They had not long returned from helping to defeat these marauders, and rescue Rosemary and her brother Floyd, when the news came about the government lands being thrown open. Then had followed the alarm in the night, and the chase, which was now on. Forward toward the two lone figures spurred the boy ranchers and their cowboy companions. Several more shots rang out, slivers of flame spitting harmlessly into the air, for until more was known of the character of the fugitives, no one desired to fire directly at them. Though in the West it was the custom to shoot first and inquire afterward, Slim Degnan knew it was not always a wise policy. Innocent men might be injured. However the two fugitives were either such poor riders, or their steeds were so tired, or, possibly, it was a combination of both causes, that the outfit from Diamond X was not long in overhauling them. "Look out for shots!" warned Snake Purdee, who was now in the lead with Slim. But the two figures whose horses were rapidly slowing to a walk, showed no signs of fight. Indeed the larger of the two men cried: "We surrender, gentlemen!" In the half light of the moon Bud, Nort and Dick looked at each other on hearing that voice. It brought back to them very vividly a picture of strenuous times. "Don't let 'em shoot, Professor!" chimed in another voice. "If I only had my long poker here----" "Be quiet, Zeb," spoke the one who had offered to surrender. "You aren't attending the school furnace now." "I only wish I was," came the rueful comment. "Did you hear that?" spoke Bud to his cousins. "It's Professor Wright!" exclaimed Nort and Dick in a sort of surprised duet. "But what's he doing here, and at night, and why did he run?" asked Bud. However, these questions could be answered later. Just now Slim and his bunch of cowboys were interested in discovering the object or motive of the strangers of the night--strangers in that the foremen and his helpers had not recognized the identity of the two men. And, in fact, Professor Wright--he of the pre-historic monster fame--was the only one known to the boys, and then only by his voice. Who "Zeb" might be they could only guess. "Except that I'd say, first shot, he was janitor in some small college where the professor taught," remarked Nort, and this proved to be the case. "What do you want?" queried Slim of the two former fugitives, though really they were that no longer, being now surrounded by the cowboys. "We were looking for the ranch of Mr. Merkel--Diamond X it is called, I believe," said the taller of the two strange riders. "Well, you're running away from it," commented Snake Purdee. "And why did you fire at us?" asked Slim.