"
"There is no doubt of it in my mind. So he thinks we are Rangers?"
"Who are the Rangers, anyway?"
"The Rangers are a body of men who did much toward clearing this state
of the bad men that infested it for a long time."
"They don't seem to have got them all," replied Rector.
"No, there are some near the border still. The Rangers are a sort of
police who range over the state wherever their services may be needed.
I understand they are paid by the state. I guess there are not many
of them left. The necessity for Rangers is not what it was a few
years ago."
"So I should judge from what has just happened," answered Ned somewhat
ironically.
"Come, are you going to get started tonight?" demanded Tad with a laugh.
"I'm off this very minute."
Ned hurried away laughing. He bore evidences of his recent encounter
with the mountaineer, but all this was forgotten now that the man had
been taken and was safely tied up back there in the canyon with the
ever vigilant Tad Butler on guard over him.
A short time after that Ned was riding his pony over the plain toward
the camp at a fast gallop. He shouted as he neared the camp, where
no fire had been lighted, uttering a subdued whoop as he rode in.
Chunky and the professor met him a few rods from the camp.
"I---I got shot again!" cried Chunky.
"Where is Tad?" called the professor.
"Over on the fork waiting for us.
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