“Gracious!” gasped Ned. He walked rapidly across the floor once or twice and then came back and caught hold of his chair again. His strength was all frightened out of him, and he could not long keep his feet without a support of some kind. “But Mr. Gilbert thinks they are going to take the law into their own hands, as people very often do it in this country, and that is the reason I am so anxious to get you away from here,” continued George. “And that isn’t all. You and your friend have been shooting cattle this afternoon!” “It isn’t so! It isn’t so!” cried Ned, with so much earnestness that he condemned himself on the spot. “Is it, Gus?” “No!” replied Gus, in a feeble voice. “I haven’t seen any cattle to-day!” declared Ned, gathering a little courage as he proceeded. “I haven’t been near my wheat field for a week! Somebody else did it; didn’t they, Gus?” The latter made no reply. He did not even act as though he heard the question, and probably he did not, for he was frightened almost out of his wits. “All I know is, that Mr. Cook lost two steers to-day, and that he saw you shoot them,” said George. “He has been around to see all the neighbors about it, and you will hear from them before this time to-morrow if you are in this house!” “Have you any idea what they will do?” asked Uncle John, who seemed to be as badly frightened as Ned was. “Not the slightest; but they will make it warm for Ned in some way, you may depend upon it. He has raised a storm, and Mr. Gilbert’s advice to him is to get out of reach of it. It is my advice, too.” Just then somebody tapped lightly on the door. George turned the key, the door opened a little way and Jake, the herdsman, thrust his head in. “They’re comin’,” said he, in a thrilling whisper. “I can hear their horses a-gallopin!” This startling announcement seemed to take the courage out of everybody except George. Uncle John and the two trembling culprits sank helplessly into the nearest chairs, their faces betraying the utmost consternation. CHAPTER XV. WHAT HAPPENED AT THE RANCHO. “How far away are they, Jake?” asked George, who seemed to be the only one besides the herdsman who had any of his wits left about him. “They’re so fur off that I couldn’t have heard ‘em at all if the wind hadn’t brought the sound of their horses’ feet to me,” was the herdsman’s answer. “But they’re comin’ fast, an’ they’ll be here in five minutes. The horses are waitin’ at the door!” “You have not an instant to lose,” said our hero, turning to the frightened boys and speaking as rapidly as he could. “Where are you going to take them, George?” asked Uncle John, as soon as he had recovered the use of his tongue.