The sudden turn of affairs caused surprise among Ricker’s cowboys, while Bud and his men sat staring at Mason in amazement. Ricker was fairly choking with rage as he was put in a bad light before his men, and he could only sit and glare at Mason. “I will agree to let you take Waneda back with you if I don’t prove you have got a yellow streak,” Mason continued scornfully; “you came over here to pick a quarrel with me and you know it.” “That is fair enough, Ricker,” Bud spoke up suavely. His voice seemed to have almost a purr in it. “The boy has called your turn. I will see that my men behave themselves, if you will promise your men will be good, but remember I’m watching you all.” Ricker spoke a few sharp words to his men and they fell back leaving him face to face with Mason. “I’m going to take some of the conceit out of you, you young upstart,” he said with pitying smile as he drew his guns and handed them to Bud. “You’re going up against a full grown man and I’m going to break you.” Mason knew he would have a tough job on his hands as Ricker was of the brute type and outweighed him by forty pounds. Mason fell back to join his mother and sister as they were calling frantically to him. They both appealed to him not to fight Ricker, Josephine and the ranch owner joining in with them. “I intend to get revenge for Dad’s sake,” he told them simply, and they knew it was useless to argue with him further. Bud went over and had a talk with Ricker. Soon he came back and drew Mason to one side. “Ricker says he won’t stand for any rules to this fight, lad,” he said kindly, “the best man to win at any style he likes best.” “That suits me,” Mason answered with a laugh; “I’ll box with him every minute.”