"Put your hands over your head, young feller!" he growled, swinging the muzzle of the heavy gun toward Pratt. "And keep 'em there till I've seen what you carry in your pockets." He strode toward the surprised Pratt, who obeyed the order with becoming promptness. "Don't you make no move, neither, Miss," growled the man, darting a glance in Frances' direction. "Why--why---- What do you mean?" demanded Pratt, recovering his breath at last. "Do you dare hold this young lady a prisoner?" "Yep. That's what I dare," sneered Pete. "And it looks like I'd got you, too. What d'ye think you're going to do about it?" "Isn't this the fellow who robbed us at the river that time, Frances?" cried Pratt. The girl nodded. Just then she could not speak. "And that fellow Ratty was with him this time?" Again the girl nodded. "Then they shall both be arrested and punished," declared Pratt. "I never heard of such effrontery. Do you know who this young lady is, man?" he demanded of Pete. "Jest as well as you do. And her pa's going to put up big for to see her again--unharmed," snarled the man. "What do you mean?" gasped Pratt, his face blazing and his fists clenched. "You dare harm her----" Pete was slapping him about the pockets to make sure he carried no weapon. Now he struck Pratt a heavy blow across the mouth, cutting his lips and making his ears ring. "Shut up, you young jackanapes!" commanded the man. "I'll hurt her and you, too, if I like." "And Captain Dan Rugley won't rest till he sees you well punished if you harm her," mumbled Pratt. Pete struck at him again. Pratt dodged back. And at that moment Frances disappeared! The man had only had his eyes off her for half a minute. He gasped, his jaw dropped, and his bloodshot eyes roved all about, trying to discover Frances' whereabouts. He had not realized that, despite her fear, the girl of the ranges had had her limbs drawn up and her muscles taut ready for a spring. His attention given for the moment to Pratt Sanderson, Frances had risen and dodged behind the bole of the tree against which she was leaning, a carefully watched prisoner. She would never have escaped so easily had it been Ratty in charge; for his mental processes were quicker than those of Pete. Flitting from tree to tree, keeping one or more of the big trunks between her and Pete's roving eyes while still he was speechless, she was traveling farther and farther from the camp. She might have set forth running almost at once, and so escaped. But she could not leave Pratt to the heavy hand of Pete. Nor could she abandon Molly. Frances, therefore, began encircling the opening where the fire burned; but she kept well out of Pete's sight. She heard him utter a bellow which would have done credit to a mad steer. That came when he saw Pratt was about to escape, too.