s soon as they were out of earshot one of them said:

"Megget can fire the prairie if he wants to, I won't. I'm none too
stuck on cattle raiding, anyhow, but when it comes to starting a
fire that will probably wipe out the Half-Moon outfit and perhaps
even the herd, Bobby Lawrence balks!"

"Showing the white feather, eh?" snarled his companion. "I warned
Gus you wasn't any good, but he wouldn't believe me. You'll do
what he says, though, as long as you're with Red Ike!"

Red Ike was a giant in strength, the bully of the gang, and
Lawrence had seen too much of him to care to risk an encounter with
him, so with a growl he said:

"All right. Lead the way."

"Not much. I'll ride beside you, so you won't come any tricks."

But though Lawrence had appeared to yield, it was only as a matter
of policy, and his determination not to fire the prairie was as
firm as before. Yet how he could prevent it, he was at a loss to
determine until suddenly he remembered that Red Ike had asked him
for a match that afternoon.

As the thought flashed through his mind that his companion had no
means for carrying out Megget's instructions Lawrence put his hand
to his belt, where he carried his tobacco outfit, and quickly
unloosening it, let it fall into the grass.

None too soon was his action, for even as he opened his hand to let
go of the pouch that held his pipe, tobacco and cigarette papers
Red Ike snapped:

"I reckon we've gone a mile." And as he turned to look back the
signal sounded, and in a trice he saw the flames, set by his
leader, leap in the air.

"Quick, Gus has touched off!" he cried, then added as he felt in
vain for any matches, "Gimme some of your fire-sticks, mine are all
gone."

Suppressing the smile that came to his face at the words, for
Lawrence bad feared his companion might have obtained a supply from
one of the others, he replied:

"Can't. I haven't any."

"What?" roared Red Ike. "You can't come any such game on me. You
had plenty this afternoon. Hand 'em over--and be lively!"

As he spoke the bully edged his pony closer to the other.

Lawrence, however, only repeated his statement calmly.

"You won't gimme them, eh? Then I'll take 'em myself." And like a
flash his powerful fist shot out, striking his companion under the
right side of his jaw with such terrific force that it lifted him
from the saddle.

Springing to the ground, Red Ike roughly searched the motionless
body, and when he