But the young man had seen something suspicious in the manner in which Ratty M'Gill had been following Frances. The fellow now sat easily in his saddle at a little distance and rolled a cigarette, leering in the meantime at the ranch girl and her friend. "What does that fellow want?" demanded Pratt again. "Oh, don't mind him," said Frances, hurriedly. "He has been discharged from the Bar-T----" "That's the fellow you said made the steers stampede?" Pratt interrupted. "Yes." "Don't like his looks," the Amarillo young man said, frankly. "Glad we came up as we did." "But you must go on with your friends, Pratt," said Frances, faintly. "Goodness! there are enough of them, and the other fellows can get 'em all back to Mr. Bill Edwards' in time for supper," laughed Pratt. "I believe I'll go on with you. Where are you bound?" "To Peckham's ranch," said Frances, faintly. "We shall stop there to-night." The rest of the party passed, and Frances bowed to them. Sue Latrop looked at the ranch girl, curiously, but scarcely inclined her head. Frances felt that if she allowed Pratt to escort her she would make the Boston girl more of an enemy than she already felt her to be. "We--we don't really need you, Pratt," said Frances. "Mack is all right----" "That fellow asleep on the wagon-seat? Lots of good _he_ is as an escort," laughed Pratt. "But I don't really need you," said the girl, weakly. "Oh! don't be so offish!" cried the young man, more seriously. "Don't you suppose I'd be glad of the chance to ride with you for a way?" "But your friends----" "You're a friend of mine," said Pratt, seriously. "I don't like the look of that Ratty M'Gill. I'm going to Peckham's with you." What could Frances say? Ratty leered at her from his saddle. She knew he must be partly intoxicated, for he was very careless with his matches. He allowed a flaming splinter to fall to the trail, after he lit his cigarette, and, drunk or sober, a cattleman is seldom careless with fire on the plains. It was mid-pasturage season and the ranges were already dry. A spark might at any time start a serious fire. "We-ell," gasped Frances, at last. "I can't stop you from coming!" "Of course not!" laughed Pratt, and quickly turned his grey pony to ride beside the pinto. The wagon was now a long way ahead. They set off on a gallop to overtake it. But when Frances looked over her shoulder after a minute, Ratty M'Gill still remained on the trail, as though undecided whether to follow or not. CHAPTER XVII AN ACCIDENT It was not until later that Frances was disturbed by the thought that Pratt was suspected by her father of having a strong curiosity regarding the Spanish treasure chest. "And here he has forced his company upon me," thought the girl. "What would father say, if he knew about it?"