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Late in the afternoon he brought back with him Doctor Lee, and

half an hour after sunset Yorky and Slim galloped up. They were

for settling the matter out of hand by stringing the convict

Struve up to the nearest pine, but they found the ranger so very

much on the spot that they reconsidered.

"He's my prisoner, gentlemen. I came in here and took him--that

is, with the help of my friend Siegfried. I reckon if you mill it

over a spell, you'll find you don't want him half as bad as we

do," he said mildly.

"What's the matter with all of us going in on this thing,

lieutenant?" proposed Yorky.

"I never did see such a fellow for necktie parties as you are,

Yorky. Not three weeks ago, you was invitin' me to be chief

mourner at one of your little affairs, and your friend Johnson

was to be master of ceremonies. Now you've got the parts

reversed. No, I reckon we'll have to disappoint you this trip."

"What are you going to do with him?" asked Yorky, with plain

dissatisfaction.