“Yes, that was an especially bad case,” said Steve, with a dark frown on his sunburnt countenance. “This Espato and his gang picked out an especially dark night a few weeks ago, crossed the border, and surrounded Sanderson’s farmhouse so quietly that nobody in the place dreamed that there was a Mex within ten miles of them. Some of them sneaked up to the barn and set it on fire, and when the people in the house saw the flames, of course, they rushed out to try and save the barn. As they ran out of the house, the Greasers picked them off one by one—wiped out the whole family. Then they looted the house, and set that on fire, too. And if we ever get our hands on the murdering gang—well....” Steve did not finish the sentence, but his silence was more eloquent than words.
“There’s nothing would be too bad for them!” exclaimed Dick, hotly. “I suppose they got away before you fellows got news of the raid, eh?”
“Yes, they made for the border lickety spit. Of course, after we got the news, we set off after them, but they had too much of a start, and had reached their mountains before we could overtake them. Once there, it’s hopeless to chase them any further—for, horsemen, anyway. That flying machine of yours might have better luck, though.”
“The varmints hole down in them mountains, and it would take an army to locate them,” explained the other Ranger. “There’s caves and passes that only they know anything about.”
“It’s just possible that we might come at them from air, though, as Steve says,” remarked Phil. “You can see a pretty big stretch of country when you’re up five or six hundred feet.”
“Gosh, it’s a great sensation,” said Steve, “will you give me a ride some day, Phil? It’s a long time since I’ve had one.”
“Surest thing you know,” promised the young aviator. “I’ll do a few tail spins and nose dives while you’re along, just so you’ll really enjoy the trip.”
“Nothing doing,” declared Steve, emphatically. “It will suit me if you keep on just an even keel. I don’t crave to imitate a pinwheel, not nohow.”
Phil was about to make a laughing rejoinder, when suddenly there was a commotion outside, and a tall, handsome man, dressed in military fashion, strode into the room.