remaining here?"

"Perhaps. There's always more or less danger, and Jones will never let
up on you until either he gets you or we get him."

"I think I understand," nodded Tad. "You think we shall be able to
assist you?"

"Exactly."

"Will you please explain?" begged Professor Zepplin.

"You can help us a great deal, by remaining here. It is safe to suppose
that the band will devote no little effort toward getting even with you.
That means that they are quite likely to hover about in your vicinity.
That will narrow down our field of operations considerably. We shan't
be faraway from you at any stage of the game; in fact, I think it might
be well to have two or three of our men in your party all the time. Do
you understand?"

"I begin to," nodded the professor.

"That will be fine," answered Tad with glowing face.

"Then we will be Rangers, too," exclaimed Walter.

"Yes, you will be Rangers, too," laughed the captain. "You are pretty
good rangers already. By assisting in rounding up these men you will
be serving your country, for, if we can put these Border Bandits out
of business, we shall be destroying some of the Kaiser's worst trouble
makers on the border."

"And get shot full of holes," added the fat boy.

"That will do you good. It will give you an appetite," jeered Rector.

"He doesn't need a tonic," spoke up Tad. "His appetite is quite enough
for this outfit now. It's all we can do to keep enough supplies to
keep him going. My, it's an awful thing to have such an appetite."

"Well, Professor, what do you say?"

"I am agreeable, if the boys are."

"Hurrah!" shouted the Pony Rider Boys.

"Of course, with the understanding, Captain, that you will see that we
are properly protected?"

"You shall be. Of course there may be occasions when you will be going
on alone. You will expect that. Generally we shall be somewhere in
the vicinity. When we are all away it will mean that your enemies are
also away."

"The man Tucker is safe behind the bars, is he not?"

"He was at last accounts," smiled the captain. "I am sorry Jones knows
what happened to Dunk. I had hoped to keep him in ignorance of that
until we had rounded up the rest of the gang. However, what's done
cannot be undone."

"Where is your horse?" asked Tad.

"A little way down the creek. He's all right. Don't worry about
him."

"By the way, when shall we see your men?" asked the professor.

"You should see some of