They're miles away by this time. But don't you
worry, Sis — they won't get him. Five curs never
lived that could catch a timber wolf in his own
country — and if they do catch him, they will wish
they hadn't. And I almost hope they win the
chase, for they'll lose their fool lives. It will be a
lesson to the rest of the bullies of the Cross Bar-8 —
and small loss to the community at large, eh,
Charley?"

" Yore shore right, Jim," replied Charley, smil-
ing at Miss Ritchie. " Did you ever hear tell of
the dog that retrieved a lighted dynamite car-
tridge ?" he asked her. "No? Well, the dog left
for parts unknown."

" That's good, Charley," Shields responded
114



The Outfit Hunts for Strays

with a laugh. " The dog just wouldn't mind, and
he was only a snarling, no-account cur at that,
wasn't he?" Then he looked at the coach, and
his heart softened to the hunted man. u I can see
it all, now," he said slowly. " Those punchers
must have forced him out of the Backbone, and he
was getting away when he saw the plight you were
in. By God I " he cried in appreciation of the act.
