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diff --git a/39578-0.txt b/39578-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..99534ce --- /dev/null +++ b/39578-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7169 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Broncho Rider Boys on the Wyoming Trail, +by Frank Fowler + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Broncho Rider Boys on the Wyoming Trail + A Mystery of the Prairie Stampede + + +Author: Frank Fowler + + + +Release Date: April 30, 2012 [eBook #39578] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ON THE +WYOMING TRAIL*** + + +E-text prepared by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by +the HathiTrust Digital Library (http://www.hathitrust.org/digital_library) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustration. + See 39578-h.htm or 39578-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/39578/39578-h/39578-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/39578/39578-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through the + HathiTrust Digital Library. See + http://hdl.handle.net/2027/nyp.33433082303136 + + + + + +[Illustration: Plainly branded on the flank of the dead animal +was the sign manual, a bar, and the letter S.] + + +THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ON THE WYOMING TRAIL + +Or + +A Mystery of the Prairie Stampede + +by + +FRANK FOWLER + +Author of “The Broncho Rider Boys Down in Arizona,” “The Broncho Rider +Boys at Keystone Ranch,” “The Bronco Rider Boys Along the Border,” + + + + + + + +A. L. Burt Company +New York. + +Copyright, 1914 +by A. L. Burt Company + + + + +CONTENTS + + CHAPTER I.—ALONG THE WYOMING TRAIL. + CHAPTER II.—THE STRANGE ACTIONS OF JUPITER. + CHAPTER III.—THE FIRST NEWS OF THE BAR-S RANCH. + CHAPTER IV.—THE NIGHT ALARM. + CHAPTER V.—THE STAMPEDE. + CHAPTER VI.—TO STAND BY A CHUM. + CHAPTER VII.—FOLLOWING THE CATTLE RUSTLERS. + CHAPTER VIII.—THE CORRAL IN BITTERSWEET COULIE. + CHAPTER IX.—READY TO ACT. + CHAPTER X.—CLEVER WORK. + CHAPTER XI.—LAYING PLANS. + CHAPTER XII.—DRIVING THE STAMPEDED STOCK HOME. + CHAPTER XIII.—ADRIAN HIRES MORE HELP. + CHAPTER XIV.—THE LAME PILGRIM ON THE TRAIL. + CHAPTER XV.—FACE TO FACE AT THE CORRAL. + CHAPTER XVI.—A THREATENING STORM. + CHAPTER XVII.—ADRIAN TAKES THE REINS. + CHAPTER XVIII.—THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS. + CHAPTER XIX.—BILLIE HAS SUSPICIONS. + CHAPTER XX.—ALMOST CAUGHT. + CHAPTER XXI.—MR. THOMAS IS AMUSED. + CHAPTER XXII.—SAFE IN THE CORRAL. + CHAPTER XXIII.—TO HAVE AND TO HOLD. + CHAPTER XXIV.—TREACHERY. + CHAPTER XXV.—ADRIAN MAKES A STAND. + CHAPTER XXVI.—A BOLD PROPOSAL. + CHAPTER XXVII.—TRAPPED. + CHAPTER XXVIII.—COUNTING THE MINUTES. + CHAPTER XXIX.—THE COMING OF THE RUSTLERS. + CHAPTER XXX.—WHEN THE SHERIFF CAME—CONCLUSION. + + + + +THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ON THE WYOMING TRAIL + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +ALONG THE WYOMING TRAIL. + + +“Getting near the end of our long ride, ain’t we, Adrian?” + +“Another night out ought to finish our great gallop from the Arizona +border away up into the Wyoming cattle country, Billie.” + +“Huh! mebbe I ain’t just glad to hear that news now. This broncho riding +business may be all very well for a while; but a fellow can get too +much, even of a good thing; ain’t that so, Donald?” + +“I’ve found that out myself many a time, and ’specially around the +Christmas stuffing season, Billie. But you’ll admit that our horses have +held out well. Wireless is about as willing as when we started from my +home weeks back.” + +“That’s right, and so is Jupiter here, which is a wonder, considering +that I’m nearly as heavy as my two saddle chums combined. Time was when +Jupiter kept me guessing which way he had made up his mind to throw me +off; but he don’t act like a crazy thing any more.” + +“No, you cured him of that trick, all right, Billie, though we thought +he’d break that stubborn neck of yours in the bargain,” laughed the boy +called Adrian. + +“And you stick to the saddle like a burr these days, because you can +ride just as well as—well, you can eat, which is going some, if I do say +it,” went on the third of the young riders, whom the fat boy had called +Donald. + +Billie laughed merrily, showing that he was a good-natured chap, and +could take a joke, even when it was on himself, which is more than some +lads are able to do, the more the pity. + +While they plod on in this way, heading toward a group of houses where +they hoped to find a wayside tavern at which they might secure some sort +of a lunch, for they did not wish to stop to do any cooking at noon, we +may as well take advantage of the opportunity to introduce these three +lively boys to those readers who may not have had the good fortune to +meet them before in earlier volumes of this Western series of books. + +Donald Mackay was the son of a well-to-do ranchman located down along +the Arizona border, where he carried on his cattle business at Keystone +Ranch; and was at the same time heavily interested in certain copper +mines situated among the mountains. + +Adrian Sherwood was a friend, and a chum of Donald’s, who had spent a +long stretch with the Mackays, so that he almost looked upon their home +as his own. He was an orphan, and owned a cattle ranch of his own up +here in Wyoming, which had for a long time been managed by his Uncle +Fred Comstock; but which the young fellow had not visited for a term of +years, ever since meeting Donald, in fact. + +During the last twelve months or so he had been receiving very +disappointing returns from his property. All sorts of evil things had +apparently swooped down on the valuable ranch, which had once been known +under another name, but now went by that of the Bar-S outfit. + +Adrian had bothered very little about it at first, but as these bad +returns continued, his curiosity was aroused; and finally he found +himself tempted to visit his property secretly, without warning his +uncle of his coming. In this way he hoped to see for himself just what +strange things were taking place up here in what was once the finest +cattle country, barring none, in all the Wild West. + +The third member of the trio of riders was named William Stonewall +Jackson Winkle. Hence it would go without saying that he came of an +intensely patriotic Southern family, one or more of whose members must +have ridden with the famous Confederate general in those terrible days +of the Civil War; though the Winkles now lived in the North, and +Billie’s father was a rich New York lawyer. + +The boy had really been sent to pay a year’s visit to his cousin, +Donald, in the hope that the bracing air and breezy life of a cattle +ranch, with plenty of outdoor exercise thrown in, might reduce his flesh +more or less; and the cure had been fairly successful. + +While Billie was still an enormously fat chap, his muscles were no +longer flabby, but “hard as nails,” as he often joyously avowed. He had +come out West a genuine tenderfoot or greenhorn, only knowing how to +ride fairly well; but gifted with an extraordinary stubborn disposition +that forced him to keep “plugging” away at any thing he wished to learn +until it _had_ to succumb. + +So he had conquered the vicious pony named Jupiter, which none of the +cow-punchers had had the patience to break of his evil ways. For a long +time it was an open question whether Billie would break the pony, or the +latter break Billie’s neck; but in the end the determined boy had won +out. And from that day on they delighted to call the fat chum Broncho +Billie. + +Down in Arizona these three lads, known far and wide as the Broncho +Rider Boys because they were nearly always seen galloping swiftly over +the plains on their mounts, either in pursuit of game, runaway cattle, +or just for a wild lark, had of course met with numerous exciting +experiences. + +Some of these will be found narrated in previous volumes of this series, +to which the reader who would know more about the saddle pards, is +referred. + +They had made the journey of hundreds of miles mounted on their horses, +and taking things rather easy. With them they carried rifles, and some +cooking utensils as well as blankets; for many a night they camped just +as they found themselves in the open, making themselves fairly +comfortable. At other times they put up at roadside taverns, especially +when a bad spell of weather came along, and the chance for shelter +offered. + +From what Adrian had said to the stout chum, they were now close to the +end of their long journey, with their mounts in tiptop condition. +Indeed, he had assured Billie that this night would in all probability +be their last on the Wyoming trail, as they should reach Bar-S Ranch +before another sundown succeeded the one that was before them. + +Billie liked riding, but being such a heavy fellow he longed for a +change. To his mind a few days spent in lying around and taking things +easy would be a delight. At times he joked, and told his chums that if +they kept him on the jump much longer he would be able to get a job in +some dime museum as the Living Skeleton; but somehow this doleful +information did not appear to cause either Adrian or Donald any alarm. +They would look him over critically, and then grin, as they shook their +heads in the negative, as though unable to detect any difference in his +heft nowadays from what it used to be when they left Keystone Ranch. + +In this way they rode in among the houses that formed a prairie village. +Farms doubtless lay scattered around, with the owners preferring to live +in a community, and ride out to their work every day, either in wagons, +or the latest thing in automobiles, which were already becoming very +common on the plains. + +Seeing an awkward, half-grown boy, who looked as though he might be +connected with the tavern in front of which they had halted, Adrian +called out to him. + +“We want to stop over and get some lunch; can you have our ponies fed, +and then brought around to the hitching fence again, after being +watered?” + +“Reckon I kin, boss,” replied the boy, who was a rather silly looking +fellow, Billie thought, and who kept staring at him so hard that he +rather fancied he had never before set eyes on so stout a youth; he even +grinned and chuckled while taking the bridle reins of the three ponies, +and continued to stare at Billie until the three travelers had +disappeared in the tap-room of the tavern. + +“Seems like you made a hit with that fellow, Billie,” remarked Donald, +chuckling. + +“Well, I ain’t proud of my conquest,” muttered the fat boy, who had not +felt easy under the bold stare of the hostler; “he hain’t got the +sweetest face I ever set eyes on; and ’peared to me he might be close to +a fool.” + +“Here’s the landlord,” remarked Adrian, and turning to the tall man who +came bustling forward, he continued: “We’d like to have something warm +to eat, if you can give it to us in a short while; your stable boy has +taken our ponies around to bait and water. Are we in time for dinner?” + +“Be ready in ten minutes, and glad to hev you along with us,” replied +the other. + +They found that the dinner, while limited in variety, was very good, and +with an abundance that pleased Billie especially, for the fat chum was a +great eater. + +Having satisfied their appetites Donald and Adrian gave Billie a little +extra time. They recognized the fact that he had to eat for nearly twice +their weight; and had only one set of jaws with which to do the +masticating, as Billie often complained, when they reproached him for +lingering over the spread. + +But finally even he had to confess that he could devour no more, though +he did shake his head when leaving the table, as though it was against +his principles to allow so much to remain after he had dined. + +The horses were already fastened at the rail out at the front door, and +having settled for the accommodation, besides leaving a generous tip for +the hostler who did not appear to be around, they mounted and rode off; +at least Donald and Adrian did without any trouble. + +Billie, however, was not so fortunate. Jupiter acted very queer, after +having had his wild spirit so well brought under subjection by his young +master long ago. He shook his head, and snorted, as though afraid of +something, even prancing hither and thither as if unwilling to let +Billie get into his saddle. + +“Whoa! you silly thing!” shouted the fat boy, with a foot in the +stirrup; and then, seeing that Jupiter was bound to make him try his +best to mount this time, Billie suddenly threw himself upward, and as +his other leg passed over the saddle he found himself seated. + +Hardly had he done so than Jupiter commenced a series of prancings and +buckings of the same type as of old, evidently objecting strenuously to +Billie’s weight. Not being able to dismount his young master in this way +the really frantic pony suddenly dashed furiously along, passing both +the others like a shot. And Billie, as he left the village tavern in the +lurch, believed he heard a discordant shriek of boyish laughter that, it +struck him, must have come from the throat of the ugly stable boy who +had stared so hard at him and grinned like an ape! + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE STRANGE ACTIONS OF JUPITER. + + +“Hello! what ails Billie and his mount now?” burst out Adrian, as the +fat chum went flying past, with Jupiter acting like a crazy thing, +stopping short every little while to “buck,” and leap, and dance wildly, +after which he would go off again like the wind. + +They started their own bronchos along at a lively pace in order to keep +Billie in sight, at least. + +“Looks like Jupiter might have suddenly gone back to his old ways +again,” remarked Donald; “and I don’t know that I ever saw him carry on +just like that, even when he used to give every broncho-buster on the +range the time of his life trying to break him in.” + +“But Billie sticks like glue!” declared Adrian; “look at him, would you, +when the pony nearly stands on his silly head? If Billie never did +another thing he’s shown us that he comes of a race of riders, that’s +sure. Chances are that boy at the stable wondered how such a fat fellow +ever could keep in his saddle when on a lively broncho.” + +Donald made no reply. Perhaps these words had set him to thinking; or it +might be he was so taken up with watching the frantic evolutions of the +runaway pony just then that he could not spare the time for talking. + +Meanwhile Billie was having what he would call a “warm session” with his +mount. He tried to soothe Jupiter with caressing words, but for a wonder +they seemed to have no effect; for if anything the beast only acted +uglier than before. + +Discovering this Billie changed his tactics. Believing that it was only +a return of Jupiter’s old vicious nature, he was now determined to give +him a treatment similar to those that had in the past proved so +salutory. + +“Well, if you just feel like you _must_ go and run away with me,” he +muttered between his set teeth, “I’ll help things along the best I know +how. I’ll try and give you something to run for, you crazy thing!” + +With that he brought his quirt down upon the flank of the pony with +decided emphasis. As a rule he seldom had need to let Jupiter feel the +sting of the lash, as the animal was a “willing goer,” and ready to +“break his heart” as Billie said, in carrying that heavy weight along as +rapidly as the others could gallop. + +Of course when he felt the cut of the quirt, brought down with all the +vigor of Billie’s stout arm, the pony no longer stopped to try and +unseat his rider. He seemed to know that that was no longer possible; +and accordingly he went dashing off at a mad pace that would necessitate +the other chums urging their mounts on to do their level best, unless +they wished to be distanced in the race. + +So they went careering madly over the level prairie, with Billie +leading, far in the van. The others managed to keep close enough +together to exchange occasional remarks; and as they were constantly +growing more curious concerning this strange freak of the broncho, it +can be understood that they did more or less talking. + +“You don’t think Billie can be at fault in any way for this sudden +outbreak, do you, Donald?” Adrian queried. + +“I don’t see how he could,” came the reply. “The horse was acting mighty +queer when our pard first laid hands on the saddle. I noticed him jump +just like he used to in the old days. Seems like he might have had a +sudden return of that crazy spirit. The boys used to say it’d come back +to him some day or other, and warned Billie never to fully trust +Jupiter.” + +“But the broncho has been acting more than halfway decent for a long +time now,” Adrian went on to say, as he galloped swiftly along, keeping +a wary eye out for gopher holes, because he did not want to take chances +with a broken neck by being suddenly pitched over the head of his mount; +“and I really began to believe he’d never go back on Billie, for he +seemed to have grown to love his master.” + +“You can never tell what a broncho will do,” replied Donald, with his +long experience as a guide; for he was a genuine prairie boy, much of +his life having been spent on a cattle ranch; in fact he was even +educated at home by his mother, who had once been a very clever teacher +in a Chicago high school before marrying Mr. Mackay. + +“Yes, they come of a wild race, and sometimes seem to feel a touch of +the old free spirit that their ancestors enjoyed when they ran wild over +the plains!” Adrian called out; for they had to raise their voices while +speeding along at such a pace. + +Billie kept lashing his mount furiously. It was the only method whereby +a stubborn spirit in a pony could be subdued. The animal is to be taught +that he has a master on his back, and that he must conform to the will +of the rider, whether it is to run like the wind, or pull up. The first +thing a broncho-buster does is to drive this idea well into the mind of +his mount by whipping him constantly until he is fain to draw up when +the lines begin to pull, from utter exhaustion. And after this seed has +begun to take root it is comparatively easy to make an indelible +impression by starting him off again with the quirt, and the spurs, to +pull him in from time to time until the lesson is well learned, never to +be forgotten. + +And Billie was doing the only thing left to him by whipping his broncho, +though somehow it seemed to go against the grain to do it once more, +after all these long weeks of peace and docility on the part of Jupiter. + +Already was the animal lathered with sweat, partly because of his +tremendous exertions, but more on account of his excitement and nervous +state; for those coming along in the rear were in no such condition. + +An hour and more passed, with the wild ride still continuing. But +Donald’s keen eye detected signs that told him Jupiter was growing very +tired. + +“He’ll get him before much longer,” he asserted confidently. + +“Looks to me as if the broncho might be weakening,” returned his +companion, critically; “you see, the long journey is apt to tell on +Jupiter. For days steady we’ve covered a heap of miles, and the grind of +carrying all that weight is sure to pull down the stoutest horse going.” + +“Yes,” Donald continued, “there, Billie nearly pulled him in then, +though when the beast commenced jumping like mad he slashed him with his +quirt, and just made him run again, though it was easy to see Jupiter +didn’t have much heart for it.” + +“The end isn’t far off,” observed Adrian; “and since we’ve covered an +afternoon’s gallop in this hour and a half, I reckon we might as well +think of halting near where he finally stops his mount.” + +“Sure the poor beast will need a good rest!” declared Donald; “I can’t +quite make up my mind what ails him. Seems like he had gone clean crazy +some way or other. I’ve seen horses act like that when they’d been +locoed; but we know our animals haven’t been near any poison weed like +that.” + +“Well, we’ll soon know a little more’n we do now,” argued Adrian. + +“Looks like it, because Billie is going to get the upper hand pretty +quick, I reckon, from the way things look,” added his chum. + +Both of them had been making rapid time of it since leaving that prairie +village where they had eaten the last meal. Of course Jupiter had flown +along at even a faster clip; but then he lost time by stopping +occasionally to try some of his ancient games of bucking, so that the +pursuers were able to come closer again before he took a notion, under +the lashing of the busy quirt, to once more start off. + +Billie had not even taken notice enough of his chums to wave a hand in +their direction at any time during his furious ride. But then they could +understand that easily enough, for he had to keep his attention +constantly fastened upon Jupiter, lest the curveting animal spring a +sudden trick calculated to dismount his rider. + +Luckily the fat boy had been very particular to always have the best of +girths and other gear in connection with his riding outfit. A whole lot +depends on such little things as this when trying to master the ugly +spirit in one of those lively bronchos; as many a cow-puncher has +learned to his sorrow when something gave way, perhaps even in the +moment of his victory, and not only hurled him to the ground but spoiled +all that had been thus far accomplished in regard to taming the pony. + +It was plain to be seen that pure exhaustion and nothing else was +causing Jupiter to give in now. He acted just as strangely as ever, but +lacked the strength to hold out. And it was this fact that caused Donald +to shake his head and say something to himself that undoubtedly had a +bearing on the solution of the mystery, only he did not feel positive +enough to communicate the same to Adrian. + +But Billie had finally brought his trembling mount to a standstill. When +this was accomplished the fat boy carefully threw himself to the ground, +keeping a tight grip on the bridle. If Jupiter attempted to rear, or +break away, he would find all that weight was as good as any anchor that +could have been attached to him. He might as well have tried to move a +mountain as Broncho Billie, when once he stood firmly on his two legs. + +“Whatever is he doing, do you think?” demanded Adrian, as he and Donald +rode forward toward the spot where their chum and his foamy mount were +to be seen. + +“I declare if he hasn’t thrown the saddle off!” cried Donald, and there +was a ring of exultation in his voice, that seemed to announce that +certain dim suspicions which he had been entertaining were duly +strengthened by this queer fact. + +“But he can’t mount again if Jupiter takes a sudden notion to bolt!” +said Adrian. + +“No danger of that happening, take my word for it,” replied Donald. + +“See here, you’ve guessed what all the racket is about, I just know you +have,” the other cried, as his suspicions were aroused by Donald’s +manner. + +“Well, I’ve been thinking something for a little while now, even if I +didn’t say a word about the same,” admitted Donald, laughing. + +“And you won’t tell me?” urged his comrade. + +“What’s the use at this late stage of the game?” replied Donald. “Give +Billie a chance to let the cat out of the bag; because there he is, +waving to us right now, and wanting us to hurry along.” + +When the two who were in the rear came galloping up a couple of minutes +later it was a very red-faced and indignant chum they found there, +patting the trembling Jupiter tenderly, and even caressing his velvety +muzzle, as though begging his pardon for all that slapping of the cruel +quirt. + +“But how was I to know that all the while the poor thing was in agony, +with me in the saddle pressing these poisoned stickers deeper and deeper +into his back? Oh! it was a cruel trick, putting this bunch of sand +spurs under the saddle; and no wonder the broncho acted like he was +crazy as I jumped up and down, driving the points in deeper. Poor old +Jupiter, how was I to know you weren’t to blame?” + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE FIRST NEWS OF THE BAR-S RANCH. + + +“A mean trick!” echoed the indignant Adrian, “I’d like to help whip the +fellow who would think it funny to inflict that torture on a poor dumb +beast, not to mention having the rider run a chance of breaking his +neck. Whoever d’ye think could have been guilty—oh! yes, that grinning +hostler at the village tavern. It must have been him!” + +“Just who it was!” said Donald, grimly, and his face told how gladly he +would have taken pleasure in being one of several to treat the +ugly-faced half-grown cub to a good hiding, to pay him for his +detestable trick. + +“He kept on looking at me all the time, and grinning like a monkey,” +grumbled Billie, who was still caressing his broncho; and somehow +Jupiter seemed to understand it was all a mistake that he received that +whipping, for he whinnied, and rubbed his nose against his master’s +cheek. + +“Yes,” continued Donald, “somehow the silly thought it’d be a fine sight +to see how a fellow built like Billie here is, would carry on when a +horse got skittish; and like as not he couldn’t think up any other way +than this. I once knew a mean greaser to fasten some of these sand spurs +under a horse’s tail, and the game worked so that the rider was thrown; +with a broken arm to show for it.” + +“What happened to the Mexican?” demanded Billie, eagerly. + +“I never just knew,” replied Donald, seriously; “but the boys took after +him, and from that day to this I’ve never set eyes on his yellow face +again. I sometimes think they must have lynched the scoundrel, though +nobody would ever let on.” + +“Well, he sure deserved it,” muttered Billie; “but say, I hope now we +ain’t going any further this same day. I’d like Jupiter to have some +rest; and besides, I want to rub his poor blistered back here with some +witch hazel, and put some salve on. When I ride tomorrow I’ll see +there’s a good pad under my saddle, you hear me.” + +That was just like generous, good-hearted Billie. He would never harm +any sort of domestic animal, which accounted for his anger toward the +thoughtless hostler who in order to have a little fun, and see the fat +boy throw his arms around the neck of his mount, as he imagined would +come to pass, had taken advantage of his opportunity to play such a +wicked trick. + +“Oh! we’d already decided that!” declared Adrian. + +“And we stop somewhere close by, do we?” asked Billie, anxiously; +“because, like as not this terrible work will give me something of an +appetite, and I’ll be wanting to start supper a little earlier than +usual tonight—now, don’t laugh, boys; I know it’s hard on the rest of +you that nature made me so big I have to eat for two; but I just can’t +help it. And that work used up all my dinner, you see.” + +They had long ago stopped arguing with Billie with regard to his +abnormal appetite. Sometimes one or the other would joke him about it, +but they never tried to cut him short on his rations. + +Looking around Adrian quickly decided that they had come upon as good a +place to spend this the last night on the Wyoming trail as any that +could be found. + +“What better could heart wish?” he put it up to them; “with this fine +little watercourse running zigzag along, and right here a motte of +timber where we can make our camp? And there are several riders heading +toward us, that perhaps we might try and pump, so as to get some +information about the Bar-S Ranch. That landlord at the tavern didn’t +seem to know anything.” + +“Look like cowboys too,” declared Billie, after an anxious glance toward +those who were galloping in their direction; for Billie knew that on the +plains it is hardly wise to trust any one you happen to meet until they +have proved their title to be looked on as friends. + +“Oh! come, don’t keep feeling for your gun that is strapped so safely to +your back, Billie,” said Adrian, laughing. “There are only three in the +bunch, and they’re sure enough punchers. Let’s give them the cowboy +salute, and show that we happen to be of the same stripe; though I +reckon our outfit tells that already.” + +“Yes,” added Donald, “and don’t forget, Billie, that we said we’d keep +mum about Adrian here being the owner of the Bar-S Ranch. Just say we +belong down Arizona-way, and have come up here to look around. People +mind their own business generally speaking, here on the plains, and they +won’t pry into our affairs when they see we don’t care to open up.” + +“All the same, I’d like to ask a few questions myself,” Adrian went on +to say. “It might be right useful to us if we could get a line on what’s +going on up around the Bar-S, before we arrived.” + +“A good idea,” commented Billie, quickly. “They say forewarned is +forearmed, you know; and if we learn something is crooked, why, you’ll +be able to figure on what you ought to do, eh, Ad?” + +“Just what I will, Billie,” replied the other, grimly; “though it’s hard +for me to even suspect my uncle of stealing. If you knew what a spirited +little man he used to be, and what a high sense of honor he had, you’d +understand that. But keep quiet about these things now, Billie, for here +they come galloping up, waving their hats, and whooping like mad.” + +The three cow-punchers quickly pulled in when apparently about to ride +the others down, and hearty salutations followed on both sides. + +They were just such rough riders as may be found scattered all over the +country where cattle are raised for the market, requiring a host of +dashing fellows to herd them, brand the mavericks and youngsters, and +keep the drove from being stolen by rustlers or preyed upon by wild +animals. + +Just as they had planned to do, the three boys told that they were from +a ranch away down in the Southwest, coming up in the Northern country +just to look around, and see how things were done here. Adrian had +quickly made sure that he did not know any one of the men, and this +seemed to promise that they could not have the least suspicion regarding +his own identity. + +It was Donald who led the conversation to the subject of the ranches +within a radius of fifty miles; and when one of the others happened to +mention the Bar-S among several, the Arizona boy remarked: + +“Seems to me I’ve heard considerable about that same Bar-S Ranch. And +whoever it was told me must have said it was a bang-up outfit, as smart +as any in Wyoming. Let’s see, it’s owned by a man named Comstock, ain’t +it, pards?” + +He saw the three cowboys turn toward each other, and thought a flicker +of a smile passed over their weather-beaten faces, while one winked his +eye at the same time. + +“Oh! Fred Comstock he’s on’y manager of that Bar-S Ranch,” replied one. + +“He _used_ to be,” chuckled a second, “and as husky a little manager as +you’d be apt to run up against in a month out here.” + +“Why, who’s the manager now, then?” asked Adrian, rather startled; for +he had not had any intimation of a change; and certainly nothing of the +kind had ever been instituted with his consent. + +At that the three cow-punchers chuckled some more. + +“Why, you see, everybody reckons as how _Mrs._ Fred Comstock she holds +the whip hand over pore old Fred; and runs things as she feels like at +the Bar-S,” came the puzzling reply. + +Then Adrian remembered that a year and more ago he had heard that Uncle +Fred, being an old bachelor, had married; though the woman whom he had +taken to his heart was utterly unknown to the boy. He had sent them his +best wishes, and a generous present at the time, and then forgotten all +about it, because a boy of Adrian’s age could hardly be expected to care +in the slightest degree about such things. + +“Oh! is that it?” remarked Donald, elevating his eyebrows. “Seems to me +I heard that this same Fred Comstock was a little terror, and his +punchers minded him from the word go. Has he changed any since he got in +double harness, boys?” + +“Changed any?” echoed one of the rough riders, with a grin; “well, you’d +never know it was the same old Fred Comstock these fine days. He ain’t +got a bit of spunk any more, seems like. She just orders him around like +he was a waterboy. Reckon that woman must be a terror when she gets mad, +and everybody says as how Fred he had both his eyes black for a month +before he give in. She runs the ranch as she sees fit. But that ain’t +the wust of it, neither.” + +“Why, what more could there be, with poor old Fred Comstock sat down on +in such a way?” demanded Donald, noticing that the three men looked +toward each other, and acted in a mysterious fashion, as though afraid +about saying too much. + +“Well, we don’t want our names mentioned in the matter,” said one, +finally; “but you see, this Mrs. Fred was one of the Walkers before she +got spliced.” + +“And who are the Walkers?” continued Donald, bent on learning all he +could, for the benefit of his chum, who was listening eagerly, his face +filled with surprise, because all this was indeed news to him. + +“The Walkers—well, they happen to be a pretty numerous family in Wyoming +at the present time,” replied his informant, cautiously. + +“They got three ranches down south from here, and people says as how—” +began a second cow-puncher, when one of his mates held up a finger +warningly—“well, all I’m agoin’ to say is that lots of people believe +they ain’t runnin’ them three ranches jest for the cattle they raise. +Some say the Walkers are bootleggers in the dry counties, acarryin’ +licker when it’s against the law. Others have gone further and call ’em +a bunch of cattle rustlers; but as for _me_, kids, remember that I ain’t +asayin’ anything agin that bunch, I don’t know a thing; I’m just tellin’ +what I heard other folks say.” + +“It may be true, and agin it might be a pack o’ lies,” a second +remarked, as he prepared to start off again, after shaking hands with +Adrian and his chums. + +“But where there’s smoke there’s nearly always fire,” observed Donald, +sagaciously, as he in turn took the hand of each of the three genial +punchers in his. + +“You never spoke truer words, my friend,” said the last man, leaning +down to speak in a low tone, as though he feared that the trees might +carry what he said to hostile ears; “and while you’re around these +diggin’s best remember not to get _too much_ interested in what the +Walkers are adoin’. They seem to have a wide chain o’ friends, and +nobody ain’t ever had the grit to round that bunch up, so far. We used +to work on the Bar-S before _she_ came there, but it soon got too warm +for us, and we quit. So-long, boys; hope you get safe back again down in +old Arizona, where some of us may drop in later on; and if we do, we’ll +sure hunt up the Keystone Ranch, and ask for Donald Mackay.” + +With that he too whirled his cow pony around, and waving his hand to the +boys, went off at a reckless pace in a cloud of dust. