ome out from behind that door--hands up!"

At the same moment, the back window flew open with a bang and Bob's
pistol covered the edge of the opened door. "Caliban" had rolled from
his box like a stupid animal. Two of his patrons sat dazed and staring
from Hale to the boy's face at the window. A mountaineer stood in one
corner with twitching fingers and shifting eyes like a caged wild thing
and forth issued from behind the door, quivering with anger--young Dave
Tolliver. Hale stared at him amazed, and when Dave saw Hale, such a wave
of fury surged over his face that Bob thought it best to attract his
attention again; which he did by gently motioning at him with the barrel
of his pistol.

"Hold on, there," he said quietly, and young Dave stood still.

"Climb through that window, Bob, and collect the batteries," said Hale.

"Sure, sir," said the lad, and with his pistol still prominently in the
foreground he threw his left leg over the sill and as he climbed in he
quoted with a grunt: "Always go in force to make an arrest." Grim and
serious as it was, with June's cousin glowering at him, Hale could not
help smiling.

"You didn't go home, after all," said Hale to young Dave, who clenched
his hands and his lips but answered nothing; "or, if you did, you got
back pretty quick." And still Dave was silent.

"Get 'em all, Bob?" In answer the boy went the rounds--feeling the
pocket of each man's right hip and his left breast.

"Yes, sir."

"Unload 'em!"

The lad "broke" each of the four pistols, picked up a piece of twine and
strung them together through each trigger-guard.

"Close that window and stand here at the door."

With the boy at the door, Hale rolled the hand-barrel to the threshold
and the white liquor gurgled joyously on the steps.

"All right, come along," he said to the captives, and at last young Dave
spoke:

"Whut you takin' me fer?"

Hale pointed to the empty hand-barrel and Dave's answer was a look of
scorn.

"I nuvver brought that hyeh."

"You were drinking illegal liquor in a blind tiger, and if you didn't
bring it you can prove that later. Anyhow, we'll want you as a witness,"
and Hale looked at the other mountaineer, who had turned his eyes
quickly to Dave. Caliban led the way with young Dave, and Hale walked
side by side with them while Bob was escort for the other two. The road
ran along a high bank, and as Bob was adjusting the jangling weapons
on his left arm, the strange mountainee