STANDING OFF THE JAYHAWKERS 



As the big captain halted a few feet from us he 

 demanded angrily: 



"What do you men mean by drawing your guns 

 on us an' halting us this way?*' 



"In these doubtful times/' replied Tom, "we 

 don't propose to allow a party of armed men to 

 enter our camp without first finding out who they 

 are an' what's their business with us. Will you 

 please tell us what yours is?" 



"Why, certainly," returned the big ruffian. 

 "We are free rangers looking up stray an' stolen 

 stock an' also gathering in good bosses an' mules 

 fer the government. Have you any objections to 

 that?" 



"Not in the least," said Tom, "but we have no 

 stray or stolen stock an' no horses or mules for 

 sale, an' I don't see as you have any further busi- 

 ness with this outfit." 



"The reason why we've made this call on you 

 is this," answered Tucker. "A short time ago one 

 of my men had a fine pair of mules stole from him 

 an' trailed 'em down nigh to Leavenworth where 

 he lost track of 'em. I learned from the old store- 

 keeper over the crick yonder that you men had 

 lately bought your mules in Leavenworth, an' 

 when I went back to camp an' mentioned this 

 matter to Bill Sawyer he got to thinkin' about 

 it, an' he thought that possibly you might of 

 bought his mules without knowin' they was stole; 

 an' so I jes' brung him an' a few more of the boys 

 over to look at your mules." 



55 



