“Don’t make me say it so many times. It hurts me. I said that Dunk Tucker has got away. He ‘busted’ out of the calaboose over at El Paso some time yesterday morning and he’s on the warpath.”
“G—–g—–g—–got away?” gasped Chunky.
“Yep, and he’s heading in this direction to get even with you fellows for taking him up. What d’ye think of that, Bugs?”
“Oh, help!” groaned the fat boy.
“Is this right?” questioned Tad. “Has Tucker really escaped?”
The Rangers nodded.
“That’s what we’re here for, to catch him up when he makes connections with his crowd again. I reckon he’ll be on the trail of this outfit, first of all, before he joins out with his own outfit. He’ll never rest till he puts a bunk of cold lead under the skins of the fellows who got him.”
“This is where I—–I get shot again,” wailed Stacy. “I knew it. I knew something else would come along to spoil all my fun!”
“No use trying to sleep in this bedlam,” cried Captain McKay springing to his feet. “Saddle up. I want to make the Ten-Mile cross-trail before noon. We’ll find two men waiting there for orders. Professor, can you get under way at once?”
“Of course we can,” answered Tad for the professor.
“Don’t we get any breakfast?” cried Chunky.
“Yes, but you’ll eat it cold this morning.”
“Oh, pooh!”
“If you are going to be a Ranger you must be willing to take a Ranger’s fare,” smiled the captain.
“I haven’t said I wanted to be a Ranger. I don’t. I want to be a peaceful citizen.”
“With four square meals a day and a whole pie thrown in,” suggested Tad.
“Something like that,” smiled Stacy.
The tent was already coming down. The Pony Rider Boys showed the Rangers that they were used to quick work. Twenty minutes later the boys were ready. The Rangers had watched their preparations with interest.
“Good work,” said Captain McKay approvingly.
“Anybody’d think you had traveled with a one-hoss circus,” grinned Dippy.
“We’ve got some of the animals left yet,” laughed Tad.
“The Fattest Boy on Earth and—–” began Polly when Chunky shied a tent stake at the head of the Ranger, thus sharply ending the discussion. A few moments later they were on their way. The boys had to ride rather fast to keep up with their escort, for the Rangers were rapid riders under all circumstances. A great deal of their success was due to their ability to cover long distances between daylight and dawn or sunrise and sunset, appearing in localities where they were not in the least expected. In this way they had been enabled to make many important captures. But the riders did not move so rapidly in this instance that they were not able to poke fun at the fat boy. Stacy was the butt of almost every joke.
To all of this Stacy Brown did not give very much heed. He was planning how he could turn the tables on the Rangers again, amusing himself with whistling, making queer noises in his throat, trying to imitate birds that he passed.