porary garage for the Motor Rangers' big car. From their bed-room window, the boys had, a few moments before, watched Al. Jeffries stride of

seen them. Al. had even sat around with them a while, trying to pump them, but of course, after what they knew of him, they did not give him much information. Nat had formed an idea that the man was a sort of agent for the gang of

ts for soft moccasins, in which they made next to no noise at all as they moved. Each lad, moreover, carried under his arm a small bundle. Their clothing consisted of trousers and shirts.

eir bundles, hastily donned what was in them. Then Nat uncorked a bottle, while a strong odor filled th

ers crouched behind the wooden wall of the s

sit on that sneeze!" Jo

cautious footsteps approaching the

in Jeffries' voice. "Say, what a laugh

Nat to himself, clutching more tightly a

autious undertone, "I told those kids I'd get even on them for

his teeth as

ng that you don't expect," h

ind them were two ponies. The feet of the little animals

red Joe, "they've pad

t say a word or make a mov

hey drew closer and the shadow of the place

r a cliff, don't it?" put in

said Dayton abruptly, "I want to give

o run the car over a cliff were you? Oh, how I'd

nto the thing and start

't wake up," put in

"I listened at their door after I came out, and

or vehicles, Dayton climbed into the drive

here came a

whisper

ed three terrifying objects. Their faces glared greenly and

ey uttered a

e of the car of the

ed Dayton's

thered in there awoke, and resenting the man's sudden intrusion, let fly with his hind hoofs. This shot the ruffian's form full tilt into that

es, in mortal terror of the g

ring half in fear and half in pain at the r

ad made Dayton recoil, only fooled him for an instant. Springing erec

there yo

sts with the green face

ly, "they're no ghosts. Get u

fist shot out and landed with a crash on the point of his jaw, but although Dayton reeled unde

that it was no ghostly hand that had struck the blow, and the fact rallied their fleeting courage. As furiously as had Dayton, they charged upon the boys. Th

utched in his hand as they crouched behind the wooden partition.

-z-z-

d with a pungent odor. It seemed to fill the

s charge had expended itself. As upon the other occasion, when the ammonia pistols had been used, the rout of the ene

heard windows thrown up and t

ne window, in the landlord's voice,

n, "we'll have the whole hornets'

linded, made for his little steed. But Dayton, who had hardly received any of the aromatic discharge, sudde

tely, the man fired so quickly and the excitement and co

y longer he swung himself into his saddle. He drove home the spurs and with a

ady a good distance off with Al. Jeff

rom the rack in the tonneau as Dayton galloped

rascals off, and tha

mly congratulated on their success by all hands, and much laughter greeted their account of the amusing panic into which the

reen glowing paint?" a

s of California matches in the tooth glass," explained N

atingest," was the landlo

ns and angry denunciation of Al. Jeffries and h

se. Vait! Nod a mofe!

tement and instantly decided it would make a good subject for his camera. He presented a queer figure as he stood there, in pajamas several si

u don't expect to get a p

Sure.

e first place you ha

shouldn't have got id a flash-light, aind

rest, was beginning to shiver in the keen air of the moun

d not have, and that was a portrait of the Motor Rangers as they appeared immed