“You can make the prisoner confess, can you not?” asked Professor Zepplin.

“Confess?” the lieutenant laughed.  “You don’t know these Border Bandits.  No, they never confess.  There will always be more or less trouble down on the Rio Grande.  It is so close to Mexico, so easy to get across the border that bad men cannot resist taking advantage of it.  That is why the Rangers are still in business.  If it were not for the border we all should be looking for other jobs.  As it is there aren’t many of us left.”

“How many?” asked the professor.

“Some thirty in the state, that is all.  We are subject to the orders of the governor, though we’re left pretty much to ourselves.”

“Who is your commander?”

“Captain Billy McKay.”

“That’s the man Dunk named.  He accused us of belonging to McKay’s band of Rangers,” said Rector.

“He did, eh?”

“Yes.”

“I thought so.  Still, he might have shot you up just the same, even if he had known you hadn’t anything to do with us.”

“Where is the rest of your party, Mr. Withem?” asked Tad.

“They’re out on the trail,” was the somewhat evasive answer.  “I’ll get in touch with them sometime to-night or to-morrow.”

“But you will take Tucker with you, will you not?” asked Ned.

“I reckon I will,” laughed the Ranger.

“Shall we take him along for you?  You have no horse?” asked Tad.

“My nag isn’t far from here,” smiled the lieutenant.  “I’ll load him on like a sack of meal.  He’ll get a good shaking up, but it won’t hurt Dunk.  He’s too tough to be bothered by a little thing like that.  We’ll land him in the calaboose in El Paso by the day after to-morrow.  Where are you folks going?”

“We planned to do the Guadalupes, then go on down to the Rio Grande,” answered Professor Zepplin.

Withem reflected.

“I reckon the captain will be wanting to see you.  There’s a reward out for Dunk.  Captain Bill is on the square.  He’ll ‘divvy’ with you fairly.”

“We are not looking for any rewards,” spoke up Tad quickly.  “You may tell him that whatever reward is paid, belongs to the Rangers.  We are glad to have served you, but remember, we did so to save our own skins.”

Withem extended his hand, grasping Tad’s hand within it.

“You’re the right sort, young man.  I wish we had you with us.”

“In the Rangers?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I am afraid that would not be possible,” smiled the Pony Rider Boy.

“Wholly impossible,” affirmed Professor Zepplin with emphasis.

“I suppose so.  However, I want you to see the captain.  I’ll tell you what to do.”  The lieutenant lowered his voice.  “We will be in camp to-morrow night about twenty-five miles to the southwest of here.  Know where Doble’s Spring is?”

“No, sir.”

“You can find it.  The water gushes out of the rocks pretty high up, falling in a sort of spray.  You can’t miss the place.  You’ll hear it if it’s after dark when you get there.”