rn in and whale some sense into him."

"That's one way of doing it," said Ted dryly.

"It was the only way for him. He thought he'd get sympathy by writing
home about it, but all he got was that they reckoned he deserved it or
he wouldn't have got it. After that he was good. But he'd got in with
that Creviss bunch and didn't seem able to get out of it, so I let him
stay, only I made him come to me every day or two and tell me what he'd
been up to, and that's as far as I've got."

"Send him out to me."

"He won't work on a ranch, or I'd had him out at the Dumb-bell long ago.
He likes to work in town, so I got him a job, and so far he has stuck to
it. But the gang keeps him from doing any good for himself. He knows the
name of this organization of boys under Skip, and the next time I see
him I'll find out what it is. Then you keep your eye peeled for it, for
Creviss is one of the leaders, and I'm afraid, after to-night, he'll do
all he can to make things lively for you. He's a mean, vindictive little
cuss."

"I'll keep a weather eye out for him, never fear. Thank you for the tip.
This is the first time I've heard of the bunch, I've been away from the
ranch so much lately."

The boys had hitched Jack Slate's horse into the carriage, and he got on
the seat with Carl, and they were ready to start.

With an "Adios" to Billy Sudden and his boys, they were off, and arrived
at the ranch house without further incident.

Mrs. Graham and Stella had retired for the night, and the boys were
sitting before the fire in the living room, for the night was chilly and
Song had built up a good blaze against their return.

Naturally, the conversation drifted to the shots fired at them from the
alley.

"While I wuz ambulatin' eround ter-night I overheard some conversation
what wuz interestin'," remarked Bud, who was sprawling on a bearskin in
front of the fire.

"What was it?" asked Ted, who had been turning over in his mind what
Billy Sudden had told him of the organization of tough boys under the
guidance of the ex-convict.

"I wuz standin' clost ter one o' ther winders what opens out onter ther
alley when I hears two fellers talkin' below me," said Bud.

"What were they saying?"

"I wuzn't aimin' ter listen ter no one's privut conversation, but I
caught your name, an' I tried ter hear what wuz said erbout yer."

"Naturally."

"One feller wuz talkin' pritty loud, ez if he'd been hittin' up ther
tangle juice, an' ther ot