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE NIGHT ALARM. + + +“That was a time you got some news that looks like it staggered you, +Adrian,” remarked Billie, after the three cow-punchers had dashed away, +on their road west. + +“Seems like it,” declared the one addressed, who was scratching his head +in a puzzled way; “but do you know, it’s hard to believe that any sort +of woman could get the whip-hand over my Uncle Fred. Why, there never +was a more fiery and determined character. He ran things with an iron +hand, even that puncher admitted as much. How he could be brought under +a woman’s thumb is more’n I can understand.” + +“Oh!” spoke up Donald, sagaciously, “you don’t know how some women can +manage. And from the way that fellow mentioned Mrs. Fred I reckon now +that she’s that big she can just fling her hubby around like a cat, when +she’s riled up. Two black eyes is going some, and for a whole month too! +Looks like you might be getting a little closer to an explanation of the +queer things that have been going on up here on your Bar-S Ranch, Chum +Adrian.” + +“Yes, it looks like it,” agreed the other; “but I’ll never believe Uncle +Fred is ruled by a petticoat till I see it with my own eyes. He’s a +small man, but a masterful fighter. I can remember him flinging a fellow +twice his heft in a wrestling match; for Uncle Fred has been in Japan, +and learned the ju jitsu way of doing an antagonist up.” + +“Mebbe he has,” remarked Billie, who was taking pains to search his pack +for the bottle of witch-hazel, meaning to get to work easing the pain of +the lame back Jupiter had; “but seems like it don’t work with a female +scrapper; or else your unk is too gallant a gentleman to apply such +strong tactics against the wife of his bosom, so he lets her get the +best of every scrimmage, till his spirit is broken—leastwise that was +what our cowboy friend seemed to imply just now.” + +“It’s something to think about, anyhow,” observed Donald; “and for one +I’m right glad we ran across those punchers. And we know about the +Walkers, too. Fine bunch to have around, ain’t they, now? And Mrs. Fred, +he took pains to tell us, was one of the Walkers before she got married! +There’s a nigger in this woodpile somewhere, Adrian, and looks like it +might be up to us to find out just where.” + +“We will, before we head back South again, depend on that,” said Adrian, +with the set look about his mouth that his chums knew so well, and which +spoke of a grim determination before which every obstacle must give way. + +They now set about making themselves as comfortable as possible, meaning +to camp there in among those few trees for the night, which was only a +couple of hours distant. As this was a very old story with both Adrian +and Donald, and even Billie now came to look upon it as a lesson well +learned, they knew just how to go about it in order to get the best +results. + +The ponies were staked out, not that it was expected that any one of the +well-trained animals would stray far away while cropping the grass; but +on account of wild animals, or possible horse thieves, it was thought +best to have them within reach, and so fastened that they could not be +stampeded in any way. + +Then came the duty of starting the cooking fire. This was usually +Billie’s job, for he had shown considerable ability along the cooking +line, and moreover relished being placed in a position where his +allowance of “grub” could not be cut down by ruthless hands. + +On this particular occasion Billie was so much taken up with doctoring +the sore back of his pony that Adrian took the duty of making the fire +on his shoulders. + +In lieu of stones with which to build a fireplace where coffee-pot and +frying-pan could rest, he simply dug out a hole in the ground, and +started his blaze there. Later on, when this became half-filled with +glowing embers, it would be time to commence the business of getting +their camp supper. + +No matter where they might happen to partake of a meal, or how good the +fare at some of the taverns they had struck in towns along the way, +Billie loved the genuine camp meal best of all. They had found chances +to do some shooting when on the trail, so that it was seldom they were +without fresh meat for supper. On several occasions Billie had even +insisted on purchasing a big generous beefsteak in some town through +which they happened to pass along about the middle of the afternoon, +when it was decided that they would keep on and camp out, the weather +conditions seeming favorable. + +There was some venison still in the larder, for on the previous day +Adrian had managed to creep up close enough to several feeding antelope +to attract their attention by waving his red bandanna, while he lay +sheltered from their view among a patch of rattle-snake weeds; the timid +animals had started to run away at first, and then that fatal gift of +curiosity began to get in its work, so that they had stopped, come back +a little, run off again, and repeated these hesitating tactics until the +sportsman, believing they were within easy rifleshot, had taken aim and +knocked over a youngster. + +And there was plenty left for a full meal all around, even counting on +Billie as two persons, which the others generally did. + +“We’re going to have a decent night of it, I reckon,” observed Donald, +as the three of them sat around, just before sunset, and discussed the +tender venison that had been cooked, and which along with coffee, and +plenty of crackers, made up their supper. + +“Yes,” added Adrian, with a glance aloft as he spoke, “some clouds +floating over, perhaps, but not enough to mean rain. And the moon ought +to come up in less’n two hours from now.” + +“Glad of it,” ventured Billie, wondering if he could manage to dispose +of that last piece of meat in the pan, for it always distressed him to +throw anything away; “because I just hate black nights. You never know +what might lie close to you, out here on the big open, when it’s like +the inside of your hat. But give me the jolly moonlight. I just love the +nights when you can look out miles away, and tell when a measly old wolf +is creeping up.” + +At that the others laughed. + +“Seems like you hadn’t learned your lesson yet, Billie,” remarked +Adrian. “Just wait till the brightest night you ever saw comes along, +and find out how far away you can say for sure whether it’s a stump you +see, or a cow lying down. Moonlight is all good enough close at hand, +but this thing of telling your best friend two hundred yards away is +silly. It can’t be done, can it, Donald?” + +“Well, I should say not,” agreed the other. + +“You surprise me, fellows!” declared Billie; “and the first chance I get +I’m going to put it to the test. But mebbe not tonight, because I’m that +weary after my hot ride I feel like I could lie right down now, and +never open my eyes till sun-up.” + +“That wouldn’t surprise us any, Billie,” chuckled Donald; “fact is, it’s +a regular habit with you, seems like. I’ve rolled you over as many as +seven times, and only got a few grunts out of you to pay me for it. A +dash of cold water in your face is often the only way we have of waking +you up.” + +“Yes, and every time I’m dreaming that I’ve fallen overboard in Niagara +River, and find myself floating down the terrible falls!” declared the +fat boy, “so please let up on that game, won’t you? Try sticking a pin +in me if you want. P’raps then I’ll go and dream I’m bleeding to death; +but even that’s better than to drop over Niagara Falls.” + +They sat there as night fell, chatting, and occupying themselves in +various ways. Adrian had his log to write up, and no doubt would do full +justice to the wild ride that the fat chum had been forced to take that +afternoon, all on account of the mean trick played by the village boy. +Donald was writing a letter to his home folks, which he hoped to mail on +the next day somewhere; while Billie wandered out several times to where +Jupiter was tethered, wishing to put more soothing balm on the abrasion +caused by the bunch of sand spurs weighed down under the saddle. + +About the time the battered moon appeared above the level horizon in the +east all of them were thinking of making their beds ready, being more or +less tired after the long day’s journey. + +It was not thought worth while to stand guard, for the ponies had been +trained so as to give warning if anything out of the common came about. +Both Adrian and Donald were light sleepers, and should the horses +commence to snort, or strike the ground with their hoofs, the sound was +sure to awaken one or both lads. + +Each of them had a heavy double blanket along, which would feel very +comfortable during these chilly nights. Wrapped up in this, Billie found +it easy to shut off all sounds, and could be asleep in about three +minutes, because he never worried over anything, leaving all this to his +chums. + +But then neither of the others was very long in getting to sleep on this +night. Possibly Adrian lay there for a little while, puzzling his brain +over the singular news he had received from those three cow-punchers, +with reference to the remarkable change that had come to pass in the +domestic relations of Uncle Fred; but in good time he too yielded to the +demands of Nature, and slept peacefully. + +It must have been some hours later when Donald lifted his head to +listen. Then he gave Adrian a little punch, as he whispered: + +“Wake up, Ad; something doing, I reckon, because our horses are acting +queer and uneasy out here.” + +Instantly the other sat up, throwing back his blanket, while his hand, +perhaps unconsciously, reached out for the faithful rifle that had lain +close beside him as he slept. + +“Hear ’em?” inquired Donald, presently. + +“I should say, yes,” came the reply; “and just as you say, Donald, it +must mean danger of some kind. The moon’s behind the clouds, and p’raps +we’re going to have some sort of a storm after all, because that sounds +like thunder I hear.” + +“Listen again, Ad,” said the other, quickly, “and perhaps you’ll change +your mind about the _kind_ of thunder that is. When a heap of hoofs come +down chunketty-chunk on the hard prairie it always makes that thunder +noise.” + +At that Adrian jumped to his feet. + +“What’s that, Donald?” he cried, excitedly, “do you mean long-horns?” + +“Just what I do, and heading this way as fast as they can come. Sure you +must know all the signs right well, Adrian; you’ve been on the range +enough to understand when cattle get frightened, and start off on a +stampede. That’s what’s happened; and as they go past this timber, +p’raps we can see what it all means!” + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE STAMPEDE. + + +The two boys stood there, listening to the sounds that constantly +increased in volume, as though approaching rapidly nearer the camp in +the timber growing along the little stream. + +There could no longer be the slightest doubt as to what made the noise. +Before now Adrian had heard enough to fully agree with his chum when the +other pronounced it a stampede of cattle. Besides the crash of many +hoofs on the earth, they could catch wild snortings, low, frightened +lowings, and the rattle of striking horns; all of which were very +familiar sounds to both lads, as they had witnessed just such sights on +many a previous occasion. + +“The queer part of it is,” Adrian had taken pains to say before the +noise grew so boisterous as to prevent all ordinary conversation, “that +there doesn’t seem to be anything around to start such a wild rush. A +storm will do it quicker than most anything else, and there couldn’t be +one in the quarter where they’re heading from.” + +“Wait and see,” Donald had wisely added; if he suspected anything as to +the real facts he did not appear willing to share his thoughts with his +chum as yet, waiting doubtless until he could pick up further proof. + +“Shall we wake Billie up?” asked Adrian. + +“He’d never forgive us if we didn’t,” the other replied. “You’d think +the sound would get him to stirring, but Billie could sleep through the +biggest earthquake that ever happened; and if you did knock him up he’d +want to know who was shaking the floor with dancing. But I’ll get him on +his feet, while you fetch our ponies in.” + +So Donald stepped over to where the fat chum was cuddled up in his +blanket just like an Esquimau. After shaking him several times without +any result, save a grunt, Donald shouted in his ear: + +“Wake up, Billie! earthquake! cattle stampede, and we’re right in the +way!” + +“Goodness gracious! is that so?” remarked Billie, as he sat up, and +began to dig his knuckles into his eyes; then, hearing the roar of the +approaching hoofs he became suddenly greatly excited, as he realized +that it was after all no joke his comrades were trying to play upon him. + +“Oh! will they grind us to powder, Donald? Can’t we even climb a tree, +and get out of reach of their hoofs? Hurry up, and say something before +it’s too late! Think what a terrible muss there’ll be if ever they +trample on me, and do please tell a fellow what to do!” + +“Don’t worry, Billie; they won’t come into the timber at all. Fetch your +gun, and come along to join Adrian near by. We want to see what it all +stands for as the herd sweeps past. Be quick now, or you’ll lost a sight +worth looking at, I tell you!” + +Billie hurried at hearing this. Besides, he did not exactly fancy being +left behind when his chum departed. + +“How about the ponies, Donald; won’t they get in trouble?” he managed to +call out, as he trailed along in the wake of the other. + +“I reckon Adrian has brought the lot into the timber; he was just +starting out to do the same when I came to wake you up. Yes, here he is, +and with all our horses safe and sound. Fasten Jupiter to a tree with +his rope, and be quick about it, Billie!” + +This was speedily done, after which the trio of Broncho Rider Boys +crouched there on the edge of the timber, waiting until the herd of +stampeding cattle came along. + +“If that moon’d only draw out stronger,” said Adrian, as he cast a look +upward toward the sky, over the face of which light clouds were drifting +lazily; “but it don’t mean to, and we’ll just have to do the best we +can. Look sharp, boys!” + +“I can see ’em coming right now!” announced Billie. + +In fact all of them saw the fast-moving blurr upon the prairie some +little distance away, which they knew must be the cattle rushing +headlong toward them, spurred on by some unseen power, either fear, or a +more tangible force. + +Ten seconds later and they were on a line with the hidden boys, who, +crouching there, stared as hard as they could, trying to see whether +wolves were chasing after the herd, as might happen when the ferocious +animals were in great numbers, but not otherwise; or what other cause +there could be for such a great commotion among the cattle. + +“Oh! did you see that steer go down?” ejaculated Billie suddenly. “He +must a put his forelegs in a gopher hole, and before he could get up the +rest had trampled him into flinders. Whee! ain’t I glad that wasn’t +Jupiter and me!” + +“You’ve a right to be thankful, believe me,” said Donald, solemnly; +“because it’d be all over with you before you could give more’n a single +yelp. That steer was a big and powerful beast, but you saw how even he +couldn’t get up again, once those many hoofs began to pound him flat. +We’ll find him there afterwards, and only food for the coyotes.” + +The stream of cattle had now swept past them, and the thunder of their +many hoofs was gradually growing less insistent as they passed on. + +“Well, that was a queer sight, sure,” said Billie, rubbing his eyes, as +though he hardly knew whether he could believe what they had told him or +not. + +Adrian was strangely quiet, Donald thought. + +“Did you ever see a stampede like it?” asked Donald, determined to find +out what the other chum’s opinion might be. + +“I surely never did, if it _was_ a real stampede,” returned Adrian, +slowly, as if he might still be struggling to see light. + +“Oh! it was that, all right, but not one brought about by a storm, nor +yet by fear of wild animals,” Donald continued. + +“Then you heard them too, did you?” demanded the other. + +“What was that?” asked Billie, arousing to the fact that he was somewhat +behind, and never liking to be left out of a race through any handicap. + +“Cowboys yelling like mad!” Donald went on to say, seriously. + +“Oh! you mean that they were trying the best they knew how to head off +the herd and start them to milling; was that it?” Billie went on; for he +had managed to pick up considerable information connected with a cattle +ranch during the time he had spent on the border with his cousin, down +in Arizona. + +“On the other hand,” Donald remarked, still more solemnly, “it struck me +they were yelling like that to make the long-horns more frightened than +ever; because they whooped like wild Injuns off their reservation, and +in for a gay old time.” + +Billie gave it up. His wits were inclined to be a little dense at best; +and on being so suddenly aroused from a sound sleep, to witness this +strange passing of a stampeded herd of cattle, he was hardly in a fair +condition to do himself justice when it came to figuring what a mystery +meant. + +“I throw up the sponge!” he hastened to say; “somebody’ll just have to +take hold and whisper what it all means; because for the life of me I +ain’t able to get a grip on the thing. What’s the answer, fellows? +Cowboys awhooping things up, and making more work for themselves by +scaring the life half out of their cattle. Say, that’s a silly thing to +do, strikes me, now, boys. Tell me what possesses the chump to act that +way? And be quick about it, because when I’m that curious it’s dangerous +to leave me groping in the dark. Don’t you know fellows have been known +to pine away to nothing just because they kept aworrying about +something. Donald, what’s it mean?” + +“Adrian you tell him, while I get that little electric torch we used to +find so valuable; I’d like to step out and take a look at that dead +steer, now that the danger’s gone past.” + +The roar of many hoofs was dying away by degrees in the near distance, +showing that the herd must still be on the full run, and as filled with +fright as when the boys saw them sweep past. + +“Why,” began Adrian, as the other hurried back to where the red embers +of the little camp-fire glowed like a wakeful eye among the trees, “all +I can say, Billie, is that the herd was in a panic, and had been +frightened. If there were punchers galloping along, as both Donald and I +think we made out, they didn’t seem to be trying to head the cattle off, +or turn them, but kept in the rear, or the flank, and yelled just to +keep them hustling. Now do you catch on, Billie?” + +“Rustlers, you mean, Adrian; cattle thieves carrying off a bunch of the +long-horns!” ejaculated the astonished Billie. “Just to think of running +on a game as old as that the very first thing we come up here? Why, I +thought that was only a practice along the border, where the rustlers +could drive the stolen cattle over into Mexico, and be safe from +pursuit.” + +“Oh! that’s all a mistake, Billie!” declared Adrian; “wherever cattle +are raised on any large scale you’ll find men trying to steal them, and +change the marks; because once this is done it’s hard to pick out your +own property. And unless both of us are mighty much mistaken, that’s +what was being done with that herd we saw pass by on the gallop. But +here comes Donald with the little torch; and as the dust has partly +settled by now, we can go out and take a look around.” + +“And,” said Billie, as if to show that he was not so dull as he had been +once upon a time, “if them rustlers _were_ chasing along behind the herd +we’ll find the plain hoofprints of their ponies there; because they’ll +show up different from the split hoofs of the steers, eh, Adrian?” + +“Good for you, Billie; you’re on to the racket nowadays!” declared the +other; and then Donald coming up, the three stepped out toward the spot +where they had seen the unlucky steer fall never to rise again. + +There was little trouble about finding the remains, for these prairie +boys had a fashion of locating things at the time they happened, so that +they could head straight to them again when they wished. + +And just as Donald had said, the wretched animal had been pounded almost +flat by the many hoofs that passed over him. They might find some decent +pieces of beef to make use of, and that was all, for even the hide had +been ruined. + +Adrian took the torch from his chum’s hand. They saw him bend down +closer as if to examine the flank of the dead steer. Hardly had he done +so than he gave utterance to a loud cry. + +“What have you found now?” demanded Billie, scenting new developments in +the remarkable mystery which had greeted their advent into the Wyoming +cattle country. + +“Look at this mark here!” was what the other said, as he drew in a long +breath; and of course both Donald and the fat chum dropped on their +knees, the better to see what was meant. + +And there, plainly branded on the flank of the dead animal was the sign +manual which Adrian recognized as his own property, a bar, and the +letter S! + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +TO STAND BY A CHUM. + + +“Why, ain’t that your brand, Adrian?” gasped Billie, who was not very +quick to catch on to things, as a rule. + +“Just what it is,” replied the other, between his set teeth. + +“Then this steer belonged to the Bar-S herd, didn’t it?” the fat boy +continued, gradually approaching the point of full comprehension about +as one might circle around and around in a whirlpool, getting nearer the +center all the while. + +“No doubt of it, Billie,” Donald took the trouble to say. + +“And chances were, that whole drove that was stampeded right under your +eyes as it were, must a been the Bar-S herd of cattle. Gee whiz! now +what d’ye think of that for a warm reception? Must a been a committee +appointed to meet up with Adrian Sherwood, and let him know that things +were moving lively up here, all right.” + +The idea was so vast that Billie seemed to fall into a reflective mood; +just as if he needed time to grasp its full significance. + +Donald turned to the other chum. + +At least he was not in need of further explanations in order to +understand just what that strange panic among the cattle stood for. + +“It was a stampede with an object ahead of it, Adrian!” he exclaimed, +gritting his teeth savagely together as he spoke. + +Adrian simply nodded his head. He seemed almost too full for words; but +apparently the other understood his feelings, for he went right on, +driving in his points very much as a woodchopper might his wedge when +splitting a log. + +“Those punchers were not trying to head off the herd, but shouting to +keep the long-horns running in a mad bunch,” he said, positively, and +getting another affirmative nod from the other he continued: “they had +started the stampede themselves, and just had to keep it up until they +accomplished their object, which it’s easy to guess had the stealing of +the beef as the chief thing.” + +“No wonder I’ve been getting such poor returns from the ranch the last +year, if this sort of thing has been going on long,” muttered Adrian. + +“If it happened down near the Keystone, the ranchers would get together, +and soon hunt the rustlers to the end of their trail,” added Donald. + +“But this is away up in Wyoming, and seems like they do things +differently here,” Billie woke up in time to say, wisely. + +“Yes, and only because a lot of bad men have banded together, and held +the ranch owners under their thumbs,” Adrian said, bitterly. “Remember +what that puncher told us about these Walkers, and how they ran things +about as they pleased up around here, getting bolder and bolder all the +while. But time was when they would have had my fire-eater of an uncle +after them with a hot stick, for he was noted because of his being +afraid of nothing—in those good old days before my father died.” + +Billie was heard from again at this juncture. + +“Huh! that was before he took to himself a wife, and she one of this +same Walker breed,” he remarked. + +Donald chuckled, while Adrian sighed. + +“It’s almost impossible for me to believe such a terrible change has +taken place in Uncle Fred,” the latter went on to say, shaking his head +sadly; and then as if his anger began to get the better of all other +feelings he continued: “but there’s going to be a change take place in +other ways too, or else my name isn’t Adrian Sherwood. This wholesale +stealing from the Bar-S Ranch has got to stop, even if I have to fire +Uncle Fred and his new wife out of the management.” + +“It’s my opinion,” remarked Donald, “that these Walkers are taking +advantage of the fact that one of their bunch is installed in the ranch +house at your place, to just do about as they please. When they run +across a fine herd with your brand on the same, they wait around for a +certain night to come along, run them off like it was common rustlers +doing the job, round them up somewhere, change the brand to one of their +own, and inside of forty-eight hours your cattle are feeding on their +range with all signs blotted out. And I just about reckon Mrs. Fred is +fixing things so her dear hubby don’t dare lift a hand to prevent this +robbery! Blood is thicker than water, they say.” + +Adrian ground his teeth savagely. + +“That’s the bitterest pill I ever had to swallow in all my life!” he +declared. “To think of me squatting here and watching those cowardly +thieves run off with a big bunch of my best cattle, and not able to lift +a hand to prevent the raid! It makes me mad to the core.” + +“I should say it might,” Billie asserted. “Why, even my blood is boiling +with indignation; and I ain’t near so hot-tempered as you, Adrian. Can’t +something be done about it?” + +“Oh! what wouldn’t I give to have some of the bully Keystone boys around +right now,” said Donald; “suppose we could just run across Si Ketcham, +Cooney, Alkali, Magpie, Bunch and the rest, wouldn’t I yell with joy +though; and say, what we’d do to these onery rustlers would be a +caution.” + +“But we’re only three boys after all!” sighed Billie, sadly. + +“Three boys though, who have been used to taking care of themselves this +long while, don’t forget to add, Billie,” Adrian burst forth; “and right +now I’m wondering whether it would be such a very mad scheme for us to +trail after those punchers to try and get my cattle back! What d’ye +think of that, boys? Have we got the nerve to make a try?” + +“Oh! my stars!” ejaculated Billie, rather overwhelmed by the mere +thought; but the prairie boy did not seem to be staggered at all. + +“Adrian, if you say the word I’m itching to give you my hand on that, +and go you!” Donald exclaimed with thrilling emphasis. + +“Do you really mean it?” demanded the other, eagerly. + +For answer the Mackay boy did thrust out his hand, and it was instantly +clasped in a savage clutch, showing how thoroughly aroused both lads +were. + +“And say, whatever’s doing, don’t you dare forget to count me in,” piped +up Billie, who was immediately afraid lest they might set out to arrange +plans that would leave him in the lurch, perhaps to ’tend camp while +they rode off; and he was determined to rebel against such an +ignominious discard. + +“Could we overtake the cattle, do you think, Donald?” asked Adrian. + +“I reckon that wouldn’t take us so very long,” came the reply. + +“They would soon tire out,” suggested the young owner of the Bar-S +Ranch. + +“When they passed here they showed signs of it; and if the punchers had +let ’em, they’d soon quiet down. Reckon, Ad, they won’t go many miles +further before they just slow up, and then come to a full stop.” + +“Mebbe them rustlers was adriving the bunch right at some place where +they’re in the habit of changing the brands?” suggested Billie, +determined to have some say in the matter, to prove that he was +wide-awake, and on the job. + +“Sure they must have been, Billie, and that remark shows that you’ve got +your wits about you!” declared Donald; and then turning again to the +third member of the little group he went on: “if you mean it, Ad, and +say the word, why we’ll pull out of these diggings in a rush, and chase +after the herd.” + +“It wouldn’t be very long before we’d hear the rumble again, if we kept +right on the way they were heading when they passed here,” observed +Adrian, thoughtfully. + +“That’s right,” Donald assured him. + +“Then the only question is, could we manage the bad men who are running +off the Bar-S stock. At a guess now, Donald, how many of them do you +reckon there might have been chasing after the stampeding herd?” + +Donald seemed to study for a few seconds. + +“I paid particular attention to their yelling,” he presently remarked; +“and noticed where the shouts came from. Now, I couldn’t be dead sure, +Ad, but as near as I can say I’d put it down as about four punchers.” + +“Whee! they made a heap of noise then, for just that many,” remarked +Billie. + +“That’s right,” agreed Donald, instantly; “but when you come to know +punchers as well as I do, Billie, you’ll understand that four lively +boys when they’re slapping their chaps with quirts and hats, and howling +like mad to frighten stock, can make a racket equal to a dozen other +fellows. There may have been one or two more, but still I think four’d +cover the bill, Adrian.” + +“That settles it!” declared the other, briskly. + +“We go, do we?” demanded Billie, all of a quiver with sudden excitement. + +“Adrian says so,” Donald told him, just as though they must look to the +owner of the Bar-S outfit for guidance on this campaign, since he was in +his own country now, and his chums had accompanied him simply to carry +out his wishes. + +“Well, things are looking brighter already,” remarked Billie; “because +there’s the old moon apeeping out, like she wanted to give us a helping +hand. Now, I ain’t much on signs and such things, fellows, as you know; +but seems to me like that same was a lucky omen.” + +“It’ll give us some light to travel by, and that counts a heap,” +declared Donald always practical, and not given so much to sentiment as +the fat chum, who had been a great reader of Marryatt and Cooper before +coming out West, so that he had filled his mind with the romantic side +of open air life. + +“Then the sooner we get busy the better,” Adrian went on to say; and +then turning on Donald he continued: “if you’re dead sure you meant +that, when I mentioned wanting to chase after these rascals.” + +“Let me tell you that I was just going to say the same thing myself, but +thought you ought to have first chance,” the other boy assured him. “You +know me from the ground up, Ad. And why shouldn’t I want to lend you a +helping hand? Ain’t you my good chum; and tell me, didn’t you and Billie +stand by me like bricks down there in the mountains of Arizona when it +looked like Calvin Peets, the agent of the combine that was trying to +steal the Red Spar Copper Mine away from my dad and his associates, +backed up by that anarchist, Laidlaw? Huh! turn about is only fair play, +and it’s come my chance now to stand back of my chum. Why, I’m that +crazy to go after these rustlers that even if you held back I’d be +wanting to take up the job by myself.” + +Adrian gave a laugh as though his last lingering doubt had been removed. + +“After hearing you talk that way I’d be a silly fool to doubt any +longer,” he went on to declare; “and so let’s get back to our camp, +start packing our duffel in a big hurry, and then make a start after +that runaway herd with the brand of the Bar-S on their flanks!” + +With which words he led the way back among the trees to the spot where +their blankets, saddles, cooking utensils and other things were lying. