Starting up, Merriwell jumped clear of the cornfield, dashed across the space separating him from the group of men in the shade of the house, and, before the astounded plotters could interfere, he had reached over the professor's shoulder, snatched the paper out of his hands, and torn it to bits. "Blast ye!" roared McGurvin, jumping forward savagely. "What right you got buttin' in?" Sam, Turkeyfoot, and Heppner likewise confronted Merry with flaming eyes and twitching, angry faces. The professor fell back, astounded. "Merriwell!" he gasped, lifting a hand to his forehead. Clancy, losing not a moment, jumped to place himself at his chum's side. "You're a pack of curs!" cried Merriwell, "and you're trying to swindle the professor out of a bonanza mining claim. You--" With a snarl of rage, all four of the plotters began closing in on Merry and Clancy. CHAPTER XI. THE COWBOYS SAVE THE DAY. For a few moments matters took on a serious aspect for the two boys. The quitclaim deed, however, had been destroyed, and there was no fear that Professor Borrodaile would again fall into Heppner's trap. Frank had counted upon this, and had even figured that he would have to take a few hard knocks in bringing it about. Heppner, fairly boiling, was rushing at Merry like an unleashed tornado. McGurvin, too, was plunging toward him from the right. Sam and Turkeyfoot were making Clancy the object of their attack. Merry felt that Heppner was entitled to a little something as a memorial of the plot that failed. So, dodging the bull-like rush of McGurvin, he jumped at Heppner, and his doubled fist shot out like a battering-ram. "Oof!" Heppner grunted, flinging up his arms. Frank's knuckles had landed on the point of his heavy, brutelike jaw, in just the place best calculated to make a man see stars, and, incidentally, to teach him a lesson. The "government agent" reeled back and staggered groggily. McGurvin, swearing furiously, flung his arms around Frank from behind. "I'll wring yer neck fer ye, you young terror!" threatened the rancher. And it was at that moment, when Merry and Clancy were hard beset, that a Bar Z yell floated down the breeze. It came with an accompaniment of wildly galloping hoofs. High above the tumult and the shouting arose the voice of Barzy Blunt: "Hang to it, Merriwell! We're on the way!" The coming of reenforcements had a dampening effect upon the ardor of McGurvin, Sam, and Turkeyfoot. The rancher released Frank and started at a hurried pace for the other side of his house. Sam and Turkeyfoot also attempted to decamp, but they were not quick enough. The cowboys, throwing themselves from their horses, rushed pell-mell to take a hand in the conflict. Such a ruction appealed to them, and they proceeded to wade into Sam and Turkey foot. Frank and Blunt went on a hurried search for McGurvin. The rancher was finally located, barricaded behind a locked door, and he was breathing fierce threats of ravage and slaughter.