nervously. "They--they might take it into their heads to harm us."

"Do you think so?" asked Job Haskers. "All right, I--I am ready to go.
But how are we to find our way back to the town?" he asked, helplessly.

"We'll have to follow the back trail," answered Link Merwell. Being used
to ranch life, this being in the open did not daunt him as it did the
former teacher. "Come on, let us get our horses and be off!" the youth
added. "It is getting too hot for us here!"

CHAPTER XXI

ON THE BACK TRAIL

"Just you two wait a minute!"

It was Tom Dillon who uttered the words, as he saw Link Merwell and Job
Haskers turn to where their horses were tethered.

"You bet they'll wait!" exploded Abe Blower, wrathfully. He stepped
forward and seized Merwell by the arm. "What do you mean by playing such
a trick as this on me?"

"Le--let go of me!" cried the youth, in fear. "Let go. I--I--didn't I
say it was only done in fun?"

"Fun? You won't think it's fun when I git through with you!"

"I--ahem! I think this whole matter can be settled amicably," put in Job
Haskers, with an effort. "I am satisfied now that we made a--er--a
mistake. But, as Merwell states, it was all done in a--er--a spirit of
fun."

"And now you want to sneak off--without even paying me for my trouble!"
cried Abe Blower.

"You said you'd come with me for nothing," returned Link Merwell, and
his voice had almost a whine in it.

"So I did, thinkin' you was Maurice Harrison's nevvy. If I had known you
was an outsider I wouldn't have come at all. I've got my own affairs to
'tend to. But bein' as I did come, you're goin' to pay me for my time
and trouble," went on the miner, sharply.

"Don't you want 'em arrested, Abe?" put in Tom Dillon. "As I understand
it, this here Merwell feller is wanted by the police as it is."

"Oh, don't arrest me! Please don't do that!" cried Link Merwell. He
turned to Dave and his chums. "Let me go, won't you? I--I didn't do
anything. I didn't take a thing out of your suit-case," he added, to
Roger.

His manner was so humble and he seemed so full of terror, that the boys
could not help feeling sorry for him, even though they realized that he
was a criminal and should be in the hands of the law.

"What do you think we ought to do, Dave?" whispered the senator's son,
pulling our hero to one side.

"That is up to you, Roger."

"If we make them prisoners what can we do with them? They will only
bother us in the sea