"Yes, King," said he; "I sent for you. How would you like to do a little brisk, and perhaps exciting, work for Uncle Sam and the Territory of Arizona?"
"I'll be glad to do anything I can," answered Matt, not a little curious because of the governor's words and manner.
"There may be danger in it, King," went on the governor, eying the lad's face keenly, "a great deal of danger."
"That ought to keep me gingered up," smiled Matt easily.
McKibben chuckled and swerved his eyes to the governor.
"There'll also be one hundred dollars in it for you."
"That's all right, too, sir," said Matt. "I could use the hundred."
"Briefly, then," proceeded the governor briskly, "the work is this: A man named Joe Dangerfield, with several other ruffians, is camped at Tinaja Wells, near Painted Rocks. They're a lawless set, those fellows, and have been engaged in smuggling Chinamen into the United States by way of Mexico and the Arizona border. The Federal Government has offered a reward of one thousand dollars each for the capture of Dangerfield or any of his gang.
"Jasper Burke, the sheriff from Prescott, is camped with a posse at Potter's Gap, just over the divide, at the head of Castle Creek Cañon. Dangerfield and his gang are known to be making for the Mexican border, to get away from the authorities and so effect their escape. The trail south from Tinaja Wells passes through Potter's Gap, and Burke and his posse are waiting there to catch the Dangerfield outfit as it comes along.