“I guess that hasn’t happened very often,” admitted Joe.
“You’ll have to be on your guard now,” warned Jim. “You’ve made two bitter enemies. Those fellows are vindictive, and their money gives them power. They could easily buy thugs to beat you up, cripple you—anything for revenge and to get you out of the way.”
“True enough,” assented Joe. “It wouldn’t be the first time enemies have tried to do me up. Do you remember the live rattlesnake they sent to me in a box in the hope that it would get me when I opened the box?”
“Will I ever forget it!” exclaimed Jim, with a shudder. “You came within an ace of getting yours that time, old boy.”
“But I imagine that these fellows will be a little more subtle in their methods,” mused Joe. “Gunmen and thugs as apt to blab if they’re caught. Oh, well, we won’t trouble trouble till trouble troubles us. But I will keep my eyes wide open.”
“You can’t be too careful,” cautioned Jim anxiously. “They’ll have a double motive now, one to get revenge for the licking and the other to save that two hundred thousand dollars that they’ve got up against us.”
“They’d better kiss that money good-by,” declared Joe grimly, “for we’re going to play our heads off to win.”