“Now, boys,” said the latter, as he placed the sombrero on his head, “as soon as you have had rest enough, catch up and start again. Don’t waste an hour, but be careful and not tire your horses out by reckless riding. When you reach Brownsville, go to the best hotel, and wait for Uncle John. Ned has all the money you need,” added George, who had taken pains to see that there was an exchange of purses as well as an exchange of clothing. “But what is going to become of you?” asked Ned, as if the question had just occurred to him. “I am sure I don’t know,” replied George; and it was right on the end of his tongue to add: “Probably your father will tell you if you will ask him the next time you see him,” but he did not utter the words. It was more than likely that Springer’s story was all false, and that Uncle John knew nothing whatever about this matter. At any rate he would not accuse him until he had received positive proof of his guilt. “What makes you let them carry you off in this way, anyhow?” demanded Ned. “What else can I do? I can’t whip two grown men with my bare hands, can I?” “I always heard that the Ackermans was a plucky lot,” said the man who was keeping guard over George, “but I didn’t allow to find a kid like you so cool an’ careless-like. Have you done talkin’ enough now, do you reckon?” “Yes, I have given all the advice I can think of, and I will be ready to go with you as soon as I can saddle my horse.” “You needn’t mind takin’ that lasso off,” said the man, as George was about to untie the lariat with which his horse was fastened to the picket-pin. “‘Cause why, we’ll leave it jist as it is, you know, an’ I’ll hang on to this yere eend of it.” The boy was surprised at the precautions his captor thought it necessary to take in order to prevent any attempt at escape, and told himself that the man was going to a good deal of trouble for nothing. If there had been the least chance for flight or successful resistance George would promptly have taken advantage of it, as he did a few days afterward, but he was not foolhardy enough to run a race with a bullet from the ruffian’s revolver. While he was putting the saddle and bridle on his horse he repeated all the instructions he had given Ned, and when he could no longer find an excuse for delaying his departure, he shook hands with his companions, bade them good-by and rode away between the two cattle-thieves, one of whom held fast to the lasso which was around the neck of George’s horse. Ned and Gus stood in the edge of the timber watching him as long as he remained in sight, and when he disappeared behind the nearest swell, they sat down on their blankets and looked at each other. “O, Gus, I don’t know what I should do if you were not here with me!” exclaimed Ned, who was the first to speak.