good. It ain't far. My horse is up there in the pines."

"What are you going to do with me?" growled the defeated man over his
shoulder.

"Do with you?" The voice of Fox registered amiable surprise. "Why, I
am going to ask you to go up to the horse ranch with me so that the
boys can thank you proper for digging up the gold."

Directly in front of them a spur of the range jutted out to meet the
brown foothills. Back of this, forty miles as the crow flies, nestled
a mountain park surrounded by peaks. In it was the Rutherford horse
ranch. Few men traveled to it, and these by little-used trails. Of
those who frequented them, some were night riders. They carried a
price on their heads, fugitives from localities where the arm of the
law reached more surely.

Through the dry brittle grass the man on horseback followed Dingwell to
the scant pines where his cowpony was tethered. Fox dismounted and
stood over his captive while the latter transferred the gunnysack and
its contents to the other saddle. Never for an instant did the little
spy let the other man close enough to pounce upon him. Even though
Dingwell was cowed, Chet proposed to play it safe. Not till he was in
the saddle himself did he let his prisoner mount.

Instantly Dave's cowpony went into the air.

"Whoa, you Teddy! What's the matter with you?" cried the owner of the
horse angrily. "Quit your two-stepping, can't you?"