l about the part
you and your young men have played in capturing Dunk Tucker. He knows
that it was your party that drove off his men when they were trying to
get Lieutenant Withem. Do you think Willie will overlook that? Not
Willie! Willie will be on your trail from now on. He will watch his
opportunity and when he thinks he is safe from the Rangers he will
strike---he or his men. Then you young men will need to be
resourceful, indeed, if you get off with whole skins."

"Oh, wow!" groaned Stacy. "I'll get it! I'll stop some more bullets.
I'm the mark for all the lead that's flying around in these parts, I am!"

"I am of the opinion that we had better leave the border then,"
declared the professor.

"Oh, don't do that, don't do that," begged the boys. "We never ran
away yet. Let's not do it now. We have taken care of ourselves before
this and we can do so again."

"Of course I do not wish to influence you. It is for you, Professor,
to do what seems best to you. If you decide to remain I think I shall
be able to protect you."

"What would you suggest, sir?"

"I was about to ask if you look to spend most of your time in the
mountains here?"

"That was our intention, later journeying down to the Rio Grande."

Captain McKay nodded reflectively.

"That will suit my plans very well. I have come to the conclusion, from
certain things that have come under my notice, that the headquarters
of this band of Border Bandits is here in the Guadalupes. Search as
we might we have been unable to locate their cache."

"You mean where they hide?"

"Yes, that and something else. You see their plan of operation is this.
These men indulge in various forms of rascality. In the first place
they steal stock when possible. This they drive over the border and
exchange for Mexican goods, which they smuggle across the river and
store away until such time as they are able to dispose of it. Of course
there are some people higher up who are receiving and disposing of these
goods. We are on their track, but we haven't sufficient evidence to
convict any of them. The first thing to be done is to capture Jones
and his band. When they are safely behind the bars the traffic will
stop short. Perhaps when we get them all in limbo one or another of
the newer ones will confess. That will make our work easier. In fact
it is what we are depending upon at the present time."

"I understand. But will there not be danger in our