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +FOLLOWING THE CATTLE RUSTLERS. + + +“How about our ponies?” Billie wanted to know. “Will they be able to +stand for another dash so soon?” + +“Cow ponies are tough little critters,” Donald went on to say, with the +utmost confidence; “and they recover from fatigue like magic. Right now +I’d wager Wireless or Ten Spot would be good for a twenty mile gallop at +full speed.” + +“I notice you don’t include my Jupiter,” grumbled Billie, suspiciously; +“mebbe now you’re counting on him to play out in short order, when poor +Broncho Billie’ll have to be dropped behind, to toddle along the best +way he can, while the rest of you are having all the fun.” + +“Oh! I wouldn’t worry about that, if I were you, Billie,” Adrian told +him; “for you’ll find that Jupiter is as fresh as a daisy by now, and +able to carry you right along hour after hour. I’m ready to pin my faith +to these cow ponies every time. They’re wonders, that’s what.” + +“Yes,” added Donald, who did not like to see the good-natured fat chum +worried in any way; “and as we agreed before, since the cattle were +already blowing hard when they passed here, chances are they’ll come to +a halt before many miles; so after all we won’t have to go so very far.” + +“I’m glad to hear it,” mumbled Billie, who was not feeling very much +like taking a lengthy gallop, after his late experiences in that line; +the saddle chafed him more or less, because of his heft, and he suffered +to a greater extent than either of his comrades knew about. + +They were hastily getting their things packed. This was not so much of a +job to fellows who had done such things a long time. The blankets made a +small roll, to be fastened behind their saddles; then the few cooking +things were distributed around, each one being responsible for a certain +utensil, which he was expected to produce when next it was needed. In +this way coffee-pot, frying-pan, tin platters and tin cups were stowed +away, and occupied very little space. + +Each boy had a small bag in which he kept a few extras, a fresh flannel +shirt and necessities. Billie also lugged along some other things in the +way of a jar of marmalade, of which he was especially fond, a strip of +breakfast bacon, tea, coffee, and such things. He would not let his +chums think of loading themselves down with anything that poor Jupiter +could carry on his broad back; and so when he was fully fixed for riding +he looked like a nomadic peddler starting out on his trip. + +But Billie at least had long ago learned the art of packing his stuff +securely. Only for that fact he must surely have left a lot of his +packages scattered along the trail at the time Jupiter ran away with +him, after the stable boy at the inn had played that mean trick with the +poison-tipped sand spurs. + +Of course he was only partly packed when both the others announced +themselves as ready to move. + +“But I hope now, you won’t think of starting out, and leaving me behind, +fellows?” Billie voiced his new alarm by saying. + +They hastened to reassure him. + +“We’re not in such a big hurry as all that, Billie,” said Adrian. + +“And here, let me give you a hand,” remarked Donald. + +“That’s the stuff!” gurgled the fat chum, who had all along been hoping +to have some assistance; for Donald knew how to put things in ship-shape +so well; while on the other hand Adrian was the best hand at cinching +girths, and tightening up ropes on a pack animal Billie had ever struck. + +Between them they soon made things ready; and Billy hastened to climb up +into his saddle. That word would appear to be the only one capable of +doing justice to his method of attaining a seat; for Billie was very +clumsy, it must be remembered; and then those packages were forever +getting in the way, so that even an agile fellow like Donald for +instance might have found it difficult to leap into his saddle while his +animal was thus encumbered. + +But they were all ready at last; and Donald led the little bunch of +riders out from the timber that grew along the little stream. + +It was now bright moonlight. The clouds had drifted past, and the sky +seemed to be free from horizon to horizon, which fact pleased the +Broncho Rider Boys not a little. There is always more or less danger of +a nasty spill when galloping over the prairie in pitch darkness, for no +one can tell when a prairie dog village may be encountered; and if a +pony sets his foot in one of their burrows the chances are he will go +down in a heap, possibly with a broken leg; and his rider may account +himself lucky if he escapes a similar fate, or gets his neck broken in +addition. + +Billie in particular was always worried when circumstances compelled +them to ride in the dark. He declared that, not being nimble like his +comrades, and spry enough to play the cat act so as to land on his hands +and feet, a tumble was apt to go much harder with him; and perhaps there +was good reason for this feeling of uneasiness on Billie’s part. At any +rate his chums were always willing to cater to his wishes in the matter, +when it could be reasonably done. + +But now that smiling moon made the fat boy feel quite at his ease. + +As soon as they were clear of the trees Donald headed directly +southwest, for that was the direction taken by the stampeded herd. +Looking down he could easily discover where their hoofs had torn up the +soil of the prairie; and as long as the friendly light from above held +out, the ranch boy believed that he could follow that plain trail, even +though they heard no sound from ahead to give them pointers as to where +the cattle had gone. + +He and Adrian rode side by side, so that from time to time they could +exchange sentences. Billie on the other hand was quite willing to bring +up the rear. He was accustomed to “taking other people’s dust,” as he +himself frankly admitted, and did not object seriously to such a thing. + +So far as he could discover Jupiter was feeling all right again after +his rest, and offered no objection to keeping up the swift pace set by +the others. + +“Of course after we begin to haul up on them,” said Donald, presently, +“we’ll cut down the pace more or less, so they won’t get wind of our +being around.” + +“I wonder what sort of luck we’ll have,” Adrian was saying, showing that +he had been trying to figure things out in his mind. “Of course I take +it for granted that we’ll come up with the rustlers; but it’s another +thing to get them off their guard, so we can make them prisoners, and +take the cattle away with us.” + +“Yes, that’s so,” assented Donald, “but you never know what you can do +till you make a try; and we’ve carried out a few jobs on our own hook, +you and me, Adrian, if you stop to think.” + +“As big as this one seems to be, for a fact, Donald,” agreed the other, +brightening up under the inspiring remarks of his chum, just as Donald +supposed would be the case. + +“Of course, Ad, we can’t lay any plans till we see how the ground lies,” +the other went on to say; “after they’ve got the cattle quieted down I +reckon those rustler fellows will take things easy. They’ve run matters +with such a free hand up around here so long now, that they just can’t +imagine anybody daring to interfere with their business.” + +“Yes,” added Adrian, “and perhaps if they were held up and asked to give +an account of the cattle they were running off they’d have the nerve to +say they’d even _bought_ them from Fred Comstock at the Bar-S Ranch; and +refer the questioners to the lady who has taken the whip hand up at my +place. Oh! it’s all a mighty clever game, I can see that plain enough; +only it’s a case of ‘heads they win, tails I lose.’ I’m on the wrong +side of the fence every time. But something told me I ought to be +wandering up this way; and say, Donald, it’s lucky now I didn’t write to +Uncle Fred, and give him the least hint about my plans?” + +“Luck is no name for it!” exclaimed the other; “it was the finest thing +ever happened to you, Adrian. And let me tell you, I feel it in my bones +right now that we’re going to kick up a dickens of a row up here by +coming just when these same Walkers are playing one of their periodical +little sneak games.” + +“Perhaps you’re right, Donald; I hope so, anyhow.” + +“It’s my impression,” continued the other, “that all the ranchers around +here need is for some one to take the bit between their teeth and play +leader, when they’ll all jump in, and join in the hunt. These Walkers +appear to have terrorized the lot so that every man is afraid to have it +known he means to take a stand against the hard crowd. That’s the idea I +got from what that puncher said to us yesterday afternoon.” + +“But my uncle used to be the leading spirit around here; they all looked +to him to do things when there was any need,” remonstrated Adrian. + +“Oh, shucks!” laughed Donald, “I’ve seen men that were great hands to +boast, and even do things when among their kind, knuckle down, and +cringe when they heard their wives speak. And your uncle must have +caught a Tartar when he married that Walker widow.” + +They had already covered several miles, and were going strong at the +time these few remarks were exchanged between the chums. Every now and +then one of the two who were in the lead would glance over his shoulder +to make sure that Billie had not been left far behind; and the fat chum +on such occasions would sing out reassuring words, or else wave a hand +at his comrade. + +As yet they had not caught even the distant sound of the retreating +herd. This might be accounted for in any one of several ways; the cattle +had possibly gone further than even Donald surmised; or else they had +already been brought to a stand by the rustlers, the flight having +reached a section of the country suited to their plans, and doubtless +often used for the same purposes as were intended at the present time. + +When they chanced upon a bit of soft ground where the thud of their +ponies’ hoofs was for the time being stilled almost completely, Donald +strained his hearing in the hope of catching some indication from ahead +that would be encouraging. + +And Adrian, hearing him give utterance to an ejaculation, jumped to the +conclusion that he had been in a measure successful. + +“Get it, Donald?” he called out, eagerly. + +“Just what I do,” came the immediate answer, in a tone of triumph; “and +from the indications I reckon the cattle are about used up, so far as +running goes. If you listen right smart you can hear the rustlers urging +them on, which shows they haven’t yet got to where they mean to stop, +though it must be close by, I feel sure!” + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE CORRAL IN BITTERSWEET COULIE. + + +“Thank goodness!” Billie was heard to mutter in the rear, which remark +plainly proved that he must have caught what his comrades were saying. + +“We seem to be overtaking them faster now, Donald,” Adrian spoke up +several minutes afterwards, when he could hear the shouts ahead more +plainly, as well as the confusion attending the rush of the bunched +cattle. + +“Yes, because they’ve slackened up, and looks like they might be close +to the end of the run. P’raps we’d better draw rein some too, Ad; +because it won’t do for us to get too close, you know. I notice that the +country changes around here.” + +“We’ve run on the rough section, where coulies and ravines can be +found,” the owner of the Bar-S Ranch told him. “I remember this place +pretty well; because, unless I’m mistaken, I once had something of an +adventure near by, when a wild bull suddenly swung on me, upset my pony, +and came near giving me a nasty dig with his horns. Only for a swift +fling of a rope on the part of a puncher I might have been badly hurt.” + +“Well, I wondered if we wouldn’t run across some rough country soon,” +Donald remarked; “because it’s always been my experience with these +rustlers that whenever they do run off with a bunch of cattle, they want +to get away from the open plain, in order to do their dirty work of +altering brands. If there’s a big coulie near by, take my word for it +that’s where they are heading for right now.” + +“Then they’ll pull up inside of ten minutes,” announced Adrian; “because +they’ll have reached Bittersweet Coulie by then.” + +“You ought to know the place right well; and how would it answer for a +hide-out, where they could keep the cattle till they’d given every one +the Walker brand?” Donald wanted to know. + +“All they’d have to do would be to drive them in, and then hang out +around the neck of the bottle; for the coulie is so narrow at the mouth +it can be closed as easy as anything,” was the reply Adrian made. + +“Then take it from me that’s the place we’re going to bring up at, Ad.” + +“The sooner the better,” Adrian told him. + +“Ditto!” came in a grunt from the rear; for Billie liked to let people +know he was alive, and able to enter into the game, as well as the next +one. + +Gradually they kept pulling in their ponies, because it was plain to +understand that they were drawing up on those whom they pursued. The +sound of yells came very distinctly to their ears, and Donald was even +able to tell the shouts of one puncher from those of his mates; so that +his former impression that there could not be more than a quartette of +the rustlers was confirmed. + +The two who led the chase were fully aware of the tremendous task they +had undertaken. They did not lightly dash into this thing as though it +would turn out to be a regular picnic. But Adrian was so filled with +anger and indignation, over being made a witness to his own loss of +valuable stock, that he was ready to take considerable risk in order to +attempt their recapture. + +As for Donald, he had all his life been raised in just such an +atmosphere of daring, and it was not so remarkable that he should throw +himself into this hazard heart and soul. + +Whatever they did, Billie was bound to join in also; with such leaders +he would have plodded after, no matter what the risk; for he never +stopped to count the cost, if only he did not have to be left alone. + +“There! it’s come at last!” exclaimed Donald, suddenly; and somehow the +very fact of his lowering his voice announced that in his opinion they +must begin to exercise due caution. + +“They’ve stopped running, for a fact!” echoed his chum, alongside. + +“Course they have,” added Billie, just for all the world like a poll +parrot. + +Donald immediately pulled his pony up sharply. + +“Time we called a halt, then, and figured things out,” he announced. + +“Oh! joy beyond measure!” murmured a faint voice from the rear—Billie +talking to himself, of course. + +When they had pulled up they sat there in their saddles with heads bent +forward, trying to catch further sounds from ahead that would tell in +some measure what the rustlers were doing. + +The shouts still continued but had changed more or less. Both ranch boys +could tell that the punchers must be driving the stock steadily ahead of +them now, and in all probability into the gaping jaws of the big ravine +known throughout that section as Bittersweet Coulie. If this proved to +be true then Donald’s guess had been along correct lines. This little +fact seemed like a good omen to begin with. Now, if it turned out that +this further prediction regarding the limited number of the rustlers +also came to pass, and they could only catch them off their guard before +dawn arrived, it would not be strange if they turned the trick, daring +as their plans might appear. + +“Now, first of all we’ve got to muffle our ponies’ heads so they can’t +betray us by neighing,” announced Donald. + +“A good idea, I say,” Adrian went on to remark, approvingly. “I’ve known +the best trained cayuse going to let out a neigh when it scented some of +its own kind near by. That’s a thing they just can’t help, seems like. +So, the sooner we get their muzzles tied up the better.” + +“You’ll have to show me how,” said Billie; “because that’s where my +education’s been sorter neglected, so to speak. But I want to know, just +stick a pin in that, please.” + +He soon learned just how this could be accomplished by the aid of their +blankets. The horses objected to such treatment, but had to submit in +the end. And when the job had been completed they were so muzzled that +they could not have whinnied, no matter how hard they tried. + +Mounting them again the three boys moved cautiously ahead. It was their +purpose to cover a certain distance, and then again dismount, after +which they would arrange to leave their steeds while they crept up +toward the mouth of the coulie. + +“That’s fine!” Donald suddenly said in a low tone. + +“They’ve started a fire, seems like,” whispered Billie; “and I reckon +now that’s what you meant, Donald?” + +“Yes, because it shows that they’ve got to the end of their run, and +mean to take things easy for a spell. Couldn’t suit us better, fellows, +could it?” + +“I only hope they feel like making merry over the grand success of their +little raid, and take so many nips from their old bottles that they’ll +be dropping over in a sound sleep before long,” Billie suggested. + +“So say we all of us, Billie,” Adrian assured him; “that would make +things easy for our plans, you know.” + +“Ain’t I glad I brought my reliable Marlin along,” sighed Billie. “It +got me that ferocious old grizzly down in that spur of the Rockies, you +remember; and every time it’s done the business. All I have to do is to +aim straight, and pull the trigger, and it does the rest. And whenever I +think of them rustlers getting away with the pick of Adrian’s herds it +kinder riles me, so that I feel as if I’d like to do something +_terrible_—pink one of the same in the leg, mebbe, and make him sorry he +ever embarked in such a measly game.” + +“Less mumbling, Billie; it won’t do to talk after this, unless you’ve +got something worth while to say.” + +“Huh!” grunted Billie, sorely perplexed as to what Donald might mean by +these words; but at the same time falling into his wishes; for he feared +that if he gave any trouble by being noisy or clumsy, his chums might +take a notion to tell him to stand by and watch the ponies, a job Billie +had no liking for at all. + +At another time he might have taken exception to that remark about his +“having something worth while to say,” but just now he must swallow his +indignation, and do whatever they told him, if he wanted to be in the +hunt. + +“How much closer had we better go mounted?” asked Adrian, speaking in a +whisper of course. + +“I’m hoping to run across a likely spot where we can leave the ponies,” +Donald told him; “something that is marked, so we can find it again +later on without any trouble. And here it is right now. There’s a tree +growing alongside this rock that lies here on the open prairie, you +note, Ad.” + +“Yes, and seems to me I remember that same rock too; fact is, it was +right here that bull knocked my pony over, and wanted to impale me on +his horns,” Adrian told him. + +They dismounted again, and made the animals secure by using their ropes, +which could be readily fastened to the tree; and possibly Donald may +have had some such idea in his mind when he persisted in looking for a +landmark. + +Being now free from their ponies, which could not betray them by any +shrill neigh, the three boys could advance toward the spot where the +fire flickered amidst the brushwood at the mouth of the big coulie. + +Each of them gripped his rifle, and was filled with a grim resolution to +use this weapon should necessity compel such tactics. At the same time +Billie was wishing that they could overpower the rustlers while they +slept, making it a bloodless victory; and this in spite of his bold +threat made a short time back, too. + +The nearer they drew to where the fire had been started the more +convinced both ranch boys became that they had guessed the truth when +figuring that the cattle thieves must have hurried the stolen herd into +the coulie, and intended remaining there near the mouth of the ravine +until daylight allowed them to get to work altering the brand of the +Bar-S to that of the Walker ranches. + +While Donald had expressed his vain wish that some of the husky punchers +belonging to the Keytone ranch away down in Arizona could be with them, +to make matters more interesting, Adrian on his part was also sorry they +could not have the assistance of those three stout cowboys whom they had +met and exchanged greetings with on the previous afternoon; and whose +knowledge of the country, as well as ability to handle cattle, would be +a strong factor in carrying out their game. + +But this could not be, and as things now looked the three Broncho Rider +Boys must depend entirely upon themselves for balking the evil designs +of this Walker crowd of rustlers. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +READY TO ACT. + + +The cattle had apparently quieted down, now that they were no longer +pestered with the shouts of the galloping punchers, coupled with the +snap of the cruel quirts. They had run far enough to be in a sweat, and +were doubtless glad of the chance to lie down in the coulie, to find the +rest they craved. Outside of an occasional “boo,” or possibly a crash of +horns, there could be heard nothing that would indicate the presence +near by of a pretty large bunch of steers. + +That ravine would afford the finest sort of a corral, with its narrow +neck, in which the fire had been built, around which the tired rustlers +were now grouped, taking things easy, and filled with exultation no +doubt because of their fine success in running off the herd without a +single shot having been fired, because Mr. Comstock dared not give +orders for his men to pursue, with that virago under his roof holding +him in check. + +After a bit the boys dropped down on all fours, and started to crawl +along, since in the bright moonlight it was growing risky to stand +erect. Billie had some difficulty in flattening himself as much as he +thought necessary; indeed, it seemed to his excited fancy that he must +be towering there in a most discouraging way; and he feared that one of +the others in glancing back would notice it, and tell him he must +diminish his size or else drop out. + +But as the ground was broken, and growing rougher every rod or so, +neither Donald nor Adrian thought anything of this; and Billie was +certainly making a good job of his “creep,” they could see, all things +considered. + +Of course the two would have preferred attempting the business by +themselves; but they knew that the fat chum would object to being left +out, and in fact absolutely refuse to play so unimportant a part in the +proceedings. + +And if it did come to a showing of hands they might be glad to have a +third member of the party along, so as to overawe the foe by sheer force +of numbers. Besides, Billie carried a rifle, and knew how to use it too; +he had demonstrated that fact to the satisfaction of his chums more than +once; so that he could not be wholly ignored on such grounds. + +They were by now close enough to the fire to be able to see the figures +around the blaze. Of course it was only natural for Donald to give +Adrian a sly punch in the side, and putting his lips close to the +other’s ear whisper triumphantly the one word: + +“Four!” + +And Adrian on his part understood, for he must surely remember that the +other had taken the pains to declare it to be his opinion that the +rustler crowd could not number more than that many. + +Still four husky men would seem like a pretty steep proposition for +three half-grown boys to attempt to subdue; and such indeed would have +been the case had it been the intention of Adrian and his chums to +boldly face the rustlers, and put the decision to a test of sheer +muscle, or the ability to shoot straight. + +But Donald and his comrades believed they knew a way whereby the odds +were apt to turn in their favor. Strategy must take the place of brute +force. They would remain there in hiding until it was to be seen how +things were going to turn; and if the rustlers either drank heavily, or +else allowed sleep to overpower them. + +In either case the plan of the boys was to creep noiselessly into their +camp, and in some way overpower them. Perhaps they could impress it upon +the minds of the astounded cattle thieves, when the critical moment +came, that the bushes near by were fairly bristling with guns held in +the hands of angry punchers; who would open fire, and riddle them like +sieves, unless they held up their hands and yielded themselves prisoner. + +Once this was accomplished neither Donald nor Adrian had any fear but +what they would be able to manage things. They knew all about driving +cattle; and before leaving the desperadoes they could disarm them, thus +rendering them harmless, so far as doing any immediate injury was +concerned. + +That this would only be the beginning of the war they could easily +guess. If the Walkers were as strongly entrenched as people said, they +would not be apt to give over their evil practices just because three +boys had come up from the Southwest, no matter if one of them did happen +to be the owner of the Bar-S Ranch, which for a year and more past they +had been systematically despoiling, because the hands of the unfortunate +manager were tied by his domestic difficulties. + +Such resolute lads as these, however, were not apt to hold back once +they had embarked on a course, simply because there might be trouble +ahead. Both Adrian and Donald believed in meeting difficulties as they +came along, and trying to master them. They saw their duty, and tried to +do it, regardless of what might follow. + +And Billie was one of the kind to say “me too,” whenever the stronger +natures with which his fortunes were connected took a decided stand. + +Having finally advanced, as far as seemed wise, the three boys lay there +and tried to figure out what was going on by the fire. + +One of the rustlers must have been something like Billie, and always had +his appetite on tap, for he seemed to be busily engaged in cooking +something in the way of meat. + +It chanced that the night air was setting toward them, a fact Donald had +noticed with more or less satisfaction, since it lessened the chances of +any slight sound that one of them might make being heard. + +This current of air brought the odor of cooking to their nostrils, and +Billie was heard to give several vigorous sniffs that called for a +warning kick on the part of Donald, just ahead of the fat boy; whereupon +Billie subsided, shaking his head as though he thought it pretty hard +lines when a fellow had to lie there, taking in all that delicious +fragrance, and not getting even a single bite of the fare. + +When it was seen that the other three rustlers were passing a suspicious +black bottle around, and taking frequent potations, the boys began to +have strong hopes that things might be made easy for them after all; +because they knew that when alcohol once gets a firm grip on a man’s +brain he is hardly apt to bother himself about what is taking place +around him until the effect of his potations wears away. + +If only those three men would be so accommodating as to stupefy +themselves in quick order, while thus celebrating their successful raid, +Donald thought they surely could manage to get the upper hand of the +remaining fellow. By that time perhaps he might have eaten so much +cooked meat as to be drowsy, and fall a victim almost as easily as the +other three. + +The minutes passed, and nothing occurred by that fire unnoticed by the +sharp eyes of the trio of hidden lads. Billie was forever poking up his +head to look, and then quickly drawing it down again in sudden alarm +because he fancied he saw one of the rustlers staring in his direction. +But of course that was pure imagination, because they lay far away and +among the shadows of the trees, so that even the keenest vision possible +was not apt to discover their hiding-place. + +After half an hour of this sort of thing Billie felt like hugging +himself, for he saw the three fellows who had been drinking so heavily +giving positive signs of wanting to roll over and go to sleep. Billie +would have liked ever so much to communicate his feeling of satisfaction +to one of his companions, because it was always a punishment for him to +be kept from talking in some fashion; but whenever he gave the least +sign of wanting to whisper Donald would give him a cruel kick, and in +this way warn him that silence was golden just then. So the poor fellow +had to take it out in telling himself what he thought, and how he hoped +now they could soon be making a move looking to the capture of the +rustler gang. + +Two of the punchers seemed to have succumbed. They lay there just as +they had fallen over, and were oblivious to all that was going on. + +The third man, who seemed to be something of a leader among them, +probably realizing that his own condition was not all that it should be, +was shaking his finger in front of the face of the fellow who was still +eating, as though giving him to understand that the safety of the camp +was going to depend on him. + +Billie hoped that he too would lie down and go to sleep. Unless a move +took place very soon now he feared that it would be too late for him to +get even a bite of that cooked meat which had been tantalizing him for +some time; because there did not seem to be any end to that horrible +glutton’s appetite; and there was only one more piece left right then. + +Still, he realized that his chums were not likely to hurry things just +to oblige his desire, when they might be running unnecessary risks in so +doing. Patience was something Billie had to cultivate; he told himself +that a dozen times, and in spite of it was just as eagerly watching the +motions of that perpetual eater by the fire as before, still hoping for +the best. + +He knew that the other two boys were whispering together, and hoped it +might be with regard to making an advance. True, the time that must be +consumed in this movement would like as not enable that greedy fellow to +make away with the very last piece of cooked meat; but at any rate it +would be some satisfaction to be able to jump on him, and give him the +scare of his life. If he could not secure the plunder he would take it +out some other way; for Billie seemed to have cultivated a most unusual +dislike to that particular fellow. + +Yes, Donald was twisting his head around right now, and beckoning with +his hand, which must surely mean that they were going to raid the camp. + +Billie felt a thrill of excitement pass through him. He imagined that +this was the fighting spirit that some of his ancestors had shown on +battlefields both during the Revolution and the Civil War. He hoped that +the Winkle honor was safe in his hands, and that he would not turn out +to have coward blood in his veins, for he was very proud of his family. + +The three boys crept along, gradually closing in on the fire that still +burned cheerily. But Billie shut his teeth hard whenever he looked up +and discovered that the sentry was still munching steadily away. He +believed that if the supply only held out the man would be able to sit +there for hours and hours, constantly decreasing the visible supply of +provisions. But thank goodness! his time had almost come. The “Avengers” +were on the track, Billie told himself, and that terrible appetite of +his was fated to be soon cut short. + +Creeping along in this fashion the three boys found themselves close +behind the sentry who was paying far more attention to his task of +finishing up the meat he had cooked than he was to guarding the camp. + +Finally Donald arose to his feet, still crouching, and gave the signal. