly killed a detective who was sent to arrest him,
and I have the proof of that in my pocket, which I will show to the
magistrate. My orders were to deliver him up to justice, and make sure
he didn't give me the slip. If any one interferes, I shall fire first
at the prisoner, and then at him who dares try to help him."

Just for an instant the crowd fell back, and then the man who had first
spoken, cried angrily:

"Hasn't somebody got the nerve to knock that cub down? I'll see to it
that the prisoner is taken before the magistrat