Joe ran for the corner and caught up the pistol. Then he leaped for the open doorway.
“Stop, both of you!” he called out. “Stop, or I'll fire!”
“Don't you dare!” shrieked Pat Malone, and ran faster than ever, behind the nearest of the trees. Joe aimed the weapon, but before he could pull the trigger both of the bad men were out of sight.
“Go after them, if you want to,” said Bill Badger. “I'll go too.”
“You are not badly hurt?” queried our hero, sympathetically.
“No, but if I catch that fellow I'll give it to him good,” grumbled the young westerner.
Both now left the barn and made after Caven and Malone. Once they caught sight of the rascals, moving in the direction of the railroad tracks.
“They are going to catch a train if they can!” cried our hero. “I hear one coming.”
“It's a freight most likely,” was Bill Badger's answer.
He was right, and soon the long line of freight cars hove into sight around a bend and on an upgrade. Far in the distance they beheld Caven and Malone scooting for the train with all speed.