ntinued Rector, "this gentleman of the
mountains had got to his feet when Tad gently smote said gentleman
on the tender part of his chin. The gentleman fell down and went to
sleep like a little child after a full meal. When the gentleman woke
up we had him hog-tied---"

"During which time our friend Ned remained tied to a tree," chuckled
Butler.

"Pshaw! I thought so," grunted Stacy. "Brave man is Ned Rector! If
you were a scarred veteran like myself then you'd have a right to swell
out your chest," added the fat boy, gingerly stroking the bullet mark
on his cheek. "Well, go on. We're listening."

"That's all there is to tell, Professor, except that we carried the
man down here and there he is."

Professor Zepplin stroked his bristling whiskers reflectively.

"What is your name, my man?" he asked stepping up to the prisoner.
But the fellow made no reply.

"I said what is your name?" repeated Professor Zepplin.

"What's that to you, old Whiskers?"

The professor started, a faint touch of color showing under his tan,
while audible chuckles might have been heard from the boys in the
background.

"Such language will not help you. What is your name?"

"Yours will be Mud when I git out of this, you old scarecrow! Don't
you stand there jawing over me. I don't like it," added the prisoner,
so savagely that the professor shrank back a little.

"It's no use to question him, professor," spoke up Tad. "He won't
answer questions."

"I question our right to hold him," said Professor Zepplin. "We have
no proof that he is the man who shot at us."

"I've got proof that he assaulted me," bristled Ned.

"And I that he shot at me four times," added Tad. "I should think
that were proof enough. What would you do, Professor?"

"I was thinking that we should let the man go with an admonition."

"No, no, no," protested Chunky. "I don't want to be shot up again
to-day."

"Don't be afraid, little boy," urged Rector. "We are not going to let
the man go---not if I have to fight for it."

"Professor, this fellow thought us Rangers," began Tad.

"Rangers?"

"Yes. He admitted in his questioning of Ned that he thought we were
Rangers, or that we had been employed by the Rangers to run him down.
That is why he sought to kill us."

"But surely you assured him we were not," protested Professor Zepplin.

"Little stock did he take in our assurances," scoffed Ned. "You might
as well talk to the wind."

"But wha