restless moving stopped, and the animals suffered
the Kid to walk in among them.

"Lonesome, hey?" he said in a low tone. "So am I. Don't like this
hangin' around nohow! Wish we'd have some action." He stroked the
nose of one of the steeds. The horse whinnied softly in response.
"Wish I had my own cayuse here," the Kid mused. "Hated to lose her.
Best bronc I ever had. Golly, it's dark!"

As though to dispute him the moon suddenly slid from behind the clouds.
The Kid looked about him--at the ranch house, standing gaunt and
silent, and at the little group of men waiting motionless--and at the
moonlit road, stretching far out over the prairie. There'd be no
smugglers to-night. Why, you could see for miles down that road, now.
Not a thing in--what was that? The Kid stared harder. There, about a
mile away, lurching from side to side? It must be--a car! Coming
fast, too!

For a moment the Kid stood quietly. Then with a leap he made for the
ranch house. As he reached the men the moon disappeared again, and the
scene was blotted out.

"Hey!" he called in a repressed yell. "They're comin'!"

"What!" The group turned like a flash, as one man. "Who's coming?
Where?"

"Down the road! An automobile!"

Excitement spread like a wave.

"Easy!" Hawkins cautioned. "Not so much noise! What did you see, Kid?"

"Saw an auto comin' down the road like a locoed steer! Just when the
moon came out then, I happened to be lookin' that way, and I saw----"

"Listen!" Bud held up his hand, forgetting that they couldn't see him
in the darkness that had now settled down again. "Don't you hear
something?"

Through the air came the sounds of a car--the throttle wide open.

"Can't see it, but I can hear it!" Hawkins exclaimed. "Must be driving
without lights. They sure are coming! All set, you men?"

"One of us better get the ponies ready, in case we miss them!" the Kid
declared. "Billee, will you do that?"

"Suppose so," the rancher grumbled. "I allers seem t' miss the
fightin'!"

"You'll get plenty of that," asserted Hawkins. "But let's not waste
time talking. They'll be here in two minutes. Listen, you fellows,
and listen good! Billee, you get the horses ready for a quick start.
Nort, you and the Kid get around to the other side of the house, fast.
Dick, Bud and I will stay here.

"Now here's what's going to happen--the car will pull up right here,
and the Chinks will be unloaded. We take them--do