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +CLEVER WORK. + + +Donald had brought his lariat along, under the belief that it might come +in handy one way or another. As he thus stood up, just a little way back +of the sentry who was sitting there, he had this rope in his hands, +Adrian holding both rifles meanwhile. + +Billie saw this and drew a long breath, while his glittering eyes were +fixed upon the man with the enormous appetite. It was just as though he +might be saying bitterly to himself; “now see what you get for hogging +it all; and serve you just about right, too!” + +Donald was a clever hand with the lariat. He had learned all the +ordinary cow-puncher tricks in making use of a rope; and often +bewildered Billie with some of his astonishing throws, back-handed, side +ways, and with the queer little jerking movement that adepts can make to +serve their purpose without coiling the lariat again. + +This was as easy a job as ever came his way; and indeed, Billie himself +would have thought it no difficult feat to toss that well-balanced loop +directly over the head of the unconscious sentry. + +It was done like a flash. The man instinctively knew he was a prisoner +the very instant he felt the touch of the descending rope; indeed, he +must have heard the whistle of it through the air, for Billie saw him +plainly try to duck his head as though he hoped to dodge the cast; but +he was too late. + +All punchers understand that their only chance when “roped” is to +instantly start toward the point from which the loop springs. In this +way they may get a slack line, and be able to throw off the noose before +it is too late. + +As he was instantly jerked over, the sentry had no chance to run or even +crawl; but he proved that he knew his business by trying to _roll_ +toward Donald, who was taking in the slack rope hand over hand. + +When the proper second came he leaped forward and threw himself on the +prostrate sentry, whipping the rope around him several times so as to +render him helpless. + +All this happened in what Billie afterwards described as “three shakes +of a lamb’s tail.” Up to that time the man who had been so taken by +surprise had not thought to give a shout; he had followed out the +instinct a cowboy always has actuating him; but now that he was in the +toils beyond any possibility of freeing himself through his own +exertions the fellow remembered that he had companions. + +He let out a whoop that would have awakened men in even a more drunken +stupor than those who lay there. + +Adrian had not been idle, however, during these few seconds of time. +Having mapped out his little plan of campaign beforehand he knew what +was expected of him. Jumping across the space that separated him from +the fire he pounced upon one of the rustlers, and snatched his gun the +first thing. That rendered a second fellow next to helpless, for a bad +man without his gun is never very dangerous. + +Adrian threw the rifle forward, and covered the next man as he was +trying to get to his knees. + +“Lie down, you, or it’ll be the worst job you ever tackled!” he cried +out; and the swing of that rifle convinced the rustler that he had +better do as he was told; so he flattened himself out on his face, and +remained there motionless, possibly trying to collect his muddled wits +and reason it all out. + +There was still one more, but Billie had looked out for him. Making +threatening motions with his extended rifle as he pushed forward the fat +boy confronted this rustler, still sitting there on the ground, and +blinking like an owl might on being thrust into an electric glow. + +When he saw that it was a boy in front of him, a fat good-natured lad at +that, the puncher made as if to reach for his weapon, whereupon Billie +thrust out his rifle still closer and shouted: + +“Don’t you dare touch it, do you hear! I’ll pull this trigger as sure as +my name’s Broncho Billie, and whiff you go into the next world! Hold up +both hands before you’re riddled! Want me to give the signal for a dozen +guns to blaze away all around you? Don’t you know you’re surrounded by +an army? Hold ’em up, higher than that, mister, if you know what’s good +for you.” + +Donald put an end to the anxiety by suddenly darting forward and +whipping the gun out of the rustler’s holster. He had already secured +the weapon belonging to the fellow whom Adrian had subdued, so that the +enemy was now powerless to do them any immediate injury. + +Billie gave a screech in order to relieve his overwrought nerves. + +“Victory! We came, we saw, we conquered! Bully for the Broncho Rider +Boys; they’re a whole team and a dog under the wagon. Told you we could +do ’em, fellows! Why, it was as easy as falling off a log. Hope you’re +going to hog-tie the lot, Donald, now that we’ve got ’em, so we won’t +have to be sitting up to keep the same from vamosing the ranch; because +there might be some other things more pleasant we’d like to be at.” + +Donald had prepared for just such an emergency beforehand, so that he +had plenty of stout cords in his pocket, with which to make the rustlers +secure. + +He started in to do this. The men had recovered their wits enough by now +to display considerable ugly temper. They may even have begun to dimly +suspect that they had not been made prisoners by a large company of +punchers after all, but that this trio of lively lads represented the +sum total of their adversaries. + +Donald knew that when they came to understand this humiliating fact they +might become so desperate that they would go to any lengths in the +endeavor to turn the tables again. That was one reason why he made such +haste in getting bonds on the prisoners, with his two chums standing +there, guns in hand and constantly on guard, lest one of the others leap +upon Donald. + +After the last man had been secured, and they were beginning to growl +and swear in a horrible way, Billie thought he might claim a little of +his own time in order to carry out some idea he was hugging to his +heart. + +But when he knelt down where that enormous feeder had been sitting it +was only to give a grunt of disgust, for the very last bite of cooked +meat had vanished. They had played their hand just a little too late to +please Billie, who had such a stubborn way of trying to carry out any +scheme he may have conceived, no matter how foolish it might be. + +Adrian looked at Donald, and then the two of them shook hands. If ever +they experienced the delight of having accomplished something worth +while it was then and there, when they found that the four cattle +rustlers were in their power, and the way stood open to recover the +stampeded herd belonging to Bar-S Ranch. + +Billie was not to be left out when the congratulations were going +around; and accordingly he insisted on also shaking hands with his +chums. + +“We got ’em, didn’t we, fellows? If they’d been a dozen ’stead of four +we could have done the little trick just as easy. Ain’t they a sorry +bunch, though; and now I wonder if they happen to have any more of that +fresh meat along with ’em; because I’m a bit peaked for a bite, and +time’s apt to hang heavy on our hands between this and daylight, when we +can get busy, and pull out of here.” + +Sure enough he did find that there was still a small portion of meat +uncooked. After learning this Billie was inclined to allow his chums to +do all the planning and figuring while he busied himself by the fire; +the four men glaring at him, and in turn reviling and entreating him to +let them loose, as they had only been playing a practical joke on +Colonel Morrison, since the cattle had been bought the day before and +they thought to give him a scare. + +But Billie paid no attention to either threats or blandishments, but +went steadily about his self-appointed task of preparing a midnight +supper for himself and companions, a congenial task it was too, as any +one who knew Billie’s weakness would easily understand. There was to be +no sleep for the boys on this night, after the little they had enjoyed. +They could not guess what the plans of the rustlers might be, and that +in itself gave them cause for anxiety. If another lot of the Walkers +should turn up before morning, and catch them napping, things would go +hard with the youngsters. And then again, with prisoners of that type on +their hands Donald and Adrian dared not relax their vigilance a particle +lest one of the men manage to get loose, and freeing his mates, pounce +upon their late captors. + +Donald was used to sizing up cow-punchers, and could see good in most +any chap who followed that profession; but he had to admit that these +four were about as hard looking specimens as he had run across for a +long while. If they ever found a chance to turn the tables on the +Broncho Rider Boys it was easy to guess how they would act. The thought +did not afford Adrian any pleasure; but it did make him the more +determined that he would neglect no precaution in order to make such a +possibility less likely to happen. + +Well, Billie finally called the others to sit down and have a bite of +late supper; and more to oblige him than because they were really hungry +they did eat a little. That satisfied the cook, however, and if his +chums chose to partake so lightly of the fare, that only left the larger +portion for him to make way with. + +“What is the time?” asked Donald, when things had sort of simmered down +to a condition of quiet, the prisoners ceasing to talk because they had +come to realize that it was a useless expenditure of breath. + +“Going on two now,” was the answer. + +“That means about four hours of it before us,” said Donald; “well, we’ve +got heaps to talk about, and can pass the time away all right. Then we +must keep a lookout for signs of trouble, or the coming of any more +rustlers, as well as watch this tough bunch.” + +“And,” added the other, “if we have any extra time we could put it in +looking to see how the cattle are coming on close by here. If all’s well +in the morning we’ll take the greatest pleasure in starting back for the +ranch house, driving this lot of long-horns that carry the Bar-S brand.” + +Donald began chuckling at that. + +“What do you find to laugh at?” asked Billie, who looked unusually sober +for him. + +“I was just thinking,” replied the ranch boy, “what a tremendous +surprise it’ll be for Uncle Fred, yes, and Aunt Josie too, when they see +us coming along whooping, with the lost herd in our charge. That would +make a picture worth keeping, if only Billie here could snap it off, +which he can’t, more’s the pity!” + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +LAYING PLANS. + + +“There’s one thing I don’t understand,” remarked Billie, after there had +been a little interval of silence, while every one seemed to be busy +with thoughts of his own. + +“Better ease your mind, then, Billie, and let us hear what’s bothering +you,” said Donald, with a smile; for he was used to the ways of his +cousin, and knew that whenever anything did worry the fat chum he had a +regular bulldog method of keeping everlastingly at the matter until he +had smoothed the tangle out, fairly well at least. + +“Yes,” added Adrian, “you know we’re always willing to oblige you with +whatever information we happen to have ourselves, so don’t be bashful, +Billie.” + +“Well, it’s just this,” and the other lowered his voice to a hoarse +whisper, as though not wanting to take any chances of the prisoners +catching a single word of what he meant to say, “what are we agoing to +do with that crowd when morning comes along? Somebody give me the +answer, please.” + +“Why, we don’t want to be bothered with the lot any longer than we can +help,” Donald told him; “and that being the case we’ll decide on how +we’d better turn ’em loose, minus their guns, of course.” + +“Huh! that might mean you’d let ’em have their ponies, I reckon?” +pursued Billie. + +“Well, it’s considered a cruelty out here on the plains to take a man’s +cayuse away from him,” said Donald; “and because they’re a pack of +cattle rustlers hadn’t ought to make us covet their mounts, I take it. +See here, what’s ailing you, Billie; you’ve sure got a bee in your +bonnet right now? I hope you haven’t got an eye on one of their hosses, +that buckskin p’raps, and think it’d about be in your class?” + +Billie shook his head slowly. + +“You wrong me, Donald, sure you do,” he observed, mournfully, as he gave +his cousin a reproachful look; “I was only trying to do the thinking for +the bunch for once. And I’ll tell you what occurred to me if you want me +to.” + +“Of course we do, old fellow, and we’ll thank you for doing it, too!” +exclaimed Adrian, warmly. + +“Same here, Billie!” echoed the other chum. + +“All right,” Billie went on to say, still in that low, mysterious way; +“then listen here, fellows. Now, it’s going to take us quite some time +to drive this lot of steers and cows back to where they came from, I +take it?” + +“Sure thing,” remarked Adrian, encouragingly, when Billie stopped his +explanation as though seeking confirmation of his statement. + +“Well, supposing then, we turned these rustlers loose about the time we +started, and gave ’em to understand we’d shoot the first fellow we saw +dodging after us, what d’ye s’pose they’d be apt to do in that case? +Why, make a bee-line for where they could find another batch of their +breed, and fetch the whole gang awhooping after us. We might find a +dozen or two tough punchers closing in on us long before we could get to +the Bar-S Ranch buildings. How’s that?” + +“Say, there’s a whole lot in what you say, Billie,” admitted Donald, +thoughtfully. + +“And it’s got to be threshed out while we sit here, too,” added Adrian. +“I’ve a plan in mind right now that might fill the bill.” + +“Then for goodness’ sake let’s hear it!” begged Billie, eagerly. + +“When we leave here in the morning we won’t untie the rustlers at all, +only one fellow, who can accompany us on our ride,” pursued the owner of +the ranch from which the cattle in the coulie had been stolen and +stampeded. + +“But hold on,” remarked tender-hearted Billie, “wouldn’t it be kind o’ +cruel to leave the lot here, tied hand and foot? What if nobody came +along, and they had to just roll around here all the time? Say, it’s +_aw_ful to get hungry, and as for me I wouldn’t want my worst enemy to +be kept from his feed for even one whole day. I can’t imagine any +suffering so terrible; and you wouldn’t think of trying such punishment +even on cattle rustlers, would you, Adrian? They’re human after all, +even if they are bad men.” + +“You didn’t let me finish what I was going to say, Billie,” observed the +ranch boy, quietly. “Didn’t you hear me tell how we’d take one of them +along on his pony, picking out the meekest of the bunch, if there’s any +choice about that, so we can make him help drive the cattle, and one of +us could keep close to him all the time.” + +“Yes, yes, go on, please, Ad, I’m following you,” said the fat chum. + +“When we had gone far enough, miles and miles from here, so that we knew +we’d soon strike the ranch buildings,” continued Adrian, “why, then we +could turn him loose, and let him gallop back here to set his pards +free.” + +“Oh! I get on to what you mean!” declared Billie, admiringly; “by that +time they just couldn’t give us any bother, even if they did hurry away +to find the rest of the ugly Walker crowd! That’s a fine scheme of +yours, Adrian. Ain’t it funny now, with all my thinking that never came +into my mind? But count on me agreeing with you, Adrian. It couldn’t be +bettered, no matter how much I badgered my head over the business. And +Donald here says the same, don’t you, old fellow?” + +“I sure do that same,” Donald was quick to say; “and I think that our +chum has covered the ground the best ever.” + +“There’s another thing I’ve decided on,” Adrian went on to remark, +encouraged by the success of his first proposition. + +“Let’s have it then,” Billie begged him; “might as well hear all these +bully ideas in a heap while we’re ready to take a shock; and you do beat +the world on thinking up things, Adrian, that’s right.” + +“The very first chance I get I mean to send word to the sheriff of this +county as the owner of Bar-S Ranch, and demand that he come to my place +instanter with a posse behind him, ready to break up this rustler +business. Those cowboys told us a new sheriff had just taken office, and +they kind of hoped he wouldn’t be like the last one, right under the +thumb of these terrible Walkers. Fact is, they seemed to have an idea he +stood ready to do his duty the first time any ranchman got nerve enough +to call on him to break the gang up. And I’m going to be that rancher to +take the bull by the horns!” + +He did not say this boastingly, nor was his voice elevated so that the +listening prisoners might hear his words; but as he spoke there was a +determined look on Adrian’s face that told Donald, who knew him so well, +he had never been more earnest in all his life than when he made this +bold assertion looking to throwing down the glove of defiance to the +Walkers. + +“A great scheme, Adrian,” Donald remarked, and his manner told even more +than his few words. + +“Don’t talk louder than we are now,” said Billie just then; “because I +saw one of them fellows bob his head up like he was mighty curious to +know what we had our heads together for.” + +The three Broncho Rider Boys continued to confer for some time longer. +Billie was holding out manfully, but every now and then he would stretch +his mouth in a dreadful way, as the irresistible impulse to yawn came +upon him. + +“Better lie down in your blanket, Billie,” remarked Adrian, taking pity +on the stout chum; because he knew Billie’s failings, and sleeping was +one of them. + +“Yes,” added Donald, who would rather see the other snuggled in the +folds of his blanket than sitting there with his hands embracing his +knees, thinking up a host of questions between yawns; “we’ll do all +that’s necessary to keep things going; and if we have any need of your +help, why we promise to call on you.” + +“Well,” said Billie, “in that case p’raps I might take a few winks of +sleep, because that gallop did kind of knock me up. But remember, I +depend on your word of honor to give me a punch if I’m needed.” + +After that they heard nothing further from Billie, save an occasional +heavy sigh resembling a snore, whenever he chanced to lie on his back. +He was dead to the world in three minutes after lying down, with his +warm blanket wrapped around his ample proportions, much after the manner +in which he had seen Indians do at the quaint Zuni cliff dwellers’ +village in Arizona, visited by the three boys before coming up to +Wyoming. + +About half an hour after this Adrian thought they would do well to +examine their prisoners, in order to make sure that their bonds were +holding out securely. They did not profess to have had a great deal of +experience in fastening up fellows, and during the time that had elapsed +possibly one of the men might have succeeded in gnawing his bonds partly +through, or working them loose. + +So Donald and Adrian took the flashlight torch, and went over each of +the prisoners’ bonds. They found them just as secure as when first +triced up, which was to the credit of the young captors, to be sure. + +The man whom they had decided must be the leader of the quartette, was +staring hard at Adrian all the time the boys hovered over their +prisoners. Evidently he must have begun to entertain certain suspicions +with regard to the other. + +“Say, hain’t I seen ye before now, younker?” he finally asked, +pointedly. + +“I don’t know,” replied Adrian, “but I can’t remember of ever meeting +you, up to now.” + +“Might your name be Sherwood?” the other insisted; “and hain’t ye the +kid that years ago used ter ride ’round hyah on a calico pony, when the +ole man was alive, an’ ran Bar-S Ranch? I heard ’em call yuh Adreen a +while ago, an’ ’pears tuh me as how thet same war the name o’ thet +lively boy. Air you him?” + +Adrian did not see fit to answer. He could not deny the accusation, and +there would be no good end served in acknowledging it; though of course +the man would construe his silence to mean assent, and understand things +accordingly. But perhaps it might be as well that the Walkers knew the +true owner of Bar-S Ranch had come to town to take possession of his +own, and clear up this strange tangle that seemed to have possession of +his property, under Uncle Fred Comstock, who had taken to himself a +wife, and she connected with the Walker tribe. + +The boys went back to the dwindling fire, to sit the night out. They did +not try to keep up much of a blaze, lest it serve to draw enemies to the +spot; but sitting in the shadows, they held their rifles in readiness, +and occasionally exchanged a few words as the minutes dragged slowly by. + +Finally in the far east appeared the first faint streaks that told of +coming day and the pair of weary watchers welcomed their arrival with +positive relief, for it would mean a change, and action. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +DRIVING THE STAMPEDED STOCK HOME. + + +“Wake up, Billie; it’s breakfast time!” + +Probably no other summons could have such an immediate effect upon the +stout chum as this call. He instantly raised his head, and commenced to +sniff the air. + +“Coffee, and bacon frying in the bargain! Oh! I hope now I ain’t too +late; and also that you’ve cooked enough for all. Remember, we’ve got +guests along with us; and you promised me you wouldn’t let the rustlers +go hungry, whatever else you did!” was what he exclaimed, as he crawled +out of his snug retreat, and commenced to stretch vigorously, as well as +rub his eyes in the bargain. + +They assured him that after they had eaten, a second supply would be +placed at his disposal to cook, while the others were up the coulie +getting pointers on the lay of the land, and how best to start the herd +out on the open again, when the time came to make a start. + +With that Billie had to rest content. His words had been loud enough for +the four prisoners to catch, and must have afforded them more or less +relief; since they were doubtless hungry by now, and wondering whether +the boys meant to keep them in that condition any length of time. + +Having satisfied the inner man Adrian, accompanied by Donald, started up +the ravine. Of course they took their guns along; and before leaving +warned Billie that while he could cook some breakfast for the prisoners, +under no condition was he to try and feed any of them until the others +came back. + +He promised this readily enough, for truth to tell Billie would not have +particularly fancied untying the arms of one of those muscular fellows, +lest he be taken off his guard, when there would be the mischief to pay. + +The cattle were found to be grazing peacefully. They had apparently +entirely recovered from the panic that accompanied the stampede, and +when once driven out on the plain would naturally fall into old ways, +and allow themselves to be urged on the back trail; for Adrian had +concluded that they could do no better than to follow the plain marks +made by the herd in fleeing. + +When they got back to the fire they were met by Billie’s declaration +that he had the prisoners’ breakfast ready, and if one of them would +help him he could feed them by relays. + +“I’ll do that, because Donald’s busy with something else,” said Adrian. + +Accordingly they started proceedings, and found it little trouble, since +they only unfastened the arms of the prisoners, and these two at a time. +The leader happened to be one of the second batch. He kept looking at +Adrian as he ate ravenously; and it was evident he had about made up his +mind that this must surely be the young owner of the Sherwood ranch. + +Billie was more interested in the other fellow, who happened to be the +glutton of that midnight meal. His enormous appetite still seemed to +stay with him; and Billie, who claimed to be able to hold his own in the +feeding line with most people, sat there, staring at the way the man +disposed of the food, as though he might either be lost in admiration, +or else filled with dismay, perhaps taking a lesson. + +“Here, you go slow there,” he finally felt it his duty to say, +warningly; “that’s got to last you for some time, you know, because +we’re meaning to leave you here when we ride away. Don’t gobble so, you +pig! I eat a lot, but I do it decent-like, and not like a starving dog +bolting his grub. Let up, I say, and get the good out of what you’re +swallowing!” + +“You _are_ the Sherwood boy, ain’t you?” suddenly demanded the tall +leader, as Adrian handed him his last allowance of coffee in the tin +cup. + +“Well, I suppose there’s no use in my denying it, because I’ve managed +to remember you now,” remarked Adrian. “You used to ride for my father +years ago; your name is Tad Whiffles; and you had to get away from Bar-S +Ranch on account of your quarrelsome disposition. Yes, I’m the Sherwood +kid you speak of; and I’ve come up from the Arizona ranch of my friend +Donald Mackay, to find out what’s all the matter with things up here.” + +The puncher called Tad Whiffles looked him over from head to foot; then +he turned deliberately to the other stampeder, and nodding his head, was +heard to say: + +“D’ye hear that, Corney? Tell me, won’t there be high jinks to pay in +these parts right soon now? I can see a warm session at Bar-S when the +boy owner comes acrost Josie, that was a Walker onct! Say, I’d give a +heap tuh be there on the spot tuh see that same meetin’, b’lieve me, +Corney.” + +“Oh! things will all be straightened out after a bit,” Adrian assured +him in a confident fashion that caused the man to elevate his eyebrows, +and mutter half under his breath: + +“Blame me if I don’t more’n harf think as how ye _kin_ do the trick, if +anybody kin, kid. The way ye follered us hyar, and took the hull crowd +in makes me feel cheap. I don’t know what ther ole man’ll hev tuh say +tuh us when he gets on tuh the story. But wait an’ see how he comes out +when _he_ rubs up aginst yuh. But I sure would like tuh be at Bar-S for +a bit when yuh arrives with all them steers. Wow! ain’t thar agoin’ tuh +be somebody surprised, though?” + +He shook his head, and relapsed into silence, as though the matter might +be too big for him to grasp all at once. + +So the two rustlers were once more securely pinioned. Adrian himself +made sure that their bonds were tight, for he did not mean to have his +plans spoiled by any fluke, if it could be avoided. + +When they had packed things, and were all ready to start, Donald went to +the man who was such a heavy eater, and whom they judged to be the most +tractable of the lot. + +“We’re going to take you along with us, to help drive the herd,” he told +him; and the fellow’s face immediately took on a serious look. + +“But what’ll they do to me over at the Bar-S, if they git hands on me, +pard?” he asked, uneasily. “That same old Comstock, if ever he _does_ +break away from under the thumb of his wife is sure agoin’ to throw +things around promiscuous like; and mebbe he’ll begin by makin’ me an +awful lesson. Seems like I c’n feel the feathers asproutin’ out all over +me a’ready, ’case he’ll git the tar heated, sure-pop. Say, there’s Bemis +as kin drive herd a heap better’n me any day agoin’. Hadn’t ye sooner +pick him to help out?” + +“Oh! don’t worry,” remarked Donald as he cut the fellow’s bonds; “get up +now, and walk ahead of me. We don’t mean to take you all the way, but +along about noon we might send you back with the ponies belonging to +your crowd.” + +“If that’s a fact I don’t mind ahelpin’ drive,” declared the man, with a +relieved look on his face. + +He might have thought that there would come a chance for him to slip +away while chasing after the cattle; but if so he reckoned without his +host; for Donald and Adrian were too smart to allow such an opening. + +One of them kept close to the rustler all the while; and he was given +plainly to understand that if he tried any such sneak game they would +leave the cattle to shift for themselves temporarily while they ran him +down, and filled him full of lead. + +The sight of the repeating rifles which all the Broncho Rider Boys +carried, and handled as though they knew well how to use the same, +filled him with a certain amount of respect; and if he had cherished any +hopes of escaping they were kept carefully in restraint. + +They had little trouble in getting the herd out of the coulie. The range +boys knew just how to go about this sort of business; and when the +rustler heard them yelling, and slapping their hats on their chaps as +they started the feeding cattle, he knew that they were old hands at +driving, even if young in years. + +He did his part of the work all right, for he saw that this was the +easiest way of getting on the good side of these energetic lads. + +The three who were left behind called out, and told their captors they +hoped they would not be forgotten in the shuffle; because before now +cow-punchers had starved to death, or fallen victims to the hungry +wolves that roamed the plains of nights. + +Paying no further attention to them the boys chased after the moving +herd, soon running along the back trail, with the drivers whooping, and +dashing here and there to keep some stray animal from breaking away. + +All went well, because both Adrian and Donald made it a point that one +of them keep close enough to the rustler driver to see that he was given +no opportunity to escape. Billie’s duty was not so much to drive, as to +lead; in other words he had charge of the three cattle ponies belonging +to the men who had been left bound in the camp at the mouth of +Bittersweet Coulie; and which were to be generously turned over to +Corney when they allowed him to depart, along about the middle of the +day perhaps. + +“I hope it’s _before_ lunch time that they let him go scot free,” Billie +was muttering to himself from time to time, as he frowned, and watched +the evolutions of the puncher named Corney; possibly Billie had good +reason for wishing this, since he happened to know that their rations +had reached a rather low ebb by now; and if that enormous eater was +invited to sit down with them at noon, and devour at will, what was +going to become of those who had a better right to the “grub” than the +rustler? + +Some two hours after the start they discovered that several riders had +headed in their direction. At first the boys were bothered a little, +until they made the pleasing discovery that these were the same three +friendly cow-punchers whom they had met on the previous day. + +A sudden idea flashing into Adrian’s mind, he made signals that he would +like to talk with the trio. At that they turned directly, and came +galloping along; for up to then it seemed they were inclined to sheer +off, and mind their own business; because in these unsettled days it was +not always the wisest thing to push up alongside those who were driving +stock, lest they butt in on matters that were not intended to be known +outside of certain Walker circles. + +At discovering their young friends of the preceding day circling the +herd that bore the brand of the Bar-S Ranch, the three punchers +exchanged looks of intense surprise; and their wonder evidently took +leaps and bounds when they also recognized in Corney a man of ill +repute, who was known to be connected with the Walker crowd. + +Adrian had rather fancied the three punchers, and meant to see if he +could not offer them inducements to engage with him, as he feared he +would need a new supply of men, when he started to weed out the Bar-S +employees. