Tell me how
you got into this mess."
"The same way Chunky gets into trouble. I blundered into it." Ned
then went on to relate briefly how he had been jumped on by the
mountaineer and made prisoner.
"What was he trying to get you to tell him?"
"He accused me of being a Texas Ranger, a member of some fellow's band,
a fellow named McKay."
"The band or the man?" questioned Tad.
"That was the man's name. Billy McKay. He's a captain of Rangers, or
something of the sort, it doesn't matter much what."
"I rather think it does," answered Butler dryly.
"How so?"
"Why, don't you see, it means that if the Texas Rangers are after this
fellow he must be wanted for something very serious. Who is he?"
"You may search me. Stacy may be right after all. There are plenty
of Germans in Mexico, so why not some of them up here to stir up
trouble? He looks like pictures I have seen of some of those Hun
assassins," declared Ned Rector.
"I think I will search him. He may have some more weapons about his
person."
Tad found a bowie knife in the mountaineer's boot, but that was the
only weapon left on his person. Tad threw the knife away. About this
time the prisoner began to show signs of returning consciousness.
"You must have hit him an awful wallop," wondered Ned, standing over
the man and eyeing him narrowly.
"I did. I hit him first with a stone, then with my fist.
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