las

composed might have sustained his weight indefinitely, and had it depended on his trousers giving way, his fri

his came about, of course the unfortunate Peg continued his roll down the balance of

with a tremendous splash that sent

be seen that he was swimming furiously to keep afloat. Somehow his awkward

n this manner he swallowed a quantity of water. At any rate he spouted forth quite a little fluid as he flounde

thing looked so laughable. Had it been a dear friend, instead

for all the world like a puppy that was having its

longer! Something pullin

the matter. If Peg was really in danger they had no business to stand there, la

itter knows how to swim

He's just keeping up because he's crazy with fr

me along," echoed

He never wasted any time in wondering what meth

ugh he bent over its border he would not be able

feet from the bank and it was to his knees. But he believed he had

ll you out!" he called,

on the chance. And, when Peg had fastened himself to th

was bad enough, in his eyes, to have fallen into the pool; but to be rescu

at he could get rid of the balance of the wa

Frank had placed him under any obligations in

ith burning anger. "What d'ye mean pointing your old

ere so glad to see us that you just couldn't wait to walk down, but wanted to fly! But, if I was to blame at all for your trouble, I'm su

other, wiping his dripping face on his sleeve without doin

lied the unruffled Bob, who had taken the measure of the other, and knew he might be set

o sassed me. You just knew I'd jump up in a hurry if you made out you was going to shoot; and I bet you even remembered this lake at the bottom of the slope. Oh! it worked all right; but d

ence as a personal insult; just as though they might have plotted to

use us, and back out. But I don't think you have any claim on it; so we'll hang around as long as we see fit. And remember thi

dily. The eyes of Frank never w

long time now; and some day we're bound to have it out, Frank Haywood. My dad's after yours with a sharp stick; and perh

reached by skirting the edge of the pool, laboriously com

marked Bob; "sitting on the top of the bank. Loo

m the other men. He's got a grudge against me because I'm a Haywood. But Nick likes a joke as well as any cowboy; and who could keep a straight

, he's handling that gun of his just like he'd be glad to use it if anyb

s puddle again, he'll have to swim for it, or else depend on his own guides to yank him out. N

wo boys

of Spanish Joe, and the revengeful character of Nick Jennings, he would not have bee

se they had of Peg Grant, he had nearly arrived at the top of the slope, and it seemed po

trail, and made their horses c

we did, and chosen to leave the horses so th

might have another rea

hey may have run across some sign of the rustlers, and thought i

hat little Lopez had anyt

e's out of the business lo

come along this trail

my mind Lopez had some slick way of climbing out of the barranca a ways back, without leaving much of any trail. I told you he w

ou can," Bob remarked, looking ahead, as though he

ter Frank drew

d insisted on holding in his hand all the time since that meeting with Peg. "T

Frank. "Fact is, our chance has come