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +ADRIAN HIRES MORE HELP. + + +“We didn’t reckon we’d meet up with you so soon again,” remarked one of +the cow-punchers, as, with his two companions, he drew in alongside +Adrian; Donald at the time was “keeping tabs” on the rustler at some +little distance away. + +“And you’re wondering your heads off right now,” Adrian told him, with +one of his rare smiles that made him so many friends, “what under the +sun we’re doing with this bunch of cattle. It’s a long story, so I’ll +just say that we saw a stampede with four rustlers managing it, and +chased after. We found them in camp at the mouth of Bittersweet Coulie, +up which they had chased the herd, where they could change the brands in +the morning, and drive the lot away to one of the Walker ranches. Well, +we managed to make the four punchers our prisoners; and leaving three +bound there, we’re taking the other fellow part way along the back +trail. When we got a few miles from the ranch buildings we thought we’d +let him go back with the four ponies, so’s to free his pards. That’s the +yarn in a nutshell, boys.” + +They stared at him, as though hardly able to believe their ears. It +seemed incredible that three mere lads should have managed to get the +better of a bunch of the Walker rustlers, men whom all honest punchers +wanted as little to do with as possible. + +Still, there were the cattle as positive evidence of the truth of +Adrian’s story, and they knew Corney, as well as his reputation, well +enough. + +“That beats anything I’ve heard tell of for many a day!” exclaimed one +puncher, looking as though he might be ready to shout, and swing his hat +in glee. + +“First time them Walkers has been rubbed the wrong way for a hull year +or more,” added the second fellow in chaps and flannel shirt, and boots +that sported enormous Mexican spurs; “fact is, ever since Fred Comstock +took water, and quit fightin’ ’em, an’ that was after he married that +sister of Hatch Walker’s.” + +“He did used to be a fighter; but seems like his heart it’s broke with +havin’ her hands in his hair so often; and he never lets out a yawp +these days, no matter what happens. And say, them steers is got the +Bar-S brand on right now; seems like they must a come from his place, +the third lot he’s lost in nine months.” + +“It’s going to be the last, if I know anything about it!” declared +Adrian; at which suggestive words the three cow-punchers exchanged +significant glances, and then the lanky fellow remarked: + +“We doesn’t mean to be personal, you know, stranger, but might we ask +what that’s got to do with you?” he went on to say. + +“Only this,” replied the boy, quickly; “they’ve been robbing me long +enough, and I think it’s about time this Walker gang was broken up, in +the bargain. There’s a new sheriff just come into office, I’m told, and +as soon as I can get word to him I’m going to demand that he come to the +Bar-S Ranch with a posse, to take some decided action. Perhaps, when +they find out that there’s something on foot, the other ranch owners +around this part of the Wyoming range country will join in with me. Oh! +I forgot that I hadn’t introduced myself yet. I’m Adrian Sherwood, and +it’s my Uncle Fred Comstock you’ve been telling such queer stories +about.” + +“Put her there, Adrian!” shouted the lanky puncher, thrusting out his +hand. “I sure am proud to meet up with the son of a man that had such a +good name as your dad. And if what you’ve started in to do is a sign of +what’s goin’ to happen here, I reckons as how the Walkers’ll hev to walk +purty soon, eh, boys?” and he turned to nod his head at his comrades. + +These two were just as desirous of shaking hands with young Sherwood as +the lanky fellow had been; and Adrian liked them more than ever. + +“I’ve been surprised at the bad returns I’ve been getting a long while +now, from Uncle Fred,” he went on to say, “and made up my mind to run +along here from Arizona, where I was visiting my friend Donald Mackay, +on his father’s ranch, just to find out for myself what was going on.” + +“Then Comstock nor his big wife don’t suspicion that you’re around, is +thet it, Adrian?” exclaimed the thin puncher, grinning as though vastly +pleased. + +“The first they’ll know about it,” the other went on to say, “will be +this afternoon when we come driving this recovered herd back home. One +of the three men we left at the mouth of the coulie said he’d give +something to be on hand when that took place, just to see what +happened.” + +“You bet I would, too!” declared the lanky puncher; “and my pards here +would be tickled to death if they could see what _she_ looks like when +you kim aridin’ along, drivin’ your own cattle back home, which she +expects are carryin’ the Walker brand by this time.” + +“Sure we would!” burst out the other two, eagerly. + +“All right, then, you can see that sight if you’ll engage with me for a +year at the regular wages, and agree to stand back of me!” observed +Adrian, thinking the time had come to strike while the iron was hot. + +“D’ye mean that, Adrian Sherwood?” asked the other, after he had caught +affirmative nods from both his companions. + +“Just what I do!” was the reply the ranch boy gave. “I expect there’ll +have to be an overhauling of the pay roll when I take the reins in my +own hands; because of course some of the punchers at the ranch will be +Walker sympathizers, put there to cow the rest. My uncle will know those +he can trust, and the rest must go; so you see I’ll need a few good +trusty fellows to back me up. What do you say?” + +“It’s a go!” exclaimed the lanky puncher, as he again thrust out his +hand; “for it happens just now that we’re lookin’ for a job, as our boss +sold out his ranch business, and the new man brought his own crowd along +with him. We even thought of hiking over to Bar-S to see what chance +there might be there; but since that Walker crowd has been runnin’ +things up yonder none of us kinder like the idea of hitchin’ up with Mr. +Comstock. But since you’ve come, and mean to do things like you say, +why, we’ll throw in with you, sure we will, Adrian.” + +That pleased the other more than he could find words to say. + +“Then let’s call it a bargain, and first chance we get we’ll put the +same down in writing so there’ll be no mistake. And now tell me what +your names might be.” + +The lanky one gave his as George Hess; the little “sawed-off” announced +himself as Andy Hickenlooper; while the last puncher declared that he +would respond to any name, especially when the cook was pounding on a +frying-pan with a big spoon to announce dinner; but that if he had to +sign any legal document he believed he could swear to the fact that he +had once been called Septimus Green, shortened to plain Sep. + +It was determined that they might carry the rustler along for a few more +miles and then send him about his business, with the other ponies in his +charge. To be sure, the news would thus be carried to the Walker +headquarters in due time; but long ere that could happen Adrian expected +to have reached the ranch with his cattle, so that it did not matter +much anyhow. + +Of course Adrian felt it his immediate duty to inform his chums of his +good fortune in making arrangements with such a husky lot of punchers, +and ones they had particularly fancied when they met them before. + +So he had George keep the rustler under his eye, while he called Donald +and Billie to him, to explain the situation. No doubt the boys had +partly guessed the truth as soon as they heard those yells, and saw the +three newcomers swing out to start driving the herd; but all the same it +sounded fine to them as Adrian spun the story. + +“Great work, old chum!” exclaimed Billie, approvingly; “and already the +atmosphere up around these diggings seems different. The punchers think +so; and say, wouldn’t it be a _stupendous_ thing now if our coming +started the ranchers to getting their pluck back, so that they’d rise +up, and chase this old Walker tribe out of Wyoming. Hope that’s what’s +going to happen, you hear me talking, boys!” + +When Billie was pleased his round red face fairly beamed with the smile +that came so easily upon it. It was a catching smile, too, and many +times those who saw the same just had to chime in from sheer sympathy. + +For some time longer the drive went on, and they must have covered more +than half of the territory over which the stampeded cattle had chased on +the preceding night. As yet there was not the first sign of any pursuit +on the part of the punchers connected with the raided ranch; as George +Hess said, they were “lying down, like whipped dogs, and letting things +go as they pleased, because it wouldn’t do any good if they did want to +follow the thieves, with that woman holding her thumb on Fred Comstock +so that he didn’t dare call his soul his own these days, without +dodging.” + +Adrian began to recognize numerous marks in the landscape. He knew that +in not more than another couple of hours they ought to arrive at their +destination, unless something not down on the bills happened to +interfere; which could only come from a meeting with a large bunch of +the Walker punchers, and consequent war. + +Billie was eagerly waiting to hear one of his chums remark that it was +time they turned the rustler loose. He was beginning to get uneasy, +under the dreadful fear that this dismissal might be delayed so long +that they would have to feed the fellow again, and that Billie believed +would be a misfortune in many ways. + +Finally he saw Adrian beckon the rustler, and head him toward where +Billie had the three ponies belonging to the prisoners of Bittersweet +Coulie trailing along after him. That could only mean one thing, the +sending of Corney about his business, and allowing him to gallop back to +release his unfortunate companions. + +“Here’s your ponies,” Billie called out, after he had heard Adrian tell +the fellow he was at liberty to ride away; “and don’t forget that we +treated you white on this trip. I only hope that if ever I have the +misfortune to be held a prisoner among your crowd that you’ll see to it +I don’t starve; because I always did say there was no death I dreaded +more than going without my regular allowance of grub.” + +But nobody was listening to Billie talk. The rustler had taken the +bridles of the ponies and without a word turned to gallop away. Once he +did turn in his saddle to shake his clenched fist back at the boys, and +then immediately duck down until he lay flat along the neck of his +mount, half fearing lest one of them answer his challenge with a shot +from his rifle. + +But such a thing did not occur to any one of the three chums. They were +really too glad to see the ugly-faced Corney depart to think of trying +to detain him a minute longer than seemed absolutely necessary; and +least of all would Billie have put out a restraining hand, because it +was nearly noon, and lunch time. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE LAME PILGRIM ON THE TRAIL. + + +“There’s a cowboy riding this way, and seems like he might have come +from your place, too, Adrian!” Donald called out, soon after they had +let the rustler depart. + +“It must be some messenger Uncle Fred’s sending to town, perhaps with a +letter to me, telling about this new outrage, and that he’ll just have +to throw up his job here, and clear out, since he’s powerless to help +things,” the other suggested; as he watched the lone rider drawing near, +evidently more than curious at discovering the lately stampeded bunch of +cattle heading back toward the ranch house. + +Upon being signalled he headed for them, and soon came riding up, his +eyes round with wonder as he surveyed the six who constituted the +drivers of the cattle. + +“Hello! Frank,” called out George Hess, who seemed to know the other; +“reckon as how you’re struck next door to dumb awonderin’ what all this +means; but I’ll leave it to the boss here to explain. This same is Frank +Bowker, Adrian, and about as decent a puncher as the ole man’s got left +on the place. Reckon that’s why he’s asendin’ of him to town right now +on business.” + +“Is that where you’re bound, Frank?” asked Adrian; “perhaps you’ll think +I’ve got no right to ask, but you see, I’m the owner of the Bar-S Ranch, +and my name’s Sherwood.” + +The puncher’s puzzled face was quickly wreathed in a grin, and as +rapidly as he could speak he declared that he was mighty glad to meet up +with Mr. Sherwood; and that it sure looked as though he had got busy the +very first thing he arrived, in recovering the bunch of cattle that the +rustlers had run off in a stampede. + +Of course Adrian quickly gave him such facts as he deemed the other +should know. + +“And we’re going to clean up things here, Frank, remember that,” the boy +wound up by saying in a quiet but positive way that made the others +smile again, and act as though they would like to shake hands all +around. “Are you really going to town for Uncle Fred; and if so would +you take a written message to the new sheriff for me?” + +“Will I?” burst out the other, excitedly; “say, you just try me, that’s +all. And I’ll see that he gets the same as sure as I live. And I’ll tell +him the time’s come at last for something to be done to round up that +Walker crowd. We’ve stood for it too long already; and say, I’m just +tickled to death to know there’s a real change acomin’. Wisht I could go +back with you; mebbe I wouldn’t give my best pair of boots to be on hand +when _she_ larns who you are, and sees them steers adrivin’ right home +to the Bar-S corrals. Wow! it’ll be some sight, believe me.” + +But Adrian soon convinced Frank that it was his duty to get along to +town as speedily as possible, so as to find the new sheriff, and place +the letter he, Adrian would write, in his hands. + +It took only a short time to prepare the communication, though the boy +tried to explain the situation, and impress on the peace officer how +necessary it was for him to lose no time in summoning a reliable posse, +and riding out to the ranch house of the Bar-S outfit; for there was +likely to be war around that section shortly, since the Walkers must +fight before they would acknowledge defeat. + +When Frank started away, waving his hat above his head, and shouting as +only an excited range rider can, Adrian declared he felt a thousand per +cent better. + +“It’s all going to come out right in the end, Donald,” he told his chum. + +“But before we get there it’s likely we’ll see some rocky times,” +admitted the other, though his manner gave no evidence that the fact was +causing him any particular uneasiness; for Donald had been brought up on +a ranch, and often found himself confronted by difficulties that would +have daunted any ordinary lad, but which he took boldly by the horns, +and usually succeeded in getting the better of. + +Once more they were on the way, and the boys began to look forward to +the noisy greeting they might expect when they drove the herd up to the +ranch house. Adrian had not forgotten how things looked around there, +even though he had been absent for years; and he could picture Uncle +Fred, his new wife, and the punchers connected with the place gathered +in a big group, and staring at them while they rounded-up their charges, +and drove them to the stock corral for safely, until things had simmered +down somewhat. + +“There’s another fellow on foot ahead of us, and he seems to be +staggering along like he might be hurt some, Adrian,” Donald remarked, +as he dashed over to where the other chum was riding along with Billie, +content to leave much of the driving to the three punchers. + +“Well, let’s strike off, and see who he is, and what’s happened to him,” +suggested Adrian, when he had located the object mentioned by Donald, +and saw that if they kept directly on after the cattle they would not +come within half a mile of the foot traveler. + +Accordingly the three started on a gallop. The man saw them coming, and +halted in his limping manner of locomotion to watch them, even waving a +hand as if wanting to show by this salute that he was friendly, and +hoped they were the same. + +As they bore down upon him they saw that he was a rather forlorn looking +chap. He might be called middle-aged, but his face was thin, and seemed +to have a perpetual look of alarm and dread stamped upon it. When he got +to talking the least thing would cause him to give a jump, and look +hastily around as though he feared lest the heavy hand of the law was +about to descend on his bony shoulder. + +Still, he did not look at all like a bad man, and Adrian really felt +more or less pity for the wretch, who was evidently footsore and weary, +perhaps hungry in the bargain. + +“What brings you away off here without a mount?” he asked, as the three +of them sat in their saddles, and surveyed the old fellow. + +“Oh! I had a hoss, all right, but he was that old and played-out that he +just laid down on me, and gave up the ghost some miles back,” the man +told them; “I’ve been hoofing it ever since; and as I’m lame it’s been a +hard job for me. Never got over a little trouble I had two years back +further south, a shooting scrape, though it was forced on me, gents, I +assure you. Could you help me get to some ranch, where I might strike a +job? I’m a master-hand at figures, and could keep the books for my +board. If you leave me here I’m about ready to lie down, and give up the +hull business. I’m that played out.” + +Adrian did not altogether know that he was doing right, but he could not +bear to see a wretched being suffer. And there was Billie, ready to +chime in and add his entreaties to those of the foot traveler. Besides, +as has been said before, the fellow looked absolutely harmless; and had +evidently been his own worst enemy in the past, having a weakness for +strong drink, Adrian suspected. + +“Well, it would be hard to leave you here,” he said; “and perhaps my +horse wouldn’t mind carrying double. It’s only for a short distance, +anyway; and perhaps, who knows but what Uncle Fred might be glad to get +some one to keep his books, when his board is all he asks. What’s your +name?” + +“Thomas,” the other started to say, and then paused for some reason; so +that very naturally Adrian supposed he meant this was his last name. + +“Well, see if you can climb up here then, Mr. Thomas; and hold on to me. +We don’t expect to make fast time, and it’ll be better than walking, +anyway.” + +The dilapidated scarecrow hastened to avail himself of this opportunity. +Already the forlorn look on his emaciated face was beginning to give way +to one of hope. + +“This is right kind of you, sir,” he said as he managed to get seated, +with the assistance of the rider, though Ten Spot pranced more or less, +as though to let them know he did not wholly approve of this double +burden business; “and later on, if you could only manage to give me a +few bites of food I’d be so thankful, because to tell you the honest +truth I haven’t eaten a bite since noon yesterday.” + +At that Billie was heard to give vent to a groan. Whether this was +forced from his lips at the prospect of another hungry mouth to feed, or +because he could sympathize with any one who was compelled to go without +breaking his fast for such a length of time, it might be hard to say; +though the latter seemed to be nearer the truth, judging from the way he +began to search through his pockets until he had found a package wrapped +in paper, which he thrust into the hand of Adrian’s passenger with the +remark: + +“That’s a piece of dried venison I’ve been carryin’ all the while, to +keep body and soul together in case I ever got lost again on the desert +or the prairie. But you’re welcome to it, Mr. Thomas. Don’t swallow it +in lumps, because you had ought to grind your food first, and that +pemmican is tough stuff. But it’ll keep you busy, and p’raps I’ll find a +chance to cook something when that’s gone.” + +“Bless your kind heart, my boy!” muttered the man, who was already +tearing the paper off, so as to get busy with the piece of dried meat, +upon which Billie had been secretly nibbling between meals, to “stay his +stomach,” as he would say. + +The herd had gotten some distance away, but the boys experienced no +trouble in catching up again. As the three cow-punchers had their hands +full keeping the cattle from breaking away, now that they were once more +on familiar fields, they paid no attention to the newcomer. And Thomas +was so savagely munching the tough dried meat that he did not seem to +notice them. + +A short time later the boys announced that they would stop alongside of +a stream, let the cattle graze for a while, and get something to eat +themselves. In spite of Billie’s vivid fears there was plenty of +provisions left for all hands, even including the latest edition to the +force. + +Adrian noticed that Thomas hesitated when the three punchers came in +after Billie had called to them that lunch was ready. He seemed to scan +each face as if he feared lest there might be some one who would know +him; and the boy fancied it was a look of relief that swept over the +wrinkled countenance of the lame man when he made sure that he had +nothing to fear in that line. + +“There’s something queer about this Thomas,” Adrian told himself; “he’s +been in a peck of trouble somewhere, and is afraid of somebody; because +he’s forever looking around, and starts every time any one speaks. But +he isn’t the kind to be afraid of, and he sure does need helping along. +I’ll take him as far as the ranch house, anyway, and see what Uncle Fred +can do for him.” + +And with that he forgot all about the man for the time being, because +there were so many other important things that came crowding into his +mind. + +After lunch they again mounted, Donald now taking the lame pilgrim up +behind him for a change; and when the punchers had started the herd +along, the journey toward Bar-S Ranch was resumed, with a prospect that +another hour might see them bringing up at their destination. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +FACE TO FACE AT THE CORRAL. + + +It appeared that that fine lunch had made the lame man feel a thousand +per cent better. The coffee had gone to the right spot, and warmed up +his heart, so that he really looked like a different man. + +At the same time it developed that Thomas was something of a master-hand +at talking, just as he claimed to be with figures. As he rode there +behind Donald he kept up a perpetual flow of chattering, and his own +adventures in the past, “further south,” as he described it, made up the +main theme. + +It seemed as though he had indeed been through a heap of trouble, and so +far as his accounts went, he was never to blame for the distressing +things that happened to him. A ruffian had waylaid him, and robbed him +of his hard-earned savings, besides badly using him, so that he was +still lame. Then back of that he had been set upon by a band of outlaws, +who made him a prisoner, gave it out that he was dead, and for a whole +year and more he had been forced to wait on them in their mountain cave, +a regular slave. + +He entertained Donald with a glowing account of how he had finally +managed to stupefy the whole band with some drug he found among their +plunder, and in this fashion made his escape. How much of this was true, +and what portion ought to be laid to the fancy of an overwrought brain +the boy could not tell. He simply put the fellow down as a timid man who +liked to boast of things he claimed to have accomplished in the past, +which could not be proven either way. + +And Donald, too, believed that Thomas was a harmless fellow, given to +boasting somewhat, perhaps, or telling extravagant tales about himself, +but not at all dangerous. + +In turn the other managed to ask a few questions concerning what their +intended destination might be like. He had heard about Mr. Comstock +being a generous man, and had started out to see if he could not find +employment at the Bar-S Ranch. And if these young gentlemen happened to +have a personal acquaintance with the manager of the place perhaps they +might say a good word for him. + +When he learned that Adrian was really the sole owner of the ranch the +pilgrim entreated Donald to urge his chum to think kindly of a poor +wretch who had been so long the football of fate. + +Donald said he would, and hoped thus to get the other to stop talking; +but now it was a shower of thanks which continued to fall from the lips +of Thomas; who vowed again and again that never during the course of a +long and adventurous career had he chanced to run across three such fine +young fellows as these with whom his fortunes seemed bound up. + +Tired at last of the everlasting flow of language Donald told the man to +stop talking, as he had some very important details to figure out; and +this apparently warned Thomas that he had better forego the pleasure of +detailing other wonderful happenings which had come to him in the past; +for he certainly did fall into a condition of silence. + +A shout from Billie announced that the ranch buildings had been sighted +ahead. This caused Donald and Adrian to dash on ahead of the cattle, for +they wanted to be in a position to see all that went on. + +As the bound rustler had said, likewise Frank Bowker, when he wished he +might have an opportunity of witnessing their arrival, there was liable +to be something interesting doing about that time. + +Already looking far ahead they could see that the news of their coming +must have percolated among the ranch buildings, and the bunk houses; for +mounted punchers were dashing this way and that, as though greatly +excited, and unable to understand what had happened to bring the lost +herd trailing home. Those rustlers had never before been known to let +loose their grip on a bunch of cattle, once they stampeded the same. + +Nearer they pushed, so that it was now easy to hear the yells of the +boys, who would ride out toward them, take a good look, and then gallop +madly back toward the buildings as though pursued by a prairie fire. + +“Looks like they just couldn’t believe their eyes,” remarked Billie, who +was of a certainty enjoying the prospect of some excitement ahead, and +trying to settle in his mind whether or not there would be a fight then +and there between their little company and those of the Bar-S punchers +who were really in the pay of the Walker gang, and doing about as they +pleased, while the “missus” kept the little manager under her thumb. + +“And this is only the beginning of the row!” declared Donald, grimly. +“Wait till the lady comes out to see what all the racket means; and +around that time there’ll be excitement worth talking about. She may +have your Uncle Fred nailed down where she wants him, because he’s her +husband, and she’s taught him to do what she tells him; but it’s going +to be a different thing when the owner of the ranch happens along. Whew! +ain’t they worked up to top-notch speed, though?” + +“I’m trying to figure out in my mind,” remarked Adrian, “just from +seeing how those punchers act, which of them are with the Walker crowd, +and which can be depended on to back me up, if it comes to choosing a +boss.” + +“And how do you make out?” asked Donald, eagerly; “will the big end +swing for or against us, do you believe, Adrian?” + +“So far,” replied the other, “as well as I can tell from here, it’s +about an even toss-up all around. Where one puncher looks scowling and +mad, there’s another ready to throw his hat up, and yell with joy at +seeing the long-horns coming back, when everybody counted them lost for +keeps.” + +“But none of them suspect that you’re here?” interposed Billie. + +“Of course not; how could they, when even my uncle is resting under the +belief that Adrian Sherwood is right now away down under the hot sun of +Arizona, hanging his hat on a peg in the Keystone Ranch building.” + +“You don’t see him yet, do you, Adrian, or the lady either, for that +matter?” continued Billie, wild with impatience to witness that +remarkable meeting when his chum would come face to face with the once +strong-minded manager of the cattle ranch, but who was now a slave to +petticoat rule as instituted by the sister of Hatch Walker, known at the +time of her second marriage as the Widow Smeed. + +“Not yet, but soon,” replied the other, who was rising in his stirrups, +the better to see what was transpiring. + +The trio of punchers who had been hired by Adrian to assist him in his +work of reconstruction at Bar-S Ranch went about their business of +shunting the cattle into the corrals as though they had worked here for +years, and knew all the ropes; but then it was all a part of their stock +in trade, and one ranch is pretty much like another, wherever cattle are +raised for the market. + +A couple of fellows belonging to the place took it upon themselves to +lend a hand at turning the herd in at the proper moment, and by their +actions informed Adrian that they were overjoyed to see the way things +had turned out. He marked them down in his mind, and felt that here were +a pair of worthy punchers, at least, on whom he might depend for aid +when the time for choosing came. + +Adrian also noticed that as they worked these fellows were forever +twisting their heads around, and shooting anxious looks in the direction +of the ranch house, just as though they anticipated an eruption at any +moment now, when affairs might be brought around to a crisis. + +He wished he could only get a chance to inform them who he was, and make +sure that they would stand by him when the explosion came. How Uncle +Fred would act was altogether uncertain, as yet. Adrian remembered him +as a fiery little man who could look furious when he wanted, and was +deemed utterly fearless when it came to facing a leveled gun in the hand +of a desperate cattle thief; but then that was a different thing to +standing up before a screaming, angry woman, whom he dared not lay a +hand on because of the fact that she was a member of the other sex; +while at the same time she was privileged, as his lawful spouse, to +scratch and pound him to her heart’s content. + +Perhaps it was strange that with all this racket taking place those in +the ranch house had not issued forth as yet, to ascertain what it meant. +But then cowboys are nearly always such a noisy set that one becomes +accustomed to their wild whooping and yelling, and pays little attention +to a sudden outburst of that kind. + +But Billie knew it could not last. + +“There, I saw a fellow skoot inside the house right then, Adrian!” he +suddenly cried; “and chances are he’ll hand ’em the information that the +stampeded herd is safe back again. If that gle-orious news don’t fetch +’em out on the licketty-split run then I don’t know beans. Just you +watch and see what’s going to happen! Hey! see that, would you? I guess +now that little fellow might be your one-time _fe_-rocious Uncle Fred, +what’s been sat down on by the woman’s rights rule. See him shade his +eyes with his hand, and stare at the cattle, as if he reckoned he might +be plumb locoed. And now he’s started on the full run this way, to find +out what happened. They never had a stolen bunch of stock come back +before, you see; and that’s what makes ’em crazy over it. It seems too +good to be true, to some of these fellows; while others are looking as +black as the inside of my hat, and saying all sorts of bad things among +themselves. Here he comes, Adrian; now get ready to push back the brim +of your hat, and let Uncle Fred recognize you!” + +Adrian was hardly listening to all these excited remarks on the part of +the fat chum. With Donald close beside him, still mounted on his pony, +he awaited the coming of the ranch manager, now running swiftly toward +the spot where they had halted. + +“And there she sprints after him!” gasped Billie; “Oh! My! Now mebbe we +are going to see high jinks? Here, hold on, Mr. Thomas, what you