stop the Flyer without arousing suspicion. In a pocket of
the hills back of the station a camp had been selected, its site well back
from any trail and so situated that from it one could command a view of
Tin Cup.

The owner of the Circle C selected three of his closemouthed
riders--Sweeney, Jake and Buck were the ones he chose--to hold the camp
with him until after the robbery. The only signal they needed was the
stopping of the Flyer at Tin Cup. Then they would come pounding down from
the hills in time to catch the robbers before they had got through with
their work. Maloney or Curly would be on the train to take a hand in the
battle. Caught by surprise, Soapy's gang would surely be trapped.

So they planned it, but it happened that Soapy Stone had made his
arrangements differently.

Luck and his riders took their blankets and their traps down to Tin Cup
according to agreement, while Davis, Maloney and Flandrau looked after the
Saguache end of the business. All of them were very friendly with Sam. The
boy, younger than any of them, was flattered that three of the best known
riders in the territory should make so much of him. Moreover, Stone had
given him instructions to mix with Curly's crowd as much as he could. He
had given as a reason that it would divert suspicion, but what he really
wanted was to throw the blame of the hold-up on these friends after Sam
was found dead on the scene.

Young Cullison had stopped drinking, but he could not keep his nerves from
jumping. His companions pretended not to notice how worried he was, but
they watched him so closely that he was never out of the sight of at least
one of them. Soapy had decreed the boy's death by treachery, but his
friends were determined to save him and to end forever the reign of Stone
as a bad man.

It was one day when the four young cowpunchers were sitting together in
Curly's room playing poker that a special delivery letter came to Sam. The
others, to cover their excitement, started an argument as to whether five
aces (they were playing with the joker) beat a straight flush. Presently
Sam spoke, as indifferently as he could.

"Got the offer of a job down the line. Think I'll run down to-night far as
Casa Grande and see what's doing."

"If they need any extra riders here's some more out of a job," Dick told
him.

"Heard to-day of a freighter that wants a mule-skinner. I'm going to see
him to-morrow," Slats chipped in.

"Darn this looking for a