at this
little paint can bust _any_ halter, if she wants to. Can't you, baby?
By golly, I----"

"Sing it, Kid, sing it!" Dick laughed. "Do you tuck her in bed at
night, too?"

"Well, she's the best bronc I ever had!" the Kid said definitely. "An'
I'm goin' to ride her in. Dick, hang on to this pony, will you? Lead
her in for me. Well!" As he got into the saddle of his own mount.
"Here we are again, baby! Now I won't need that other horse that you
were goin' to get me, Mr. Hawkins. 'Scuse me a minute, boys----"

He threw the bronc into a gallop and tore across the plain. Then he
wheeled and came rushing back.

"He's happy," Nort said with a grin. "Never expected to see his bronc
again, and she runs right into his hands. Hey, you--where did you keep
her?"

"Around the side," the man who had spoken before answered with a scowl.
"Thought I might need her in a hurry. His horse, was it? Well, he was
ridin' mine. A fair exchange is no robbery. Now he's got her back
he's got no kick comin'."

"Hasn't, hey? Don't know about that. If he finds any marks on her----"

"She wasn't touched," the man said quickly. "Fast enough without that."

"Lucky for you," Nort commented, meaningly.

After his mad dash the Kid returned in easier fashion. And so the
strange procession wended its way back to Roaring River. It took them
rather a long time to get there, as the buckboard had to be driven
slowly on account of the injured. True to his promise, the young "wild
man" held his verbally much-abused horses down to a walk.

The smugglers were removed to jail, with the assurance from the warden
that those who were injured would be treated by a local doctor. The
Chinese were also jailed, to be held for the federal officers.
Deportment, first back to Mexico, and, eventually, back to China was
their portion. They seemed to realize it, for they were a sad and
silent bunch.

Billee Dobb was given a room to himself in the ranch house where he
could rest and get well, and then the others washed up and "filled up,"
as Nort expressed it.

"Now comes the reward," said Mr. Hawkins, and he arranged to have it
paid to the Boy Ranchers, with Yellin' Kid and Billee Dobb sharing in
it. There was an additional reward for capturing the smuggled Chinese
as well as the smugglers, so there was a fund large enough for all to
share.

"Let's go up and see Billee now," proposed Bud, when they had eaten and
quieted down.

They f