to the left, sweeping down over the plain. Tad assumed th

e the word. Keep your heads. Do

t try to keep out of the f

ctor l

at the camp if that is all we

at a fleeing horseman whose rifle spoke often and spitefully. T

go, to yell like mad. Whoop it up for all you're worth. Then when I say fire, every man shake out his rifle, but shoot high. We don't

ad. I'm proud of you. But I d

ear, Professor," suggested Stacy, wher

ough had they been less interested in seeking to kill Lieutenant Withem t

ows!" Tad raised his vo

red the atmosphere in a blood-

! Hiyi! Kyaw! K

aughed so that they were unable to yell for a full minute. Then they let go their voices, to which the prof

the moon or you'll be

fi

hed out, but their leaden missiles went high, followed by

rsemen. All at once they turned their rifles on the Pony Rider Boys. A

shooting. Look out that you don't hit any on

ess they do," sh

tall timber," cried Stacy, wh

the light been more certain some of them must have been hit, for those men out

ing up a continuous fusillade, t

eard the words plainly, ut

eeaw!" scream

iyi!" chorus

en swung out into a straight line and began racing across the

few shots into the ground to h

," yelled

to dark, uncertain streaks on the white of the plain. Now the rifle of the solitary horseman began to speak again. Joe Withem was not afflicted with any scruples against shooting to hit.

ooting, their purpose being to keep the bandits going until the latter sh

horses down, and wheeling began trotting back. A

, fellows. They had me

it," called

ieutenant. Then he pulled his horse up sharpl

is," laughed Ta

's all. And you boys put the bandits on the run, eh?" wondered the Ranger lieut

menti

ver you?" asked the professor

t. They surely didn't know I had Dunk with me or they wouldn't have begun shooting at me. They'd have tr

d!" muttered

them going for some hours yet. They think it is the Rangers that's chasi

ot badly hurt?" asked t

I'm a marked man, you know. Some day, when m

h us. Surely you are n

getting on. I've got to be

of your being attacked, we w

ff alone. I'll know eno

e these men will come back and visit

o. They won't touch you in the daytime; in fact, I think those fellows will be hiding. We'll set a couple of men on their trail just as soon as I ge

uld not have mixed up in this affair at all, though naturally I am pleased that

e," answered the Ranger

with you t

d good luck!"

mounts toward their camp in the canyon. They had done a good night's work and Tad's generalship alone had won the battle for the Ranger lieuten