sliding +out like that for? They won’t hurt you, so long as my chum says you can +stay!” + +But the man they had picked up on the trail did not seem to fancy the +looks of things, for he made the utmost haste to limp over to the +nearest bunk house, around which he hurried so as to lose his identity +in the crowd that was gathering. + +Mr. Comstock was small, but he had a fierce look, with his white +mustache and goatee, and bold features; only when his wife spoke was he +ever known to tremble and throw out the white flag of surrender. + +“Here, what’s all this mean?” he called out, sternly, as he came up. +“Who brought these cattle back again? I want to thank him for it, no +matter who says I hadn’t ought to,” with a quick, nervous glance behind +him, though just at the moment the advancing figure of the woman was +concealed by a group of interested cow-punchers. + +And as he kept on advancing toward those who were seated in their +saddles, the manager of the Bar-S Ranch suddenly looked into the face of +Adrian Sherwood! + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +A THREATENING STORM. + + +The fierce looking small man with the shock of white hair, and the air +of a Buffalo Bill, stood there as though riveted to the spot, and stared +at the smiling face of Adrian. + +As a result of figuring things out the boy had come to the conclusion +that his relative must be a victim of circumstances, and too much wife; +therefore he was in a frame of mind not to judge him too harshly until +he could get a grasp on the real situation. + +And that was one reason why he smiled, and extended his hand. Besides, +he had not forgotten that in times past he had been very fond of his +mother’s only brother; and that indeed once the other had actually saved +his life, when a crazed broncho had attacked the small lad in the +corral, and would likely have trampled him underfoot only for the coming +of Uncle Fred, who had seized upon the beast with his bare hands, and +wrestled with him, until a puncher arrived and shot the animal dead. + +“Hello! Uncle Fred! How are you?” called out Adrian, cheerily. “I just +happened along in time to take back some of your stock that the rustlers +had stampeded. You’re glad to see me, of course you are, even if the +surprise is so great that you haven’t found a chance to say so yet.” + +Then Uncle Fred beamed upon him, and rushing forward seized the +outstretched hand eagerly. For the moment all else was forgotten save +that he saw his nephew in the flesh before him, and the old affection +again assumed sway. + +“Adrian, my dear boy, is it really you?” he exclaimed, quivering all +over with pleasure, as he wrung the hand of the boy; then like a flash +some terrible thought seemed to fly through his mind, for he lost his +color, and there came into his eyes a troubled look. + +“Well, what I’ve been dreading for months has come on me at last,” he +went on to say, with a gasp. “But all the same I’m glad to see you, glad +that this agony of mind will now be over. But you will despise me, my +boy, when you learn how I’ve lost all my independence. How has the +mighty fallen, to be tied to the apron strings of a woman! Just this +very day I had resolved after this last blow to end it all by flight. I +believed I could not stand it any longer, and keep my mind. But your +unexpected coming has changed all that; and now I’ll stick it out; yes, +I’ll stay to give you an account of my unjust stewardship; and then +gladly take the consequences, whatever they may be.” + +He poured this out swiftly, in a low tone meant only for the ear of the +boy who had by now jumped from his saddle, and was standing close beside +his uncle. + +Adrian was not in the least surprised. He had expected just this very +thing, and the facts simply corroborated his suspicions. + +How his old bachelor uncle had been coaxed into marrying, he could not +understand, but it had happened; and evidently he had yoked up with a +mind that was even stronger than his own. As constant dripping water +will wear away a stone in time, so by degrees had Mr. Comstock come +under the subjection of his wife. Doubtless he had rebelled fiercely at +first, but slowly he had found himself compelled to give in, sometimes +only after a pitched battle, until now much of his once vaunted bravery +was gone, and in her presence he trembled. + +It was almost pitiable, and Adrian felt very sorry for Uncle Fred. At +the same time he was determined that he would not fall under the same +sway; and that if it was at all possible he would oust this woman from +the position she had assumed as boss of the manager of Bar-S Ranch. + +“I think I understand it all, Uncle,” he said, hastily, yet with such a +vein of sympathy in his voice that the man started, and seemed to catch +a little new courage. “And while I’m here I mean to see if something +can’t be done to remedy matters. By the greatest good luck in the world +we managed to get back this bunch of cattle that was stolen last night. +There were four of the rustlers in camp at Bittersweet Coulie; and only +three of us boys, but we took them by surprise, made them prisoners, and +here you see the missing herd, with only one steer lacking.” + +Mr. Comstock’s eyes showed the astonishment he felt. + +“You did all that, my dear Adrian, and you only three boys?” he +ejaculated. “Well, the Sherwood blood will tell every time. I’m glad +you’ve come, no matter what happens to me. It had got to the breaking +point anyway, and tonight I meant to run away. Oh! what I have gone +through with, nobody can ever know; but this marks the beginning of the +end, I seem to feel it, and welcome it. When you kick us off the place +perhaps she won’t want to cling to me any longer, and I will be free to +go, and start afresh some place where they don’t know me. But introduce +me to your friends, Adrian. I hope I haven’t sunk so low but that I’d be +proud to shake the hands of such brave fellows.” + +Poor old Uncle Fred was trying his best to appear something like +himself; but it is very hard for a man who has been made the cringing +slave of a virago to seem at all dignified; he was so in the habit of +looking quickly around as though expecting a blow that it would have +been comical had it not at the same time seemed quite sad, especially to +Adrian, who had known how proud and consequential a strut Uncle Fred +used to have in other days. + +“This is my chum, Donald Mackay, about whom I’ve written you often,” the +boy went on to say; “and this other is his cousin, Billie Winkle.” + +Mr. Comstock gravely shook hands with each of them. He was not aware +that from behind a bunch of the punchers his wife was watching them like +a hawk, for she managed to keep herself concealed from view, while she +listened and looked, evidently sizing the situation up, and deciding +what all this row meant, with the missing herd back under the charge of +a pack of strange punchers, too. + +“I chanced to run across three cowboys who were out of employment, since +the man they had worked for sold his ranch; and taking a fancy to the +lot I engaged them to work for me. They are reliable, honest fellows, +who will stand back of me; for I reckoned, you see, Uncle, that there +might be a few punchers here that wouldn’t care to stay—after I came!” + +He lowered his voice when saying this. Perhaps, after all, Adrian may +have known of the presence of his uncle’s wife back of the group; or +else he did not mean to let his plans be known to every Tom, Dick and +Harry. + +Apparently Mr. Comstock grasped the situation, reading between the +lines. He must have known that there were employees on the ranch devoted +more to the service of his wife, and her relatives, the Walkers, than +they were to the interests of the owner of Bar-S; and that if Adrian +meant to stay and assume charge of his own property he would have to +fire these unworthy punchers the first thing. + +How wise he had been then to make sure of having reliable fellows to +step into the places that would thus be made vacant. Uncle Fred saw that +the boy was surely able to plan, and also carry out his arrangements. It +might be different when he found himself up against a woman’s wits; but +he began to have hopes that the reign of petticoats was nearly at an end +in connection with Bar-S Ranch. + +The more the boy saw of his uncle the greater became his conviction that +he had allowed these things to go on not because he was dishonest in the +least; but that he had been brought in deadly fear of the woman who had +become his wife. + +Adrian was more bent than ever on changing all these things. He hoped +that there would appear a way whereby he might buy the woman off; but if +she refused to treat with him on these terms, then Uncle Fred too would +also have to shake the dust of Bar-S Ranch off his boots, because the +last bunch of cattle had been rustled from that place, Adrian felt sure. + +“Later we’ll talk these matters all over, Uncle,” he went on to say; +“and I’m hoping to see a way where everything can be arranged to bring +back the old times again. Take courage, and perhaps everything will be +well.” + +The little man who had been such an aggressive character in his day, +heaved a tremendous sigh. + +“Oh! happy days they were; and do you know, Adrian, sometimes it seems +to me a million years must have dragged by since then, I have suffered +such torments, such shame. I was the greatest fool that ever walked on +two legs. But she caught me by a smart trick, and almost before I knew +it I was promising to love and cherish her for life, before a preacher. +But oh! what a time I’ve had! It would have been bad enough with her +vixenish temper; but when I learned that she was a sister to that +rustler, Hatch Walker, it nearly finished me. Things have gone from bad +to worse. She’s nearly killed me several times; and as I was just +telling you, when I learned that a third bunch of cattle had disappeared +last night; and she refused to let me go out in search of them with some +of the boys, saying it was useless, I just made up my mind it was going +to be three times and out for me. Then you came, and now the sky begins +to lighten. Perhaps things _will_ take a change. Perhaps even I may feel +more like my old self again, and find it in me to defy her. Thank you +over and over, my boy, for what you have said. Oh! I only hope you don’t +fall under her influence the same way I did.” + +“Don’t fear for me, Uncle Fred,” said the boy, in the same low tone the +other had been using; “but we’ll soon see how things are going to turn +out, for there she comes this way right now!” + +“Oh! is that so?” said the manager of the ranch, with a sudden vibration +in his voice; then, realizing that he had just been saying how brave he +felt again, he seemed to pull himself together, drew his small but +soldierly figure up straight in a sort of Napoleon-like attitude, Adrian +thought, and with a white yet determined face awaited the breaking of +the storm. + +There were others among the cow-punchers who shrank back, rather +appalled by the angry look on the strong features of the large woman who +advanced straight toward the spot where her husband and the three boys +stood. Donald found his attention attracted toward the corner of the +near-by bunk house, and around which the man they had picked up on the +trail was staring. And Donald must have concluded that Mr. Thomas was +pretty much of a craven, despite all those stories he had told in +connection with his past adventures “further south;” for there was +certainly a look of extreme fear written large upon his wrinkled face +right then and there, as though he might have known himself what it was +to be domineered over by a husky female, and the sight of Mrs. Fred’s +flushed face and sparkling eyes brought up very unpleasant memories in +the old chap’s mind. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +ADRIAN TAKES THE REINS. + + +“Who might these boys be, Fred?” + +The woman asked this question with a lofty air, as she arrived close to +where the three chums now stood, holding the bridles of their horses. + +“This is my nephew, Adrian Sherwood, who as you know, Josie, is the +owner of Bar-S Ranch; and these are his friends, Donald Mackay, about +whom he has often written to me, and Billie Winkle,” Mr. Comstock +hastened to say, though it could be seen that he had to summon all his +resolution to the fore in order to keep his voice firm. + +She looked the three over from head to foot, and in particular Adrian. +Evidently Mrs. Fred scented trouble, since the young owner of the ranch +that was being systematically robbed by her blood relatives had come on +the ground. But she was game, and scorned to show the white feather, +though she may have suspected that this marked the beginning of the end +of the reign of Hatch Walker and his crowd in that favored section. + +“I happened to hear something that was said as I came up,” she went on +to remark, caustically; “it was about their recovering the cattle that +wandered away last night. So you see your fears were useless after all. +You always worry over things without any reason, just like an old fool +would.” + +“But it happened, my dear,” Uncle Fred spoke up, “that in this case the +rustlers _did_ carry off the herd; for Adrian and his chums made four of +them prisoners, and recovered the cattle at Bittersweet Coulie.” + +“What’s that you’re telling me?” she demanded, scornfully; “three +half-grown boys capture four husky rustlers. More than likely they found +the cattle astray, and are playing a joke on you by telling such a story +as this,” and the laugh that accompanied these words made Billie shiver +as though a sudden draught from the Artic regions had struck him in the +back. + +“Perhaps we did dream it,” chuckled Adrian; “but if so, it’s queer how +we came to get it in our heads that one of the stampeders was named Tad +Whiffles, another Corney, and still a third Bemis. But no matter, madam, +we did bring the cattle back, and here they are, safe and sound. Uncle +Fred is delighted with such good luck; and of course you must be the +same.” + +The woman was looking at him keenly. Perhaps she realized that this was +no ordinary boy, whom she could badger in the same way she had his +uncle. The mentioning of those three names, which of course she +recognized as belonging to punchers in her brother’s employ, told her +that they must indeed have done all they claimed; and such boys who did +things were certainly to be looked on with respect. Still she was not +ready to abdicate the position she had held so long. + +She turned on Uncle Fred, as though pretty sure of a cringing victim +there. + +“Who are these three strange riders I see? Did they help drive the lost +herd home? When have you taken to hiring new hands without consulting +me? Didn’t we settle that matter once for all months ago?” + +The manager of Bar-S Ranch stood his ground. He had summoned the last +vestige of his former resolution to the front, and seemed ready to try +conclusions with the wife of his bosom again, perhaps for the last time. + +“I have had nothing to do with hiring them, my dear,” he said, firmly. +“Adrian made all arrangements himself, and you know, as he is the sole +owner of the ranch, what he says goes. He thought there would be several +of our boys who might not wish to remain, and work under him; and so he +brought these new hands along to take their places when they were paid +off.” + +She looked as black as midnight at that. Donald, watching closely, +realized that Mrs. Fred must guess that they understood how matters +were, and had come prepared to oust her crowd, even if they had to +include Uncle Fred and herself. + +“Oh! that’s how the land lies, is it?” she went on to say, bitterly. +“Well, apparently your fine nephew must have forgotten that your +contract reads you are to have three months’ notice before you can be +displaced. And as we hold the reins for that length of time, you’ll +continue to do the engaging and discharging. Those new hands will have +to clear out, for not a dollar of pay will they get here, or a single +meal, if I can help it.” + +Mr. Comstock’s lower jaw fell. He stared helplessly first at the +aggressive woman and then toward his nephew. Evidently she had “taken +the wind from his sails” completely by this sudden assertion, and he did +not know what to say. + +But Adrian was equal to the emergency. He never lost his temper in the +least degree as he waited until he caught the angry eye of Mrs. Fred. + +“What you say about the contract is very true, so far as it goes, Aunt +Josie,” he observed, steadily; “but you forget evidently that it also +reads that in case I wish to change managers I am to give three months’ +notice, or else pay Uncle Fred that much salary in lieu of said notice. +Here is the amount in this roll of bills, which, when he accepts, will +constitute the change, so that he will no longer hold the position of +manager of the Bar-S Ranch.” + +He held out the money toward the little man. As he did so the woman gave +a loud and ominous cry. + +“Refuse to take it, Fred; don’t you dare touch his money!” she demanded, +furiously. “If you decline to take it he’ll have to let you stay the +three months out, don’t you see, you idiot?” + +Perhaps that last part of her speech brought the man to a realization of +the humiliating fact that there were numerous spectators to his being +henpecked. At any rate Uncle Fred gritted his teeth, and stretching out +his hand, took the money deliberately from Adrian. With a flash of his +old independence he immediately held it up and said in a loud voice: + +“Everybody take notice that I’ve accepted the pay for three months in +advance from my nephew, and in so doing I sever all my connection with +the Bar-S Ranch as manager.” + +With that he contemptuously threw the roll of money at the feet of his +wife. She looked at first as though she could tear him to pieces. Then, +unable to resist the lure of the ready cash she stooped down and picked +the three months’ salary up. + +“Perhaps you think that this closes the house to Fred and me!” she +snapped, turning on Adrian furiously; “but you have another guess +coming, boy! You’re pretty young to meddle with the business of grown +men; and there may be snarls about our affairs that’ll be harder to +unravel than just tying up four drunken cattle rustlers, and bringing +back the stock they’d run off. If you came here to make war on a woman, +you’re bound to get your fill before it’s all over. And you’ll find that +I’m not without friends who’ll see me get my rights. That’s all I’ve got +to say to you; but there’ll be another chapter to this story, don’t +forget that!” + +She flung these bitter words at Adrian as though each one had a +poisonous sting with which she meant to inflict pain upon him. +Undoubtedly Aunt Josie did not intend to welcome her husband’s nephew in +any hearty fashion to his ranch which he had not seen for some years, +and which she had of late come to look upon as more or less her +individual property, to be looted at will by her rapacious relatives. + +She started to walk away, her head held high in the air, and as Adrian +thought with the bearing of an angry empress. Her high and lofty manner +must have struck some of the cowboys as ludicrous. She had rubbed it +into them on numerous occasions, and naturally they glorified in her +apparent downfall. One of them gave a low mocking laugh. Instantly the +woman whirled around, and her eyes seemed to fairly blaze as she +surveyed the group. + +“Who laughed then?” she demanded; but no one answered, though several +shrank back appalled; and Donald saw the man in hiding behind the bunk +house, Mr. Thomas, draw his head in much after the manner of a tortoise +when danger approaches. + +“Cowards, all of you!” she went on to say, in a harsh tone; “you can +insult a woman behind her back, but not one of you is man enough to +acknowledge a little thing like that. Never mind, it won’t be long +before I’ll be in a position to hold the whip hand, and then we’ll see +who stays and who goes. As for you, Fred Comstock, just _wait_, that’s +all!” + +This time when she walked toward the ranch house not a sound broke out. +Uncle Fred turned a troubled face toward his nephew. + +“I wouldn’t dare be left alone with her again after this for a king’s +ransom, and that’s the truth, Adrian,” he said, slowly. “Perhaps, since +I’m discharged from my position here, I ought to clear out right away +before night. It looks cowardly, but there’s no other safety for me, I +candidly admit.” + +“No, don’t hurry about going, Uncle,” remonstrated Adrian, taking him +aside so he could speak without others hearing, for he knew that some of +the punchers had not been looking on him with friendly eyes; and these +must be the men who were hand in glove with Hatch Walker and his sister, +the wife of Uncle Fred. + +“But my usefulness here has all departed, and why should I linger?” +urged the despondent ex-manager. + +“You don’t know what may happen yet, and if we have trouble with those +Walkers you may get a chance to retrieve some of the blunders of the +past year,” the boy went on to say, laying a hand affectionately on his +uncle’s sleeve, for the other was shaking his head sadly in the negative +as though he could not see a gleam of light in the overcast sky. “I +didn’t get a chance to tell you that we met up with Frank Bowker, the +puncher you sent to town on an errand; and I entrusted him with a note +to the new sheriff, demanding that he gather a reliable posse at once +and ride out to the Bar-S Ranch, because a fight was on with the rustler +gang of Walkers, and we meant to settle this thing once and for all. +That blot has been on this county far too long, and he must know it. So +you see, Uncle Fred, after all this storm may clear the air; and when it +passes by perhaps you may be glad to take up the reins here again as +manager for me!” + +The man looked at him with tears in his eyes, so greatly was he affected +by this show of confidence in him. He seized hold of Adrian’s hand, and +squeezed it in an almost frenzied fashion, while he went on to say in a +tone husky with emotion: + +“What you say sounds too good to ever come true, son; because, you see, +I’m her husband through thick and thin, because the law made me so; and +where I am she has a right to be also. No, I must go away and try to +start fresh somewhere else. But,” he added, while the old fighting +spirit flashed into his blue eyes once more; “if you think there’s going +to be war with the Walker tribe before this thing’s threshed out, why, I +might defer my going till it’s all over, and the returns in. If so be I +got a chance to settle my differences with that lawless brother of hers, +Hatch Walker, I’d feel easier in my mind, anyhow, so I’ll try and hang +out yet awhile, Adrian, my boy!” + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS. + + +“I’m glad to hear you say that, Uncle Fred,” Adrian told him, realizing +what a struggle must be going on inside, when the other talked in this +strain. “Things can’t be any worse for you than they seem right now; and +who knows what might turn up to bring about a change. Anyhow, I believe +in sticking it out. If it gets to the worst, why, between you and me +there might be a chance for you to run down to Arizona, and be the +overseer at the Mackay place; because I happen to know that his foreman, +Si Ketcham, is going to marry a girl who owns a ranch, and that he +expects to throw up his job with Donald’s dad pretty soon.” + +“Oh! that would be just the thing, if only _she_ didn’t know where I’d +gone!” exclaimed the other, eagerly; “but let’s forget my troubles for a +while, Adrian, and talk of other things. You’ll want to know all about +matters here, how many cattle have been carried off the last year, and +what’s left. Come with me into this bunk house, where we can sit down, +and have it over with.” + +As they turned the corner of the long, low building they came upon a +crouching figure. It was Mr. Thomas, who started to limp away at their +approach. + +“Who’s this tramp?” asked Uncle Fred, quickly. + +“He’s a poor fellow,” explained Adrian, “whose horse died under him +while he was on the way to see if he could get a job with you, taking +care of the ranch books. All he asks is his board in payment for his +services. I took him back of me on my pony, thinking we might keep him, +for a while anyhow, till he felt better. He’s sick now, and badly off, +you see.” + +“I should say I was in a tough corner all around,” mumbled the man; “and +p’raps it’d be better for me to go as soon as I’m able. Don’t bother +about me; I c’n hang out around the bunk house here, and get a bite now +and then, till there’s a wagon going off, when mebbe you’ll let me ride. +I’ve changed my mind about wantin’ to take up a job here; too much +excitement to suit me. I’m all of a tremble right now with hearing what +I did.” + +“Oh! all right, Mr. Thomas, please yourself,” said Adrian, with a shrug +of his shoulders; “you can stay around awhile, and the first chance that +comes along make a shift of quarters. The boys’ll see that you get +something to eat; or else ask the Chink cook.” + +As he and the deposed manager entered the building, he went on to +explain a little further, seeing that Uncle Fred looked curious. + +“He’s pretty much of a harmless fellow, I take it. All the way here he +kept telling of things he had done until you’d think he was a hero if +ever there was one; but I reckon it’s all brag with him, and that he’s +as timid as they make them. But let’s sit down here, and have a good +chin, Uncle.” + +They were alone in the bunk house, as far as Adrian could see, so he did +not hesitate to speak freely concerning his plans, especially with +regard to having sent for the sheriff and his posse, with the idea of +opposing any hostile move the lawless Walkers might undertake, upon +finding how conditions had changed with the coming of the real owner of +Bar-S Ranch. + +“It may pass off without open trouble,” Adrian concluded, “but if half +I’ve been hearing about this Hatch Walker is true, I don’t think he’ll +stand by and see his sway of power over the section knocked out, without +making some sort of fight. He may not come into the open, but there are +lots of ways of burning ranch buildings, or running off stock, that +could be tried. One thing I’m determined on, and that is either I’m +going to be boss of my own outfit, or else there won’t be any outfit +left on Bar-S Ranch!” + +“Good! I like to hear that sort of talk. It’s the stuff I used to put up +before I was so unfortunate as to run across a woman who was bent on +marrying me. There was where I made my one great mistake. The widow was +too much for me, and almost before I knew it we were spliced. You can +imagine how I felt later on when first I learned that Mrs. Smeed was +really the sister of Hatch Walker. Oh! well, here I am talking about my +personal affairs again, when I said I’d let them drop.” + +“First of all,” said Adrian, “you must give me a list of the punchers +who are employed on the range here, and put a cross in front of every +name belonging to a man you have any reason to believe is connected with +the Walkers.” + +“Oh! I can do that easy, and right now,” replied the other quickly. “I +know them all, for haven’t they laughed at my orders of late, after they +learned how I was badgered by a woman, me who had always been a _man_ +before. Shall I write them out now for you, son?” + +“Yes, because I will want to weed out the goats from the sheep pretty +soon, and at that time a mistake might cost us dear. Only the faithful +shall be put on guard. The ones you black-ball will get their month’s +pay, and be made to walk the plank by night-time, if possible; because +who knows what may happen once darkness comes along; and a traitor in +the camp is worse than three open foes.” + +“Right you are there, Adrian; and it tickles me to find you so clever at +sizing things up.” + +He busied himself with pencil and paper for several minutes; after which +he handed over the list he had made out. + +“You see,” Mr. Comstock presently said, as Adrian looked over the list, +“we’ve got ten punchers here just now, though time was when we needed +nearly twice that number; but then the herds ain’t what they used to be, +what with two big hauls, and some hard luck last winter in a blizzard.” + +“And you seem to have put a cross in front of just five out of the ten +names; so it looks as though you couldn’t trust half your force,” the +boy remarked. + +“Just so, Adrian,” came the reply. “She let some of my best men go +because they wouldn’t take orders from her. In time p’raps the rest of +the decent ones’d have been weeded out too; they were always in hot +water with the missus, and threatening to throw up their jobs, only I +begged them to stand by me, or I’d quit too. You can depend on the five +through thick and thin.” + +“One of them is Frank Bowker, the man you sent to town, so that leaves +just four on deck right now; with my three new hands that makes seven of +the right sort; and then the three of us boys adds up ten, just enough +to handle things if we have to.” + +“And count me in with you, because I’m not too old to throw a rope or +ride the wickedest cayuse in the bunch; fact is, there’s only one thing +on the face of this earth I seem to be afraid of. I won’t mention names, +son, because you know what that is without my saying it.” + +“Supposing now that those four rustlers made a bee line for home as soon +as the one we had with us part of the way here could get back to his +mates, and set them free, what do you expect would happen?” Adrian +inquired. + +“Well,” said Mr. Comstock, “if Hatch Walker was home the chances are the +first thing he’d do would be to knock those unlucky punchers sky-high. +Depend on it the next time you come across any one of that bunch you’ll +notice black eyes in plenty.” + +“And then what else?” continued the boy. + +“You see, Hatch, he’s run things so long around here now, at his sweet +will, that like as not he’ll think of that bunch of cattle as belonging +to him. And getting a lot of his boys together he’ll even come swinging +along this way to try to run ’em off the second time, and in broad +daylight, too.” + +“Well, he certainly is a bold one for a fact, and it’s about time he had +his wings clipped!” declared the boy, surprised at the condition of +affairs in the region that had, during the lifetime of his father, been +a peaceful community, stirred up only once in a while when some herder +of sheep angered the cow-punchers, and a little shooting followed. + +“I’m wondering if I could manage to get into my room through the window +without Josie seeing me,” Uncle Fred continued. + +Then seeing the boy’s look of astonishment he went on to explain. + +“You see, I came running out so fast I hadn’t time to think of picking +up my belt, and putting it on; so my gun is in there. And the worst of +it is, I can’t enter my room without passing through the one _she_ +occupies. That’s how she manages all the time. Just now I wouldn’t like +to let her get hold of me. I never yet struck a woman in all my life, +and no matter what happens I’m getting too old now to begin on a new +tack. So, there you see what a fix I’m in, son.” + +“Oh!” laughed Adrian, “you could borrow a gun from one of the boys who +might happen to own an extra one. Don’t have anything to do with Aunt +Josie until we see how things turn out here. Perhaps there’ll be a big +change come along, and the situation will take on a new phase. But +suppose the Walkers do make a daylight raid, what about the other herds +that are out on the range?” + +Mr. Comstock jumped to his feet excitedly. + +“There’s two big lots, and they’d get ’em as easy as falling off a log, +that’s dead sure!” he exclaimed; “and to think of me sitting here taking +things easy when I ought to be outside hustling every puncher off to +drive the balance of our cattle into the corrals, where we could stand +guard over them tonight, or till the sheriff comes, anyway.” + +“But there must be some system about what you do, Uncle Fred,” +interposed Adrian. + +“Yes, sure there must, but what do you mean by that, son?” + +“There are fourteen punchers all told, and five of them you can’t depend +on to do the right thing; is that so?” continued the boy. + +“Yes, and now I see what you mean, Adrian; we must fix it so that the +greater part of each bunch of drivers will be our stand-by men,” the +deposed manager said, hastily. + +“Yes, if two gangs go out let three of the suspects accompany the one +that has five of our fellows along, so that if they desert, or try any +tricks, they’ll be at least outnumbered. Billie needn’t do any riding +because I reckon he’s nearly played out. That would leave two others to +go with me and a couple of the Walker sympathizers; and depend on it +I’ll keep an eye on that pair good and hard. If they try any funny +business they’ll be sorry, that’s all. So fix things that way, Uncle +Fred; and chances are we’ll get all the cattle safely home before the +Walkers come along.” + +“You’re a great hand to plan things, son; and I’ll do that same; only I +hope I can get the loan of a spare gun, if I’m to be left at home when +the rest of you go off. I’d be afraid of my life otherwise, I give you +my solemn word for it.” + +They left the bunk house after that. As they did so a face showed up at +one of the windows further on, proving that some one had taken the +trouble to listen, in hopes of hearing what plans they made; and it was +the face of one of the suspects, in the bargain. