'll admit that it was a
pretty tough job. He nearly got us."

"Tell me about it."

Tad did so briefly, making as little of his own achievement as possible.
He related also, how the prisoner had gained possession of Professor
Zepplin's revolver and of the latter's narrow escape from death.

"Boys, you've done a big thing. The captain will be interested in
you," said Mr. Withem. "He's been wanting this man for a long time."

"You haven't told us who the fellow is, yet," reminded Professor
Zepplin.

"He is Dunk Tucker, sir, one of the most dangerous customers infesting
the border. We have been on his trail for weeks, but he's managed to
give us the slip every time. We never expected to capture him alive.
We expected to have to shoot him on sight, which we probably would
have done."

"Is it possible?" murmured the professor. "I did not suppose such
conditions existed on the border at this late day."

"They do not, ordinarily."

"What has the man Tucker done?"

"Done? It would be easier to tell you what he hasn't done. He's
committed pretty nearly every crime in the calendar and some that
aren't in the almanac. He is one of a band of thieves that has been
operating on the border for months. They are smugglers and thieves.
They have even gone back to the old style of stock stealing. Up to
date it is estimated that they have run across the border into Mexico
several hundred head of stock. The ranchers are up in arms. The
Rangers have been called in to put the Border Bandits out of business.
This is the first one of the gang that we have captured. And, after
all, we didn't capture him. That was left for a bunch of plucky
young tenderfeet---two of them, to be exact.

"Furthermore, it is suspected that Dunk and some of the other bad men
of his crowd are in the pay of German agents in Mexico. The Germans
are trying to stir up trouble on this side of the line, and these
border ruffians are ready to do anything for the sake of easy money,
even at the expense of being traitors to their country. It is
believed that German money is finding its way into their pockets.
The hounds!" raged the Ranger.

"Surely these men have not resorted to force---committed murder or
anything of that sort?" interposed the professor.

"Not that we know of, though some of them did have a pitched battle
with a rancher over on the western border of the state. A few stopped
bullets, but so far as we know no one was killed. I