The commotion had attracted the attention of the loungers in the store and as they hurried to the street, the conspirators, pointing to Bob, yelled: "Stop him! Stop him!" But Bob, paying no heed, raced to where Firefly stood, vaulted into his saddle and, with the dog at his heels, dashed up the street. CHAPTER XXIV A RACE FOR LIFE Believing the men who tried to stop Bob must have been robbed, several of those about the store leaped onto their horses and gave chase. Meantime, the conspirators, balked in their attempt to prevent the boy's escape, held a consultation. "If that is one of Ford's men, our goose is cooked," snarled one of them. "Well, it is, right enough. Don't you remember hearing about the kid Ford gave his dog to?" Too well did they remember, for the story of Bob's call at the ranch had traveled far and wide. "What's to be done, then?" asked the first speaker. "Get him!" growled the others. So well did these men understand one another that no explanation of this remark was necessary, and without more ado they hastened to the stable back of the saloon, ordered their horses, and were soon riding after Bob at top speed. Anticipating that he would be chased, the boy had urged Firefly into a mad gallop, desirous of getting as long a start as possible. And well it was that he did, for so mettlesome were the horses of the conspirators that, despite the start the loungers had, they quickly overhauled them. "Which way did he go?" demanded the ringleader, as he rode alongside. "To Ford's." "What's wrong? What did he do? How much did he get?" demanded others of the volunteer posse. But the conspirators were not eager to go into detail, and their leader said: "This is a private matter. We are obliged to you gentlemen for trying to stop that boy. But we won't trouble you to ride farther. We are quite able to attend to this business ourselves." Such an abrupt dismissal, however, only piqued the curiosity of the volunteers the more, and noting this the conspirators clapped spurs to their ponies and soon left them behind. From time to time, as he raced across the plains, Bob had looked back. With satisfaction, he noted that he more than held his own with the pursuers. But when he saw the four men pass the leaders as though the others were standing still, he urged Firefly to greater speed. Gamely the pony responded, increasing Bob's lead still more, and the boy noted from landmarks that he was only about two miles from his station. Then suddenly Firefly stumbled, hurling Bob over his head. Picking himself up, the boy, stopping only to ascertain that he himself was not injured, ran back to his pony. But as he saw the horse his heart sank. Firefly had stepped in a prairie-dog hole and broken his leg.