k
or "Canned cow" completed the repast.

"Wonder where the Mex got all this food?" Nort asked as he reached for
the bread. "Real good, anyhow. Guess we'd better keep the Greaser, if
he'll stay."

"Keep him 'til we get settled," added Dick. "I don't exactly like his
looks. He's too much like the Mex that Joe Hawkins pointed out--the
one he said to watch out for--remember?--to suit me."

"Don't be tryin' to find trouble, Dick," advised Bud. "That Mex is
just as good as the next one. But it is funny why he should be
lingering around here when all the rest lit out. And to have this food
all ready for us. Well----"

"Got a few suspicions up your own sleeve, eh?" laughed Dick.

"Boys," Billee said slowly, "I want to tell you something. You
remember what your Dad said about smugglin', Bud?"

At the word the men at the table gave a slight start.

"Yes, smugglin'. You'd forgot all about it, hadn't ye? Well, I ain't.
While we were in Hawkins's office I noticed a bill-head on his desk. I
took it. Here it is."

He passed over the paper to the Kid. The others got up and leaned over
the Kid's shoulder, reading it.

"Two thousand dollars' reward," said the Kid haltingly, "for the a-rest
and con-viction of--the person whose picture is below, and who is known
in New York as Dapper Dan Craven. He is wanted for smuggling Chinese.
Escaped custody at----"

He stopped. His eyes sought the picture.

"By the ghost of my aunt Lizzy's cat!" he exclaimed. "If it ain't our
friend Delton!"

Bud reached over and slowly took the paper from the Kid's nerveless
hand.

"Delton!" he cried, as he saw the picture. "Just as sure as I'm
living, that's who it is!"

"But why didn't Hawkins arrest him, then?" Nort asked in a puzzled tone
of voice. "He knew where he was. He could have come out any time and
put the bracelets on him and he'd have his man."

"Now, boys, if you'll give me a little time, I'll--" started Billee
Dobb in a calm voice.

"Go ahead!"

"We're listenin'!"

"Well, in the first place, I don't think Joe Hawkins ever saw this
Delton. You know what a hard job we had gettin' to the ranch--I bet if
we had had Hawkins with us we would have had to fight our way in.
That's what that guard was out for--the one that tried to stop us. He
knew we weren't deputies, so he let us go through.

"Also, that bill was just printed and sent to Hawkins. Perhaps he
didn't have time to look at it. And say--that accou