The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-07-20
reward? I think I'd better have a word

"I1l have my lawyer draw up a form
Of contract and mail 1t after you to-
morrow" promised the doctor with a
crafty look.
mo, you wo-" began Average
Jones; but he broke off with a smile.
Every WE'LL" he amended. "If things
work out as l figure them, that will do.
And" he added, dropping into his sig
n~ificant drawl and looking the doctor
fatty in the eye, don't y~ou-er-bank
on my-er-not understanding your
offer-and-er-you."
Average Jones bought a ticket for
Yuma.
Disseminating at the Yuma station
three days later, Average Jones
small, compactly built, keen-eyed man,
roughly dressed for the trail.
I'm Captain F~uncke," said the
stranger. His speech was gentle, slow,
even hesitant; but there was some
thing competent and reliable in his
bearing which satisfied the shrewd
young reader of mems characters from
the outset. Your wire got me two
days since and l came right up"
amy tracer"
left here two days ago."
Three Of them?"
eyes. Fat-bottomed, narrow-beamed
boat, sloop-rigged pretty light"
know anything of the noe1?"
"Only the big one. Calls himself
Colonel Richford. Had a fake copper
outfit in the mountains east Of Ala
mo-"
Where do you think they're headed
fort"
Probably the widest country they
can find, If they want to get rid of
young Hoff," said the other, who had
been apprised of the main points of
the situation. THAT would be the Pin
to range, to the southwest of the Lag
una"
Suppose it's the Pintos, then. How
do w get there?"
"Hard-ash breeze" returned the
other succinctly. Our rowboat is out
fitted and waiting. Sixty miles to the
turn of the Laguna. There's a four
mile current to help. They've a scant
two days start. and Wen catch up
some"
All that day and all the night the
two men swung at the oars; swung
until every muscle in the young east
erner's back had turned to live nerve
fiber and the flesh had begun to strip
from the palms Of his hands.
Meantime, between spells at the
oars, Average Jones had outlined the
case in full to Funcke. After long and
silent consideration the captain gave
his views.
ut isn't bunco. It's a hold-up. They
get him off in the mountains, out Of
sight of the lake, so he'll have no land
mark to go by. Then they scare him
into signing co-%partnership papers,
and make him turn over those certified
checks to them. All they'd do then
would be to quit the boy while he was
asleep. A tenderfoot would die of
thirst yer there in a short time.
rs there no water?"
There's a tenaja-rock-b basin holding
Observation-Disclosures the hunter. IF
they find the tenaja empty they'll have
barely enough in the canteens they
pack to get them to the next water,
the Tenaja Poquita, around behind the
mountains and across the desert into
the next range"
get me to young Hoff, then, cap.
tain. You're in command from the mo.
ment we land"
1t was broad day when the keel
pushed softly into the muddy bottom
of a long, shallow arm of the lake.
Captain Funcke rose, stretched the
kinks out of his back, and jumped
ashore.
you say I'm in commando" he in.
quired.
Absolute"
"Then you roll up under that mes
quite and fall asleep. I'm going to cast
about for their trail"
To the WORKOUT oarsman, it seemed
only a few moments later that an in.
sistent grip on his shoulder aroused
him.
i've found their boat" said Captain
Funcke. The trail heads for Pintos,
They're travelling heavy. l don't be.
lieve they're twenty-four hours ahead
Of u.s."
Average Jones stumbled to his feet
"Im ready" he said.
TITS q case of travel light" The
hunter handed Owe a small bag OF
food and a large canteen full Of water
He himself packed a much larger load
including two canteens and a powerful
field-glass. Taking a shotgun from the
boat, he shouldered it and set out at
long, easy stride.
To Average Jones the memory OF
that day has never been wholly clear
Sodden with WEAKNESS, dazzled and
muddled by the savage sun-glare, he
followed, with eyes fixed, the rhythmic
ally, m~onotonoqsly moving feet of his
leader through an interminable desert
of soft, clogging sand. At midnight
the wearied pursuers dropped down
from a high plateau to a narrow ar
royo. There the p~nrsuers found the
camp. 1t was deserted.
Like q hound on the trail, Captain
Funcke cast about him.
ary---- -~-~ 49,