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +BILLIE HAS SUSPICIONS. + + +Once outside again they found that the punchers still hung around as +though understanding that their services would soon be needed in some +way. + +With something like his old decisive way of handling men, before his +spirit had been almost broken through constant quarrels with his wife, +Mr. Comstock picked out such men as he thought ought to be sent out in +the two parties, with orders to drive all the stock into the corrals +with all haste possible. + +One of these was placed in charge of Donald. Besides himself it +consisted of three of the suspects and four reliable punchers, eight in +all; and they were to go after the larger herd known to be feeding on +the hillsides some miles off. + +Adrian himself had lanky George Hess, one of his new men, a puncher +known as Monkey Jones on account of his agility on the back of a pony, +but who was one of Mr. Comstock’s select list, and two of the suspects. +They expected to round up a smaller bunch of long-horns, and get them +home safely. + +Billie watched all these proceedings as though wondering where he came +in. + +“Don’t I ride along with you, Adrian?” he asked, plaintively, when there +was no mention of his name given, and the two parties prepared to sally +forth. + +“No, not this time, Billie,” replied the other, softly, for some of the +men were close by, looking to their saddle-girths, and in other ways +making sure things were all right before galloping forth; “Uncle Fred +has to stay at home, and you had better keep him company. You see how +things stand. We’ll have a warm ride of it; and you never did like +driving cattle, you know. Besides, if you are sighing for excitement who +knows what may happen here while the rest of us are gone; and you’d +better make it a point not to get separated from your rifle, for even +one minute!” + +Billie’s eyes grew round with comprehension. He could not get the angry +face of Mrs. Fred out of his mind; and he felt that Adrian must refer to +her when he spoke of trouble springing up. + +“Say, I reckon now that’s right,” he replied. “You never know what a +woman’s agoin’ to do, any more’n you can tell which way she’s meaning to +throw a ball by the way she aims. And poor old Uncle Fred looks like he +needed a guardian some, too. So I’ll stick it out here at home; but get +back as soon as you can, Adrian. Mebbe a bunch of them Walkers might run +in on us here, and with only two men to hold ’em off, why, we’d need +assistance, you see.” + +Satisfied that Billie was contented to carry out the part of the plan +assigned to him Adrian hurried over to where he had left his horse. One +of the cowboys belonging to the ranch was standing close by, and when +Adrian saw that he happened to be one of the untrustworthy ones who had +been picked out to accompany him on the drive, he wondered whether the +fellow might not have planned to do something to injure his precious +mount. + +At least Ten Spot was holding his ears far back, and acting in a vicious +manner, as though determined not to allow the stranger to lay hands on +him. + +When Adrian gave the fellow a keen look he mumbled something about +meaning to “fetch the boss’ horse to him, only the animal wouldn’t let +him come near;” and then shuffled away to where his own pony was +standing. + +“I’ll look out for you, my hearty,” thought the boy, for if ever there +had been such a thing as treachery on any face, he had seen it there in +those shifting eyes and hangdog attitude. + +Presently the two parties started off. Of course they would not be +genuine cow-punchers if they had not shown more or less extravagance in +their way of riding, every fellow seeming to have some favorite way of +jumping into his saddle, and then dashing away at headlong speed, waving +his hat or his hand, and perhaps giving vent to shrill yells. + +Away they coursed over the prairie, one to the north, and the other +heading further east. Of course both Adrian and Donald depended entirely +on the local punchers to find the cattle; and were wide-awake and not to +be deceived by anything that might be said by one of those under the +ban, who would possibly want to lead them astray, so that precious time +must be lost. + +Billie stood and watched them depart with a feeling of despondency. He +disliked seeing his two chums leave him, even if it was for only a short +time. But then he remembered what Adrian had said about his being “on +guard,” and that something was likely to happen there while the others +were gone, that would call for valor on his part. + +He meant to stand by Uncle Fred, though secretly Billie hoped deep down +in his heart that this would not bring him into personal contact with +that black-eyed woman who could cast a look on a fellow as though she +might be tempted to eat him. + +The riders galloped steadily on until they looked like specks in the +distance. Of course their return would be considerably slower, because +they would then be driving obstinate cattle; and no matter how dextrous +the punchers might be, delays were sure to occur. + +“I hope they don’t run upon any snag,” Billie was muttering to himself, +as he noticed that the smaller party had already vanished from his view; +“because, after all that’s been said and done, I think Adrian deserves +to save what long-horns he’s got left here on his ranch. Now, who was +that peeking at me around the corner of that bunk house? Somebody drawed +back like a flash, and acted suspicious, seems like. Reckon it’s up to +me to investigate the same. P’raps now this might turn out to be the +trouble that Adrian hinted would as like as not crop up here, and which +he said I would have to handle. Here goes, then!” + +Saying this Billie cautiously handled his repeating rifle, so that it +lay in the crotch of his left arm; while he touched the trigger with the +forefinger of his right hand; and having so arranged matters he took +several bold steps toward the spot where he had seen that head vanish. + +His heart seemed to be in his mouth as he turned the corner of the +building, for he did not know what sort of a reception might greet him. + +No sooner had he done this than he gave a relieved gasp. There was +indeed a cringing figure there, but he immediately recognized the fellow +as Mr. Thomas, the pilgrim whom they had succored on the trail to Bar-S +Ranch, and who hoped to get some sort of position there, at least with a +chance of three square meals a day as payment for his clerical services. + +“Oh! it’s only you, is it?” grunted Billie, lowering the rifle that was +trembling in his nervous grip. + +“Yes, that’s all,” whined the other. “Hope I didn’t alarm you any when I +poked my head out to see if the coast was clear.” + +“What, alarm _me_?” answered the fat boy, in a voice of lofty scorn; +“well, let me tell you it’d take a whole lot more’n that to scare me. +You saw how quick I stepped around here to find out what it meant, +didn’t you? That don’t look like I could be so easy frightened, does it? +Well, I should say not. But what’re you hanging out here for, when you +might as well go to the house? Didn’t Adrian tell you to stay for a time +anyhow; and he’s the boss here, you must know.” + +“But I don’t want to go to the house at all,” remonstrated the man, as +he heaved a long sigh, and looked nervously around. “Fact is, I’ve +changed my mind about acceptin’ any work here. I might stay around till +tomorrow, sleeping out in the bunk house with the boys; and then if +there’s a wagon going to town I’ll go along. I’ve remembered a very +important engagement that I ought to keep, you see. That’s why I +couldn’t think of staying here.” + +“Huh! seems to me it’s mighty funny you didn’t think of that same before +you ever started out on the trail,” Billie grunted, eying the other half +suspiciously; while to himself he was saying: “Wonder now what does ail +the fellow? Ever since he set eyes on Mr. Comstock he acts different +from what he did. Say, wonder if he could have done the gent an injury, +and recognized him when he came here? I reckon I had ought to keep an +eye on Mister Thomas; who knows what he might be up to? But I won’t let +him know he’s under suspicion. I’ll just pretend to let it pass along, +and watch him out of the corner of my left optic.” + +Following out this policy Billie engaged the other in conversation. If +he expected that the said Mr. Thomas would let fall any sort of hint +that would tell him why he had really changed his mind so suddenly, +Billie must have been disappointed, for the other made no mention of his +own affairs, seeming to be more interested in the possibility of +trouble, should the dreaded Walkers come down upon Bar-S Ranch, meaning +to take by open force what they had failed to secure through the +stampede. + +“If they do tackle your crowd there’s apt to be a fight on, I take it,” +he remarked, “and more’n likely now somebody might get hurt. Guess it +was the worst thing I ever set out to do when that notion of getting a +job at the Bar-S popped into my silly head. Jumpin’ right out of the +frying-pan into the fire, so to speak. But how’d I ever dream I’d run +acrost—but I was going to say that when it comes time to feed p’raps +you’ll remember I’m out here in the bunk house, and fetch me just a few +bites. I’m half sick, and my leg hurts like anything, which is why I +hadn’t ought to go in, to eat with the rest. But I just know I’ll feed +worse if I ain’t had a few bites. You won’t forget, will you, Mister +Billie?” + +Of course the fat boy promised to remember; but he thought it more than +suspicious that Thomas made such a silly excuse for keeping away from +the rest. He hugged the idea to his heart that the man had another +reason, and a good one too, for avoiding Uncle Fred; because, you see +Billie did not know that they had already met, and been “introduced” by +Adrian, with no unpleasant discovery and explosion as a result. + +Being very frank himself it was just like Billie to say something along +these lines to the other, which he did in this way: + +“Strikes me, Mr. Thomas, that you don’t hanker much about striking up an +acquaintance with Adrian’s Uncle Fred. I only hope now that you haven’t +done anything to injure him in the past.” + +At that the man looked carefully about him, and then coming up to Billie +laid a hand confidentially on his arm, as he went on to say softly: + +“I understand what you’re thinking about, sir, and I hasten to assure +you that your suspicions are all unfounded. I never injured Mr. +Comstock, and I sure didn’t rob him of anything in all my life. Fact is, +the boot is on the other leg, if you come right down to hard facts. But +I’m not complaining, not one whit. He’s as welcome as the daylight. +Let’s talk of other things, my young friend. And please turn that +repeating gun the other way. It makes me nervous to see it pointing +right at me. There, that’s better; but I think I’d better go in and lie +down, I’m feeling that bad.” + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +ALMOST CAUGHT. + + +“Now, I wonder what does ail that queer gent?” mused Billie, after the +other had left him, to enter the bunk house, with the avowed intention +of lying down. “He limps like all get-out, sure as anything, and I +reckon he does look like he’s sick, or scared half to death about +something or other. Whatever could it be that’s upset him so since he +arrived here? Must be the chance of a scrap coming off; because even if +he does boast so hard I’m believing Mr. Thomas is pretty much of a +chicken-hearted fellow. My! how he does roll them white eyes of his +around whenever he hears the least sound.” + +He poked his head in through the open doorway, and saw that the pilgrim +of the trail had indeed rolled into one of the bunks that did not seem +to belong to any of the punchers; for there were twice as many sleeping +places as hands on the place in these days of hard luck for Bar-S Ranch. + +“Well, mebbe he _is_ sick after all,” continued the tender-hearted +Billie; “and if I get half a chance to sneak any grub, I’ll remember to +fetch it to him; because it’s _aw_ful to have to go hungry. Guess I +know. And right now I wish I could manage to pick up a few bites, just +to keep away that gnawing feeling inside. But me go in that ranch house, +and face that lady—well, not if Broncho Billie knows what’s good for +him, and he generally does. There’s some things even worse than being +hungry; and getting her hands in my hair’d be one of the same. No siree +bob, excuse me. Let her practice on her lawful husband as much as she +likes; I ain’t in that pulling game.” + +He walked up and down outside as if he were a sentry on guard. And +indeed, Billie rather felt as though such were his duties just then, for +he could not get entirely over his suspicions with regard to that +mysterious Mr. Thomas, and his way of dodging, as though he feared being +seen by some one who would recognize him. + +“Goodness knows what he may have done!” Billie went on to tell himself +after a little more time had elapsed, and his thoughts persisted in +returning to the subject of the man in the bunk house. “I wonder, now, +if there’s anything inside that he could get away with? But then, +cow-punchers never leave their savings around loose; fact is, few of ’em +ever have a dollar three days after getting paid. Oh! well, I’ll let him +alone for a while, and take a look around the corrals and the barns.” + +After that he walked about “sizing up things” as he called it. As the +sun was bright, though the afternoon had half gone, Billie suddenly +remembered that he had a kodak in his pack; so opening this he secured +the little snapshot camera, meaning to take his first view of the ranch +buildings. + +After securing one picture Billie became aware of the fact that Mr. +Comstock was beckoning wildly to catch his attention. + +“Now, what does he want, I wonder?” the fat boy asked himself; “there he +goes at his wireless again, and seems like he was making motions for me +to come over back of the house to where he is. Looks like he was ahiding +behind that woodpile, too. What ails all the people here, to want to +dodge around like they do? But then, there might be some excuse for +Uncle Fred to keep mum; because if ever _she_ gets them hands on him +after this, there’s going to be some warm times, believe me. Shall I go +over and join him, or make out I don’t understand, because I want to +take another view of the house?” + +Then Billie remembered his promise to Adrian. + +“I did say I’d watch out for Uncle Fred, sure enough; and he acts like +he needed a nurse, or something like that, right now. Guess I’ll wander +around that way; I can make out to be looking for another view of the +place, if anybody is ataking the trouble to watch me.” + +This he did, and presently joined the late manager of the ranch. Mr. +Comstock was still crouching behind that pile of wood. Every now and +then he thrust out his head and seemed disposed to start toward the +house; but something always caused him to weaken, for he would draw +back, shaking his head as if to say: “I can’t seem to do it, and that’s +flat!” + +“What’s the matter, sir?” asked Billie, when he had come up. + +“Would you mind doing me a little favor, Billie?” asked the other, with +a smile that was intended to be very winning. + +“Of course I would, if it wasn’t beyond me,” replied the fat boy; +“Adrian told me to help you if you needed anything done.” + +“Why, you see, here’s the way things stand,” the late manager commenced +to say. “When I heard all the racket, and somebody shouted that the +stolen herd was coming back, I was that excited I ran out of the house +without taking the trouble to pick up my belt, that carries my gun. It +lies in there where you see that open window close to the ground. All +you need do is to crawl through, reach it out to me, and then skip +again. Get that straight, do you, Billie?” + +“Y-yes, sir,” Billie said, slowly enough, for somehow he did not +particularly fancy the adventure, since there was a pretty good chance +that he would run across the good woman of the house while entering like +a burglar; and he shivered when he had a mental picture of how she would +pounce upon him. + +“I’d go myself, you see, Billie, only that I’m afraid of that female +dragon that the law calls Mrs. Comstock. What she’d do to me if she +caught me in there would be a caution. And I want that gun the worst +kind, because, if there’s going to be any sort of rumpus I’ll need it. +Will you go, Billie?” + +“I s’pose I’ll have to, sir; but I only hope that she don’t grab me; +because I just know from her looks, not to mention her reputation as a +scrapper, that I’ll be the worst clawed fellow in seven counties before +she lets go. You must promise to stay by the window, and give me fair +warning if she comes.” + +This did not seem to make the other very happy; but evidently he +realized that he could not very well expect Billy to take all the risk. + +“Agreed, Billie,” he said, quickly. “Lead off, now; it’s that window +closest to the corner, you understand. I’ll look in after you climb +over, and take the belt from you. If I give tongue, you jump for all +you’re worth out of the said window, because that’ll mean I’ve sighted +her acoming.” + +“All right; who’s afraid?” said Billie valiantly; he even thought of +handing over his rifle to the other, with directions to cover his +venturesome trip through that window; but on second thoughts decided, +that it would not be the right thing to use such a weapon on one of the +other sex, no matter what an Amazon she might be. + +Mr. Comstock followed close behind as the boy advanced toward the open +window; but it could be easily seen that he was ready to beat a rapid +retreat should the enemy suddenly put in an appearance anywhere around. + +“She ain’t there!” whispered Billie, after he had taken a cautious look +inside the room which the former manager of the ranch had been wont to +call his “office,” and which, as he had said, could only be entered +ordinarily through another apartment. + +But if Billie cherished any faint hope that the other, on learning that +the coast was clear, would immediately offer to undertake the affair for +himself, he found himself wofully mistaken. + +“Do you need any help to climb over the window sill?” whispered Mr. +Comstock, who did not forget that the boy was unusually heavy, and +consequently far from being as agile as either of his two chums. + +Billie shook his head, but he confessed to a grievous disappointment all +the same. He was evidently in for it, no matter what might follow. On +looking down at his feet he discovered a stone that he could mount, and +after he had done this it was likely to be a much easier job clambering +in through the low window than at first appearance he had expected. + +“Who’s afraid?” he again muttered softly to himself; for that was one of +his pet ways for bolstering up his courage when he began to feel his +knees wobble under him, and knew that his heart was beating twice as +fast as normal. + +Accordingly he gave a heave, and in this way managed to get his right +knee elevated upon the window ledge. After that it was easy enough; and +presently Billie lowered himself into the room. + +He felt very queer while doing this, just for all the world as though he +might be a real burglar intending to steal valuables, and in momentary +terror lest the angry man of the house dash in upon him. + +All seemed quiet enough, though he could hear some one moving around in +the adjoining room, and took for granted that this must be Mrs. +Comstock. Billie sincerely hoped that whatever she was doing, whether +packing up her clothes in expectation of an early flitting, or anything +else, she would keep right along at it, and not bother taking a look +through that open doorway. + +He glanced cautiously around him, trying to get his bearings, and +discover just where the coveted article lay. + +“To your right—on the desk!” whispered the man outside. + +Billie turned around to move in that direction. As he did so he managed +to dislodge a small picture that had been pinned to the wall. It fell +with a slight noise, and Billie’s heart seemed to stand still with +sudden fear. + +When nothing happened Billie took his courage in both hands, and started +to move over to where the big rolltop desk stood, intending to pick up +the belt and hasten to hand it to Mr. Comstock, after which he would get +outside where he could breathe again naturally, and without such a dread +specter hanging over his head. + +Yes, there was the belt, just as the former manager had said, lying +snugly on the desk; and the revolver seemed to be as usual in the +leather holster which was heavily studded with buttons or round-headed +colored nails, cowboy fashion. + +Billie went forward another pace, and reaching out his hand picked the +whole affair up. How glad he was now that he had leaned his rifle +against the outside wall of the house before venturing in through the +window. + +He turned to retrace his steps. Just then he thought he heard a +suspicious little sound like a gasp behind him; and it seemed as though +a cold hand gripped his heart. + +If he had any doubts concerning what it signified they were dissipated +even before he could think to twist his head around; for Uncle Fred +suddenly called out in a shrill voice that was full of anxiety and +excitement: + +“Run for it, Billie; she’s coming after you!” + +Billie did not wait upon the order of his going. He seemed to be placed +in connection with a galvanic battery, to judge by the way he sprang +forward, thrust the belt into the outstretched hand of Mr. Comstock, and +then took a header right through the open window. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +MR. THOMAS IS AMUSED. + + +With all his clumsiness Billie had always seemed to be a lucky fellow. +In times gone by his chums had often informed him that he must bear a +charmed life; because when so stubbornly trying to break in that wild +broncho Jupiter, the fat boy had taken many a header that threatened to +do him serious injury; but had always “come up smiling” after each +experience, and ready to try it again. + +And apparently his good fortune still held good, for when he took that +flying leap through the open window of the ranch house, he did not have +the remotest idea where he would land, and yet he managed to strike in a +soft place. + +It had been a very narrow escape, though; for hardly had the fat boy +passed through the opening than it was occupied by the figure of Mrs. +Comstock, with both her hands eagerly outstretched, showing that she had +anticipated seizing hold of the intruder. + +When he landed Billie purposely rolled over several times. He seemed to +have a dreadful fear lest the Amazon follow him through the window; just +as a pursuing boy might have done. + +Having turned over completely several times he managed to sit up so as +to take notice of the situation, and get his bearings. + +The first thing he saw was the head of Mr. Thomas thrust around the end +of the nearby bunk house; and it was strange that Billie just happened +to notice how cautiously the pilgrim of the trail was peeping, as though +he would not be seen for worlds; there was a look of intense interest on +his thin face, too, as if he felt a personal interest in the wild flight +of the lad. + +Next Billie saw Uncle Fred. He was trying to buckle the recovered belt +around his waist, and making a poor job of it, because his fingers were +trembling with the excitement; and besides, he felt it necessary to keep +one eye fastened on that window, in which the form of his muscular +better-half could be seen outlined. + +Billie also noted with solid satisfaction that the woman did not seem to +be making any move in his direction. She must have recognized the fact +that her expected prey had eluded her grasp, and was satisfied to let +things go at that. + +But she was waving her fist in his direction, Billie noted; and his +heart beat with thanksgiving that he had been so fortunate as to avoid +feeling the weight of that hand. + +“What do you mean acrawling in through the back windows of this house, +you fat cub?” she called out at him. + +Perhaps Billie had long ago become so accustomed to having all manner of +fun poked at him by his boy friends, on account of his ponderous size +that he had ceased to get angry at any sort of nickname. + +Still, that was “a new one on him,” he afterwards declared, and it +rather rankled to be called a “fat cub.” + +Billie was always polite, especially with the other sex; and so he +managed to scramble to his feet, rather awkwardly to be sure, for he had +skinned his left knee in landing after that wild plunge; and trying to +make a sort of half-way sort of bow, he said: + +“I beg your pardon ma’m, but I was acting under orders from the boss. He +wanted his gun so’s to be ready to fight the rustlers if they came +along, and asked me to get the same for him; so I clumb in through the +window, because he said that was the shortest way around. And when you +came so sudden-like on me, why, I just got rattled some, I s’pose, and +took a jump through the window. But no damage was done ’cept that I +knocked a piece of skin off my left knee ’bout as big as my hand, feels +like. Sorry to have bothered you, ma’m, but I tried not to make any +noise, sure I did.” + +“Yes, you crept in just like a thief, and I reckon that’s what line you +follow when you’re to home,” the angry woman flung at him, accompanying +each word with a furious shake of her hand, which seemed disappointed +not to have been able to bury itself among Billie’s hair. + +“It was all my fault, Josie,” remarked Mr. Comstock just then, possibly +ashamed to let the boy bear the brunt of her displeasure; “I wanted my +belt very much; and you seemed to be having one of your headaches, so I +thought I wouldn’t pass in through your room and disturb you. I asked +him to just crawl through the window and reach my belt, which he +succeeded in doing. It’s all right, Josie!” + +“Oh! you think so, do you, Mr. Fred Comstock?” she cried shrilly, and +with her blazing eyes turned toward her husband. “Shows what sort of a +coward you are, sir, to employ a silly fool of a boy to pull your +chestnuts out of the fire for you!” + +“But sometimes the fire burns a fellow’s fingers, you know, Josie; and +I’ve learned long ago not to worry you when—you’re not feeling well,” +the deposed manager of Bar-S Ranch went on to say, perhaps a little more +boldly than he might have dared had the distance separating him from the +lady been less. + +As if afraid that he had been too rash in saying so much Uncle Fred +turned, and hurried away, calling out as he started: + +“Better come along, Billie; plenty to look after for all of us who are +left behind. You did your work well, and I want to tell you I’m glad you +didn’t get—that is, your injuries are not worse than a skinned knee. +There are more dreadful things that can happen, my boy, take it from +me.” + +This last he uttered in a low tone, and even at that something caused +him to cast a glance of apprehension over his shoulder when speaking; +but Mrs. Fred had vanished from the window. + +As they turned the corner of the bunk-house they discovered the form of +Thomas writhing on the ground. + +“Here, what’s ailing you, my friend?” demanded the late manager; “if +you’ve been suddenly taken sick I’m sorry that my medicine case is in my +desk; and just at present it’s a physical impossibility for either +Billie or myself to step in there to get it. Where do you feel bad?” + +At that the pilgrim of the trail looked up, and they saw that he was +grinning. + +“’Tain’t that I’m taken with the gripe, sir; not in the least,” he +explained. “I’m only tickled to death at the narrow escape our young +friend had. I thought he was a goner when I heard you shout out that +warning, and saw him still inside there; but he made a great plunge. My! +but the lady was provoked because he slipped out like a greased pig. It +was a lucky escape for Broncho Billie, now, wasn’t it, sir?” + +He chuckled as he said this, and even winked at Uncle Fred in a queer +way. The late manager of the ranch turned somewhat red in the face, and +eyed the other a little suspiciously. Then he shook his head. + +“Perhaps you know how peculiar some women are when they can’t have +everything they want, my friend,” he remarked; “and how they’re apt to +carry on. It may be now that you’ve had experience in the years that are +past and gone? Well, in that case you’ll understand me when I remark +that the least said the soonest mended. Forget what you chanced to see, +and things will come easier for you here. Ladies have their +peculiarities, and my wife never did like me tracking up her floors. +That may be why I had Billie here make use of the window; because I’ve +often used it myself rather than go all the way around.” + +Mr. Thomas winked an eye again, and nodded his head in a knowing way, as +if to admit that he might have passed through similar experiences at +some time in his past life. + +Billie could not help thinking that the wanderer seemed to have been +hugging himself while he rolled there on the ground, just as though he +felt a personal satisfaction in the escape of the boy who had been one +of those befriending him on the trail. + +If this were really the cause of his hilarity it showed that Mr. Thomas +was not without at least some degree of gratitude because of the favors +they had bestowed on him. + +As the incident seemed closed now, and there were plenty of other things +looming up in the near future that demanded attention, Billie cast it +out of his mind. He only allowed it to crop up each time his wounded +knee gave him a little twinge, as he limped around after Mr. Comstock. + +The stockman was soon very busy. He seemed to act like a different man, +now that he could feel the presence of his faithful gun at his side +whenever he allowed his hand to drop that way. + +Billie followed him to the corrals, which he inspected carefully, as +though meaning to discover any weakness that might interfere with his +plans. Every few minutes the ranchman would shade his eyes with his hand +and look earnestly around in several directions. Billie understood that +he was hoping to discover the first signs of the coming herds, which +might be only in the shape of a cloud of dust along the horizon. + +It was an anxious time, for a great deal depended on getting the stock +in where the faithful drovers could guard it, until such time as the +danger of a bold raid was past. Mr. Comstock had had so much trouble +with the Walker crowd in the past that he would not put anything beyond +them nowadays. Men become flushed with success, and even lose their +accustomed shrewdness; and while it would seem to be a reckless thing +for these rustlers to work in the open, still, acting under the belief +that they had a friend at court in the shape of Comstock’s wife, who +would restrain him from taking any radical measures looking to +resistance; and also knowing that half the force of Bar-S Ranch was +virtually ready to side with the raiders, there could be no telling what +would happen. + +Billie, too, began to cast frequent looks along the distant horizon, in +the hope of discovering the first signs that would indicate the coming +of his chums, along with the cattle, and the other cow-punchers. + +It was almost an hour after his little adventure along the flying +machine order that Billie suddenly discovered what he sought. + +“They’re coming, Mr. Comstock!” he called, limping toward the ranchman, +who was busily engaged doing some mending at a weak place in the corral, +which was made partly of ropes, and the balance of heavy poles brought +from the river bottom miles and miles away; “I can see dust in two +places; yes, and when the wind picked up just now I believe I heard the +bellowing of cows.” + +So the ranchman clapped his glasses to his eyes, and immediately +corroborated what the boy had so confidently declared. + +“That’s right, Billie!” he remarked, in some excitement; “and as sure as +you live I can see that the boys are shoving them along quite lively. I +hope now they haven’t sighted the Walker clan coming with a rush; +because, until we get those herds in the corrals with the rest here I’ll +never feel satisfied,” and he fingered his gun, as though half tempted +to jump on a horse, and gallop out to meet the drivers. