them soon now. They know where I am, and a
half dozen or so will be riding this way before morning, I think."

"You will remain with us to-night, of course?" urged Tad.

"If you insist," smiled the Ranger captain.

"Certainly we insist," emphasized the professor.

"Of course we do," added Chunky. "Maybe if there are any bullets
flying about you will stop them instead of my doing it. I'm tired of
stopping bullets. It hurts."

"Having stopped a few in my time I think I know all about it, young man."

They could not believe that this sunny-tempered, soft-spoken young
fellow was the most dreaded of all the officers of the law who hunted
down the desperadoes of the border. It was also difficult to believe
that Captain McKay was a marked man who had been condemned to death by
these same desperate characters. Something of the resourcefulness of
the man was shown to the boys in a most marked manner later in the
evening.

All hands had been sitting about the fire, the boys trying to draw out
Captain McKay to tell of his experiences, which the Ranger was loth
to do. What experiences he did tell them were such as chiefly
concerned others than himself. According to his version Captain McKay
had played a most inconspicuous part in the splendid work of the
Texas Rangers. Not once did he refer to the fact that he was the
terror of every evil-doer in the State of Texas.

Finally it came time to turn in for the night. The captain lazily
rose and stretched himself. The others were still seated, but were
preparing to rise and prepare for bed when the interruption came.

A flash and a report from the bushes toward which the Ranger's back was
turned caused every one of the boys to jump. Tad had his wits about him.

"Down!" he commanded.

"Oh, wow! There it goes again," moaned Stacy. "They're shooting
at me again!"

Professor Zepplin had rolled into a depression in the ground, thus
concealing his body from the unseen shooter. But in the meantime
Captain. McKay had not been inactive. It seemed as if the bullet that
had been fired at him from the bushes had barely shrieked past his ear,
when the captain wheeled. His revolver---two of them---had appeared
in his hands as if by magic.

Bang, bang! crashed the captain's weapons as he whirled. A yell
sounded off there. Captain McKay dashed toward the spot, followed
by Tad on the jump.

"Stay back!" shouted the Ranger, but Tad did not obey. He proposed
to have