The boys watched him with anxious eyes. Would he cross safely, or would he be shot down like a dog? There was no sign from the ranch house. All activity had ceased as though the occupants had been frozen into stillness. Nearer and nearer walked the agent, head up, the gun with the handkerchief tied on it held in front of him. Still there was no sign of life inside the house. When the agent reached within ten feet of the place, the boys saw him stop and look closely at the quiet house. "Hey, you!" he yelled. "Nervy guy," the Kid commented, "He might easily get creased, standin' there yellin'. Me, I wouldn't put it past that bunch!" Suddenly a window flew up and a head poked out. It was a stranger, none of the boys ever having seen the fellow before. "What do you want?" the man demanded in a truculent tone. "I call upon you to surrender, in the name of the law!" said Hawkins. "You what?" Without waiting for an answer, the head drew in but the window remained open. In a moment the head reappeared. "What are you talking about? Why should we surrender?" "You're under arrest for smuggling, and for assault and battery with intent to kill!" "You don't say!" The head popped in. Then in a moment---- "Who are you--John Law?" "I happen to be a federal agent. But I'm not here to give you my history. Do you surrender?" The boys could hear the sting in the agent's words. "Wait a minute." Once more the head disappeared. This time it stayed back for some minutes. The watching boys were moving uneasily. Finally another came to the window--it was Delton. The agent gave no sign that he knew him. "Want to speak to me?" asked Delton, an imperious note in his voice. "Makes no difference who I speak to. I want to know if you'll surrender, and give yourselves over to the law." "What for?" "You know well enough! Smuggling, and shooting!" "It was that bird's own fault that he got shot. What's he want to come sneaking around for? Serves him right! As for smuggling, who said we were smugglers?" "Never mind about that." The agent was speaking quickly now. "I ask you once more, do you surrender?" Unwittingly Hawkins lowered his gun on which was the flag of truce. There was a sudden report, and a spurt of dust arose at the agent's feet. "There's our answer!" Delton yelled, and slammed down the window. Hawkins wasted no time in returning to the waiting boys. "That's that," he said grimly, and he removed the handkerchief from his gun. "We got to go after them. Kid, where's Billee Dobb resting?" "Over there behind that bend. Want me to go over and see how he's makin' out?" "Yes. In the meantime, where's that meat and bread you brought, Nort? Everybody grab some. Got water over there for Billee, Kid?" "Yep; Dick's got a canteen full, and he's got Billee's shoulder tied up with his shirt. We can't do anything more for him 'til we get home."