“If the boys could come down I think they could get a whack at the rustlers themselves.  I got a sight of ’em, with a little bunch of horses, as I was coming back.  Far as I could see, they didn’t notice the plane—­we were high, and soon as I saw ’em I had Bland shut off the motor and glide.  They must have camped just across the line till they got a bunch together, or something.  They were taking their time, and if the boys could get down here right away, I believe we could get ’em.  If not, I’ll go back and stampede the horses this way, and see if I can’t get me a greaser or two.  We had to come back and fill up the tank again, anyway.  I didn’t want to get caught the way those other fellows did.  Is Bill at the ranch, Mr. Selmer?”

It speaks well for Sudden Selmer that he could listen to this amazing statement without looking dazed.  As it was, his first bewildered stare subsided into mere astonishment.  Later other emotions crept in.  By the time Johnny had finished his headlong report, Sudden had recovered his mental poise and was able to speak coherently.

“Been hunting horses with a flying machine, eh?  I must say you’re right up to date, young man.  No, Bill isn’t at the ranch.  If you’d keep your eyes open here at home, same as you do when you’re flying around next the clouds, you’d see the chuck wagon down there by the creek.  I moved ’em down here to save what horses are left.  The boys are out now hunting up Mary V. She had to go larruping off by herself on Bill’s horse Jake, and she hasn’t come back yet.  I guess she’s all right; but the boys went after her so as not to take any chances.  I’m kinda hoping the kid went home.  I don’t like to scare her mother, though, by calling up to see.”

Johnny’s eyes had widened and grown round, just as they always did when something stirred him unexpectedly.  “I could call up, Mr. Selmer, and ask if I can speak to Mary V. That wouldn’t scare her mother.”

“Sure, you can find out; only don’t you say anything about the wagons being camped here.  If she asks, say you haven’t seen us yet.  She’ll think we made camp somewhere else.  Go ahead.”

It did not take long, and when Johnny turned to Selmer he had the white line around his mouth.  “She says Mary V went out with you and the boys, to a round-up somewhere down this way.”

“Well, maybe she just rode farther than she intended.  But she was on Jake; she deviled us into letting her take him.  Bill thinks Jake isn’t very safe.  I don’t think he is, either.  You say the rustlers were away down across the line, driving a bunch of horses, so there’s no danger—­”

“I didn’t say all of them were down that way.  I don’t know how many there are.  They were just little dots crawling along—­but I guessed there were about four riders.”  Johnny started for the door, picking up his rifle from the table where he had placed it.  “I wish I’d got after ’em as I wanted to, but Bland kept hollering about gas—­” He balanced the propeller on his shoulder again, and turned to Sudden.