The Border Boys on the Trail. Goldfrap John Henry

Wilson hastened off. He didn't want to be near the corral when the shots that told that the ham-strung beasts were being put out of their misery were heard.

      "What are they going to do?" whispered Ralph, as two cowboys finally climbed into the corral with their revolvers drawn.

      "Kill those poor brutes. It's the only thing to do with a hamstrung horse," said Jack bitterly, turning away.

      Ralph, having no more wish than his friend to see the final chapter of the raiders' visit, followed him. As they turned they almost ran into the professor.

      The estimable scientist, in his agitation, had just thrown aside a valuable book, and held tightly to a piece of straw, under the impression that he had thrown away the straw and kept the book. Jack picked up the volume and handed it to the professor. To his surprise, however, the man of science waved the book aside, and the boys could see in the moonlight that a new light, foreign entirely to their usual mild radiance, beamed in his eyes.

      "No, no!" he said in a sharp voice, one which the boys had never heard him use before. "No books now. What I want is a rifle and a horse. I never knew I was a man of blood till this moment, but – but I'm hanged if I wouldn't like a shot at those – ahem – I believe they are called greasers, and a good name for the rascals!"

      "Good for you, professor!" exclaimed Jack; "and if we have our way, you'll get your chance before long. We're going to take the trail after those rascals as soon as Bud and the others get the horses."

      "Oh, Jack, are we to go?" gasped Ralph.

      "Well, if we don't, something's going to drop!" said Jack in a determined tone. "They've taken my little Firewater, and I've got something to say to them on my own account."

      "Say," exclaimed Ralph suddenly, as the professor and the boys hastened toward the house, "I want to take back something I said yesterday."

      "What's that?"

      "That there are no adventures left in the modern West."

      Jack, even in the midst of his agitation, could not help laughing at Ralph's earnest tone.

      "I wonder what they'd think at Stonefell if they could see us now," he mused. Suddenly he pointed toward the professor, who was angrily shaking a fist at the Southern sky, where the saw-like outline of the Hachetas cut the moonlit horizon.

      "And what would his Latin class say if they could see him?"

      "That he was all right!" rejoined Ralph, with deep conviction.

      Inside the great living room of the ranch house, with its brightly colored rugs on the dark wood floor and walls, and a blaze leaping in its big open hearth, for the night was chilly, the Chinese cook was already setting out a meal, when the boys entered. Mr. Merrill, his brow furrowed with deep thought, was walking up and down. He looked up as his son and Ralph entered, and spoke quickly.

      "You boys had better remain at the ranch," he said. "We are not likely to be gone long and – "

      He stopped short. The blank faces of the two lads had caused him to break into a broad smile despite the seriousness of his mood.

      "Why, why," he said amusedly, "surely you didn't expect to come along?"

      "Why, dad, of course. They've taken my Firewater, the rascals, and I've got a personal interest in the thing."

      "And I, sir," began Ralph, "I am out here for experience, you know."

      "Well, you certainly seem to be getting it. I am half inclined to allow you to come. I must attach one condition to it, however, and that is that you obey orders implicitly, and if any danger arises that you will do your best to conceal yourselves from it."

      "What, run away – oh, dad!" began Jack, but his father cut him short.

      "Accept my conditions or stay here, Jack."

      "Very well, then, dad, we accept – eh, Ralph?"

      The Eastern boy nodded. Not for the world would he have missed what was to come. And now the professor spoke up.

      "Mr. Merrill, sir, I shall take it as a favor if you will provide a horse for me. In my young days I was not unaccustomed to equine pursuits, and I feel that I should make one of your party. I could wish, sir, to be in at the – the finish – if I may say so – of those ruffians."

      "There is small likelihood of our catching them, professor," said Mr. Merrill, smiling at the other's excitement. "They have a long start. I am afraid you would only have a long, tiring ride for your pains."

      "I am willing to chance it," said the professor simply. "I feel, in fact, that such a dash across the er – er, Rubicon would be classic, sir, classic, if nothing else."

      "That being the case," said Mr. Merrill, checking his amusement, in view of the professor's evident earnestness, "you shall certainly come. But now breakfast, or supper, or whatever one may call the meal, seems to be ready. Let us sit down and eat, for we have a long ride ahead of us."

      During the meal Mr. Merrill was plied with questions by the eager boys. In fact, so numerous did the queries become, that he was relieved at last when a diversion offered in the shape of a clattering of hoofs outside the door.