was on the point of uttering a shout.
Wheeling round in the saddle he fired, and the man fell with a bullet in
his brain.

The shot of course aroused the whole ranch. Men rushed into the yard
with and without arms in wild confusion, but only in time to see a
flying horseman cross the square and make for the gate. A rattling
irregular volley was sent after him, but the only effect it had was to
cause the outlaw to turn round in the saddle and wave his hat, while he
gave vent to a yell of triumph. Another moment and he was beyond the
bluff and had disappeared.

"Boot and saddle!" instantly rang out at the ranch, and every
preparation was made for pursuit, though, mounted as Jake was on the
best horse of the troop, they could not hope to overtake him.

Hunky Ben, at his own particular request was permitted to go on in
advance.

"You see, sir," he said to the captain, "my Black Polly an't quite as
good as your charger, but she's more used to this sort o' country, an' I
can take the short cuts where your horse could hardly follow."

"Go, Ben, and good luck go with you! Besides, we can do without you,
now that we have Mr Brooke to guide us."

"Come wi' me, sir," said Hunky Ben, as he passed Charlie on his way to
the stables. "Don't you hesitate, Mr Brooke, to guide the captain to
the cave of Buck Tom. I'm goin' on before you to hunt up the reptiles--
to try an' catch Jake the Flint."

The scout chuckled inwardly as he said this.

"But why go in advance? You can never overtake the scoundrel with such
a start and on such a horse."

"Never you mind what I can or can't do," said Ben, entering the stable
where the dead trooper still lay, and unfastening Black Polly. "I've no
time to explain. All I know is that your friend Leather is sure to be
hanged if he's cotched, an' I'm sure he's an innocent man--therefore,
I'm goin' to save him. It's best for you to know nothin' more than
that, for I see you're not used to tellin' lies. Can you trust _me_?"

"Certainly I can. The look of your face, Ben, even more than the
character you bear, would induce me to trust you."

"Well then, Mr Brooke, the first sign o' trust is to obey orders
without askin' questions."

"True, when the orders are given by one who has a right to command,"
returned Charlie.

"Just so, an' my right to command lies in the fact that the life o' your
friend Leather depends on your obedience."

"I'm your humble servant, then. But what am I