[Illustration: THE NEXT INSTANT JACK AND THE PONY WENT ROLLING AND PLUNGING OFF THE TRAIL DOWN TOWARD THE RIVER.—_Page 36._] ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ ║ ║ THE BORDER BOYS ║ ║ ║ ║ WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS ║ ║ ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ║ ║ By FREMONT B. DEERING ║ ║ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ║ ║ AUTHOR OF ║ ║ ║ ║ “The Border Boys on the Trail,” “The Border Boys with the ║ ║ Mexican Rangers,” “The Border Boys Across the Frontier,” ║ ║ “The Border Boys in the Canadian Rockies,” “The Border Boys ║ ║ Along the St. Lawrence.” ║ ║ ║ ║ [Illustration] ║ ║ ║ ║ ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ ║ ║ ║ ║ A. L. BURT COMPANY ║ ║ ║ ║ Publishers New York ║ ║ ║ ║ Printed in U. S. A. ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Copyright, 1912, BY HURST & COMPANY MADE IN U. S. A. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. “IN TEXAS DOWN ON THE RIO GRANDE” 5 II. THE HUMBLING OF SHORTY 18 III. AN ATTEMPT AT “GETTING EVEN” 28 IV. WITH THE RANGERS 37 V. JACK’S CHANCE 47 VI. THE POOL OF DEATH 57 VII. A STRANGE VALLEY 67 VIII. NATURE’S PRISONERS 77 IX. A CLIMB FOR LIFE 85 X. A BATTLE IN MID–AIR 95 XI. RANGERS ON THE TRAIL 105 XII. A BAFFLING PURSUIT 115 XIII. THE CAPTAIN’S STORY 123 XIV. RALPH’S HOUR OF DANGER 135 XV. A “BLANK WALL” 147 XVI. LOST IN THE BURNING DESERT 159 XVII. TWO MEN OF THE AIR 170