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +SAFE IN THE CORRAL. + + +“Well, I feel some easier now that they’re getting in closer, and no +signs of a pack of rough riders anywhere in sight beyond!” announced the +rancher, after a little while had elapsed, which counted anxious minutes +for both himself and Billie. + +Even Mr. Thomas had deigned to limp out, and offer to assist in any sort +of work he might be able to do; but the stockman, after taking one look +at his shrinking figure, told him he need not bother, since everything +had been done looking to the safety of the corrals. + +And so the pilgrim of the trail hung around; but as before, he impressed +Billie as a very timid sort of a fellow, and ready to run or dodge at +the first sign of any trouble. + +Now the first herd was well in, and the punchers could be seen waving +their hats as they darted this way and that on their active ponies, +cutting off the dash of an obstreperous cow that took a sudden notion +she did not want to head for the corrals, when the grass was so sweet +away out on the hills, and under the trees growing along the +watercourse. + +“I’m glad to see that all the boys are working with a vim,” Billie heard +the late manager of the ranch say to himself, as he took note of the way +the punchers carried on their business, every one seeming to be actively +employed; and the boy could easily understand what he meant by those +significant words. + +In each party, it will be remembered that there were several of the men +who secretly sided with the sister of Hatch Walker, the rustler, Uncle +Fred’s wife; and apparently the stockman had been uneasy lest these +fellows do everything in their power to create discord in the ranks, and +delay the drive until their friends the rustlers came along. + +It seemed however, that from some cause or other they could not have +deemed it good policy to attempt this tricky play. Perhaps they saw from +the way things were working that they were outnumbered in both bands; +and the belief that this must have been done for a reason caused them to +go slow about provoking trouble. Doubtless Fred Comstock may have given +orders to the faithful few to keep their eyes on the alert and at the +first sign of treachery to use their guns freely. That was the sort of +reputation he used to have before the widow came into his life, and +changed its current; and there were signs that Mr. Comstock might be +getting near the point where he would assert his manhood once again, and +break away from “petticoat rule.” + +The two herds arriving at nearly the same time there was a scene of +tremendous excitement around the ranch buildings, with cowboys dashing +this way and that, whooping at the top of their voices, and shouting out +orders to one another. + +Billie wanted to be with them, but that injured knee gave him a nasty +wrench now and then; so he concluded to forego that pleasure. He could +see that both of his chums were doing as fine work as any one belonging +to the Bar-S Ranch; and more than once a fellow whom Billie suspected +might be under the ban would follow the flying form of Adrian with his +eyes, as though trying to figure out what difference the coming of the +real owner of the ranch might make in the final outcome. + +By degrees the cattle were being separated as Mr. Comstock wished, and +driven into the separate corrals. During this period of intense +excitement those who were not engaged in the work watched operations +with more or less interest. Even Charley Moo, the Chinese cook, could be +seen leaning on the rail of a corral taking it all in; and there in the +doorway of the ranch house stood Mrs. Comstock, apparently laughing +scornfully to herself at all this confusion, just because a few of her +relatives might be expected to make an evening call on her. + +The day was not far from done when the last of the cattle had been +chased through the jaws of the big corral, and the bars placed in +position that made them prisoners, until such time as the stockman +deemed it wise to let them out again. Meanwhile they would have to be +fed from the store of hay that was kept on hand in big stacks, over in +one of the fields away from the buildings, and intended for just such +emergencies as this, or a bitter spell during a wintry blizzard, when +forage could not be found by the herds in the sheltered places. + +Once more Mr. Comstock was making use of his glasses to look anxiously +toward a certain quarter. But now he was not anticipating the coming of +the rustlers, who, upon finding that the stock had slipped through their +hands, and were safe in the corrals, were likely to remain aloof until +late in the night, when they might with impunity approach close to the +ranch, and try some of their sly games looking to effecting a breach in +the stockade, and the release of the herds. + +“Will they come from that direction, Uncle Fred?” asked Adrian, halting +beside the other, as he mopped his steaming face with his red bandana +handkerchief, which of course he carried, cowboy fashion, knotted about +his neck, with the loose folds hanging in front, so that while riding +swiftly along they could be utilized to wipe his eyes free from dust, +without releasing his bridle hand. + +“Well, you see, son,” replied the other, as he lowered the glasses, and +showed by his disappointed look that he had failed to glimpse some +object he had been hoping to discover; “I’m not bothering about the +rustler crowd just now. Since they didn’t get along in time to stop the +drive, and run off the cattle, chances are they’ll hold off till +midnight, or along about there. But I did hope to pick up a little dust +over yonder. That’s about where the sheriff and his posse’d be apt to +show up, when they do come along.” + +“No signs of them yet, then, Uncle?” + +“I’m sorry to say not, Adrian; but then, as the officer is a new hand he +might find it a little difficult to gather a posse. You see, these +Walkers have a lot of friends scattered around, and that’s going to make +it hard to knock ’em out; but the new sheriff was elected for just that +purpose, I was told, and they say he’s a nervy man. Reckon he’ll need +all the grit he’s got to tide him over; but at last the stockmen around +this county have made up their minds this wholesale robbery has got to +stop, no matter what sort of war comes along. And I’m going to join +hands with them, in spite of what the rest of the house says.” + +He made this assertion boldly; but habit caused him to give a quick +glance over his shoulder when speaking, just as though he half feared to +discover Mrs. Comstock standing there, with upraised hand, and a bitter +smile on her strong features. + +But from the sigh of relief that broke involuntarily from the lips of +Uncle Fred it was apparent that the coast was clear. Really, Adrian +believed that if things kept going on in this way much longer, his +relative would presently turn out to be as timid as some other men he +had known, for instance that pilgrim of the trail, who gave his name as +Mr. Thomas, and who acted as though he might be dodging a threatening +hand most of the time. + +Having completed their work the punchers were grouped together, +exchanging many remarks after the manner of their kind; while the +sweating ponies stood around, each with his bridle rein trailing on the +ground. + +As yet the loyal workers did not know the full extent of the opposition; +they seemed to sense something unusual in the air, and as they already +knew the sentiments of the men who were in touch with Mrs. Comstock and +her relatives, perhaps they could give a good guess that mighty +interesting developments were bound to come about in the near future, +and that a change in the way things were run up in that section of +country was imminent. + +This was shown to Donald by the way the four loyal punchers kept in a +bunch, and rubbed elbows with the three new hands, whom the young owner +of the ranch had employed to help out. + +The night was not far away, and from indications it promised to be one +calculated to be marked with a red star in the history of the Bar-S +Ranch. + +Adrian wondered how his father would have handled such a situation. The +thought caused him to grit his teeth, and determine that come what might +he would never knuckle down to those greedy Walkers; if forced to the +wall he would give up trying to run the ranch, and leave a barren desert +behind him when he retired; but not one dollar of tribute would he ever +knowingly pay in order to purchase immunity. + +Presently he saw Donald beckoning to him, and went over to where the +other chum was standing, leaning on the bars of the nearest corral. + +Donald seemed to be amused over something, and of course Adrian was +immediately curious to know what it meant. + +“Tell me, so I can laugh with you, Donald,” he remarked; “things look so +serious all about us that it’d do me a heap of good just to have one +little chuckle, if only I knew of anything funny. What’s been happening +around here?” + +“Why, it’s this way,” replied the other, looking to right and left +first, as though he did not want any one to overhear what he meant to +say, for Donald never hurt anybody’s feelings if he could avoid it; +“your Uncle Fred came along here, and chancing to see Charley Moo, he +made all sorts of gestures until he caught his eye, and then beckoned +him over.” + +“Sure,” Adrian went on to say, “to give him orders for supper, I reckon; +because there’s a raft of hungry punchers to feed tonight; and they tell +me that Aunt Josie never bothers her head about what the boys get to +eat, because her supper is cooked privately, and as a rule she eats it +alone, uncle preferring to mess with his hands.” + +“Well, I guess this night Uncle Fred’s a little mite afraid your aunt +might take a notion to eat with the boys, like lots of women folks do on +ranches down our way, so as to civilize the savages, they say. Anyhow, I +heard him give the Chink his orders all right, and after he was through +he called Charley Moo back; and what d’ye think he told him?” + +“How do you expect me to guess?” demanded Adrian. + +“Well,” continued the amused boy, “he explained that he wanted the cook +to fetch some supper for him out to the corral, when all the rest were +busy working their jaws—said that he felt that some one should be on +guard _all_ the time, and knowing how hungry the hard-working punchers +were, he didn’t have the heart to keep any one of them away from his +feed. What do you think of that; a poor excuse is better than none at +all, ain’t it, Ad?” + +“So they say,” chuckled the other, who of course knew full well just why +Uncle Fred did not care to enter the long room where the men took their +meals, lest he see the figure of his wife at the head of the table, and +be made to appear small in the eyes of the punchers. + +“There, look at Mr. Comstock now!” exclaimed Donald, suddenly; “he seems +excited, and keeps looking through his glasses as though he had sighted +something or other. I wonder whether it turns out to be the sheriff’s +posse, or the rustlers?” + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +TO HAVE AND TO HOLD. + + +“I can see dust over there,” Adrian hastened to remark, after he had +taken a good look; “and it doesn’t seem to be in the quarter where Uncle +Fred told me he expected to see the sheriff’s posse show up, sooner or +later.” + +“Then that means it must be the rustlers coming!” ejaculated Billie, who +had arrived in time to catch this last remark on the part of the other +chum. + +He handled his rifle nervously as he stared toward the point on the +horizon, already growing dim as the day faded. + +“Well, don’t worry, Billie,” Donald told him, “because they ain’t going +to come down on us in the daytime. P’raps, after all, it’s only a few +wanting to take a survey, so as to report what’s been done.” + +“They’ll see all the cattle penned up in the corrals, then, won’t they?” +asked the fat boy, anxiously. + +“Easy enough,” replied Donald; “but much good that’ll do them. If they +want to, let ’em go back and tell Hatch Walker what we’ve been doing.” + +“I really believe you wouldn’t mind much if they just did take a notion +to drop in on us tonight, and make a try to break away with all the +long-horns?” Billie observed, as he saw the look on Donald’s dark +sun-burned face. + +“Oh! I’m not hankering after trouble,” replied the other lad, +carelessly; “but if they want to hang around here trying to rob Adrian +of his property, why, there’s going to be something doing, that’s right. +Times have changed some since the real owner came to Bar-S Ranch. Uncle +Fred may have been forced to knuckle down to his wife when some of her +folks dropped in to pay a friendly visit, and a bunch of valuable steers +followed them off; but we ain’t meaning to do the same. And if anybody +thinks so they’re got another guess coming, that’s all.” + +“Would you really and truly shoot, if they did try that same,” asked +Billie. + +Donald gave a little harsh laugh; he shut his jaws firmly together, and +nodded his head in the affirmative. + +“Wait and see, Billie,” was what he said; “and I’m just as dead sure +too, that you’d puncture a rustler in the leg or the shoulder if you got +the chance, as that I can eat my share of the grub when the call comes +to get busy.” + +“Whew! this sounds like real war, I think!” Billie ventured. + +“It _is_ war, and war to the knife, until the last rustler is chased out +of this part of the country,” Adrian told him, sternly. + +Billie looked out toward the spot where that little cloud of dust was +seen. + +“They’ve stopped now,” he observed; “and since the dust has cleared away +you can see quite a bunch of riders sitting there in their saddles. +Seems like they might be talking it over, and laying plans.” + +“It promises to be a warm night, unless all signs fail,” remarked +Donald, with a significant nod out in the direction where they could see +the distant figures of a good many riders. + +“Come along with me, fellows,” Adrian said just then. + +“Where you agoing, Ad?” queried Billie, who seemed to be possessed of a +sudden suspicion that the other might have some wild scheme in view such +as riding out toward the rustlers, as if to brave them; “it’s nigh +supper time, you must remember, and then besides, I’ve got a skinned +knee, so that riding don’t appeal as much to me as it might.” + +“Oh! I didn’t want you to jump on your cayuse, Billie,” laughed the +other; “but as it promises to be a pretty lively night for us, I thought +we’d only be wise if we walked around the corrals again, so’s to get the +lay of the ground in our heads. A little knowledge like that comes in +handy when you want to move around after dark sets in; and if you look +above you’ll see the clouds are gathering, which I take it means we’re +going to have little light to work by from up there.” + +“Reckon now I might toddle along after you fellows,” Billie admitted; +“leastways I’ll do the best I can. Didn’t tell you how I come by that +same bruised knee, did I? Well, it’s a joke—that is, seems like one to +me now, but at the time let me say I was the worst scared fellow you +ever knew.” + +“Suppose you tell us about it?” proposed Adrian. + +“Yes, strike up right away,” added the other chum. + +Of course after that Billie could have no excuse for holding back the +harrowing details. To tell the truth he was just wild to relate the +adventure; and as he chanced to be a pretty good talker, as has been +said before, he made the most out of the material he had in hand. + +Both the others laughed heartily when they heard how shrewd old Uncle +Fred made a stalking horse out of their stout chum. + +“It’s a lucky thing for you, I guess, Billie,” ventured Adrian, “that my +aunt arrived just a second or so too late to get her hands in your hair. +From what I’ve heard about her ways of doing things first, and then +asking questions afterwards, you might have had less combing to do +mornings. But I’m glad Uncle got his gun, because it looks like he might +find a good use for the same soon, and perhaps try it out on some of his +new brothers-in-law—or other relatives.” + +“Between you and me,” added Donald, “I just think he’s itching for that +time to happen along. You see, he’s borne so much this last year that +the worm is ready to turn at last.” + +They made a complete circuit of the cattle corrals, and saw that +everything seemed secure. + +“They don’t fancy being shut up one little bit,” remarked Donald, as +some of the steers brushed up against the side of the pen, as though +trying to test the stoutness of the enclosure. + +“No,” added Adrian, “and if only one old fellow would make a dead set +for the weakest place, and tear some sort of a gap, you’d soon see how +fast the others’d pile after him; and before you knew it the whole +herd’d be making for the pasture-land again. But we’re going to keep +circling around all night, and have fires burning too, Uncle Fred says; +because when the cattle see the light they’ll feel easier, thinking that +we’re on deck.” + +“How do you reckon your uncle means us to stand guard out here?” asked +Donald, as he peered through at the dense mass of long-horns herded in +the big corral. + +“There’s only one way we could do it,” was the reply; “which is to keep +moving around, so that there’d be no chance for the enemy to sneak up +and stampede the cattle.” + +Presently the call to supper came, and the three boys, being hungry, +hastened to the mess room, where, at the long table, they found an +abundance of “chuck,” as the punchers denominate their food. + +Billie actually forgot to limp, in his hurry to keep up with his chums, +so that he might not be left out when it came to securing a seat; +because he was always ready to do justice to such a spread as Charley +Moo placed before the crowd. + +Fortunately Mrs. Fred did not see fit to make her appearance, so that +the meal passed off without any unpleasantness. The five suspects seemed +to be on their best behavior, as though they rather fancied they would +get in trouble if they attempted to be in any way domineering in their +manner toward the others. + +By the time the supper was over night had fallen, and it was dark indeed +when Adrian and Donald walked out to find Mr. Comstock, in order to +learn whether anything new had taken place meanwhile. + +They found him pacing up and down near the big corral, and acting as +though he had a heavy weight on his shoulders; as indeed was the case, +for as yet it was an open question whether those who intended to defend +the stock would be able to prevent the bold rustlers from running away +with a large portion of the cattle. + +“No signs of Frank Bowker turning up yet, I suppose, Uncle Fred?” Adrian +asked, as they joined the little man with the white head of hair and the +soldierly ways. + +“Sorry to say not, son,” came the answer; “but then I’m not so much +surprised at that, because I told Frank to stand by, and give the new +sheriff all the assistance in his power when he started to gathering his +posse. So chances are, we wouldn’t be apt to see the boy till the whole +bunch came along.” + +“I wish they’d hurry, then,” Adrian continued. + +“Same here,” added Donald; “because, the way things look we’ll prove too +few to do the right thing about watching these corrals. If all the +punchers could be depended on it’d be different, you see.” + +“Yes, you’re right there, Donald,” Adrian said; “for it would give us +five more men. As it is now we are not only short that number, but they +are apt to try and join the rustler bunch when they come along.” + +“Too bad,” the Arizona ranch boy remarked. “If you’d only known how +things lay up here you could have picked up a dozen reliable punchers, +and brought the same along with us. But let’s hope that before there’s +any real damage done that sheriff’ll show up, and prove it to be of the +right calibre to handle the situation.” + +“Amen to that, son!” added Uncle Fred, heartily. + +“I wonder where Billie can be?” Adrian remarked some time later, as he +suddenly remembered that he had not seen anything of the stout chum +since they left the mess hall, with Billie sending along his platter for +a _fourth_ helping of stew. + +“Foundered, I reckon,” chuckled Donald; “after those three big helps, +the nerve of him asking Charley Moo for more. But the Chink seemed to +feel that it was a compliment on his cooking to have any one gobble that +way; and he was grinning all over as he hurried off to get a fresh +supply. I believe he’d even hand over his own ration, because he has +taken such a great fancy for our chum.” + +“Well, Billie is a great one for making friends wherever he goes!” +remarked Adrian, warmly. + +“Listen, what was that sound like a hiss just then? You don’t think for +a minute it could be any sort of snake, do you, Ad?” + +“There it goes again; and as sure as you live I believe some one’s +trying to attract our attention back here in the gloom away from the +fires. Looks like our chum Billie, too; yes, that’s who it is, Donald.” + +“But whatever can he want with us; and why should he act in that queer +way, as if he was afraid to come boldly up here, and talk with us?” the +other said. + +“Best way to find that out is for one or both of us to step out there, +and interview him,” suggested Adrian; and acting on this hint both of +them walked away from the glow of the fire near which they had been +standing, heading toward the spot where the bulky figure of Billie could +be dimly seen, making his mysterious motions. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +TREACHERY. + + +“Now, what’s this all mean, Billie?” demanded Adrian, when they had +joined the fat chum, where the shadows were dense enough to fairly +conceal them from the view of any keen eyes nearer the fires. + +“Yes,” added Donald, “you’ve gone and coaxed us over here, and now I +hope it isn’t just to tell us you’ve got a pain, after stowing all that +stuff away.” + +“Oh! you needn’t ever bother about _me_ getting a bad feeling after I’ve +had my little share of rations,” Billie replied, sweetly; “but then, +this don’t have anything to do with eating. But all the same it’s a +thriller.” + +“Well, speak up, and let us know what’s doing,” Adrian said. + +“I was wondering whether Charley Moo could spare me just a teenty little +more of that delicious stew, when he came and bent down to whisper +something in my ear, while pretending to be taking my dish. And what do +you think he said, fellows? Only that one of that bad bunch of punchers +had been called in to talk things over with Mrs. Fred; and that if I +wanted to hear something of what they said Charley knew of a way it +might be done, providing I could crawl like a snake.” + +“This sounds real interesting, Billie,” remarked Donald. + +“And of course you said you could crawl better than any snake that ever +lived,” added the other chum, desirous of hurrying things up; for it +always took Billie an everlastingly long time to tell a story. + +“Well, I told him to show me the way, and I’d do the rest,” Billie went +on to explain. “So he led me out of the mess room, and along a passage +that seemed to take us into the ranch house. Then he explained in his +heathen way that fortunately I was able to understand, how, by lying +down flat, and hunching myself along, I could get to where there was +only a thin partition, and even this had a knothole in the same through +which sounds would ooze.” + +“The cunning Celestial knew all about that, did he?” remarked Adrian. +“Chances are Uncle Fred had him hired to watch his wife, and notify him +if she seemed to be plotting with any of the punchers who sided with +her. But what else happened, Billie? You did the grand crawling act all +right, I reckon?” + +“Well, I guess, yes,” chuckled the fat chum. “I managed to get close up +to that same partition, and sure enough there _was_ a little blot of +light coming through the knothole Charley said was there. And while I +couldn’t look through, because it was so low down near the floor I +wasn’t able to crowd down that far, I could get my ear close to the +opening, and was able to hear the talk that was going on in the other +room.” + +“And one of those five unfriendly punchers was in there, was he, +conferring with Aunt Josie, when he ought to have taken his orders only +from Uncle Fred?” Adrian went on to say. + +“He seemed to be the boss of the outfit of mean skunks,” Billie +admitted; “and from the way he talked about your uncle I don’t think +he’s got much respect for him any longer. But the first thing I heard +was her asking what he’d done about sending word to her brother, which I +take it means that old rascal, Hatch Walker, the head of the rustler +gang.” + +“He’s the man, Billie; and what reply did he make to that?” asked +Adrian. + +“Why, he says as how he’d taken care of that job; because there was +already one of his boys on his pony and riding straight for where the +rustlers showed up before it got too dark to see ’em. And as he had +given the fellow the signal he reckoned that he’d get among the bunch +right soon.” + +“And what message did this puncher say he had sent out to our enemies?” +Donald inquired. + +“Just this—that along somewhere about midnight, when the chance opened +wide up, the fellows left behind meant to bust open the fence of the big +corral, and let the heft of the long-horns loose. They’d depend on their +cronies to round ’em up, and make off with the lot.” + +Adrian muttered something to himself, that might have been a threat as +to what he would feel tempted to do should he have the opportunity later +on to use his repeating rifle on some of these bold cattle thieves. As +for Donald, he gave a low but significant whistle to indicate his +feelings. + +“That sort of tickled the lady, didn’t it, Billie?” he asked. + +“I think it must have,” was the ready reply; “because I heard her +laughing, and let me tell you, boys, it made a cold chill chase up and +down my spinal column to hear the way she laughed. My stars! but she’s a +bad one; and I’m sorry Uncle Fred just has to put up with her the rest +of his natural life, because she’s his wife, he says, and the law +compels him to support her.” + +“Well, go on, and tell us a lot more, Billie?” urged Donald. + +“Wisht I could,” replied the fat chum, “but I’ve about got to the end of +my string, you see, and’ll have to halt, ’less you’d like me to make a +lot up.” + +“Never mind trying that, Billie,” said Adrian, quickly. + +“I should say not,” added Donald; “you know how to keep everlastingly at +it now; when you’re just telling real hard facts; and if you ever +started to inventing things, I can see our finish right away. I suppose, +then, the puncher went away after he told her about the messenger he’d +sent to the Walker crowd?” + +“Yes, that’s what he did,” Billie admitted. + +“It’s just on a line with what Uncle Fred expected they’d try,” +suggested Adrian. + +“Wonder if anything could be done to stop that game?” Donald ventured. + +“We’ll ask Uncle Fred,” the other active chum went on to say. “P’raps, +now, he’ll think up a plan.” + +“Huh! why not round the whole bad lot up, and make ’em prisoners?” +suggested Billie, boldly enough. + +“That wouldn’t be a bad scheme,” admitted Adrian; “and I’m going to +propose the same to him right away, when I tell him about this messenger +who’s gone off. Even if nothing else came of it, we’d really be reducing +the number of our enemies by four, and that’d count for something in the +long run.” + +“As for me,” Donald declared, vehemently, “I can stand three open +enemies to one who hides in the dark, or pretends to be a friend, only +to stick a knife in your back when you’re not looking. Yes, I’m in favor +of taking these fellows, one by one, and making them prisoners. We might +put them in the bunk house, and have Charley Moo guard them. I rather +think that moon-eyed cook can handle a gun, if one is put in his hand.” + +“I should think he could,” mused Billie; “and if he’s half as good a +hand with shooting-irons as he is with pot and kettle and frying-pan, +you’ll find him a real wonder; because, of all the stews I ever tackled +that one we had at supper took the cake.” + +Once started on his favorite topic Billie would possibly have rambled on +at a great rate; but chancing to look around just then he found that he +was wasting his breath on empty space, because Adrian had tapped Donald +on the shoulder; and the two had slipped silently away, leaving the +other to talk to himself. + +They found Mr. Comstock moving about briskly, as though determined that +there should not be a screw loose in the plan of campaign if it depended +on eternal vigilance on his part. + +Of course Adrian felt it his duty to tell him all about Billie’s latest +adventure, and Uncle Fred expressed himself as filled with admiration in +connection with the splendid work accomplished by the stout chum. + +“He’s a dandy, that Billie is!” he went on to say, energetically; “and +you’d never think it, to look at his build. Why, he made the neatest +getaway awhile back that I ever set eyes on. Yes, I know all about that +little knothole in the board partition. It really looks into my office, +you see, and on several occasions I’ve hired Charley Moo to listen there +when Mrs. Comstock had sent for one of the men to report to her; because +I knew it must be something in connection with another raid on the +stock.” + +“Now,” Adrian went on to say, when the other paused, “we’ve been talking +it over, and both Donald and myself agreed with an idea Billie happened +to put out as a feeler.” + +“As to what?” demanded the ex-manager of the ranch, eagerly. + +“Here are four punchers around,” continued the boy, steadily, “who not +only don’t mean to stand up with us and be counted, when trouble heads +this way; but they’re only looking for a chance to do us a bad turn. +Now, we thought that it’d be a good thing if the whole four suspects +could be tied, neck and heels, and kept prisoners until the sheriff +comes.” + +Mr. Comstock rubbed his hands together as though pleased with the idea. + +“That hits pretty close to the bull’s-eye, let me tell you, son,” he +observed. “I say it’s a good thing, and we’ll carry it out; that is, +unless the sneaky coyotes get wind of our intentions, and slope +meanwhile. If they do clear out why it’s a good riddance of bad rubbish, +and we’ll shake hands on seeing the last of the lot. I wouldn’t cry my +eyes out, and that’s a fact, if some other person, who shall be +nameless, took a similar notion to desert my bed and board, and go back +to her own kith and kin. Fact is, I’d be ready to sing hallelujah, and +dance a hornpipe. But that’d be too good luck for me, I’m afraid. I was +done, good and hard, but the law spliced us, and I have too great a +respect for law to try and break the bonds through the courts—though +running away is a different thing.” + +The boys were shaking with silent laughter to hear the fierce little man +going on in this manner. Like a good many other men he could be very +bold when out of sight and hearing of his spouse; but let her once call +his name, and the spirit seemed to be taken out of him. + +It was now more than an hour after dark, and still they had seen and +heard nothing to indicate that there were enemies near by, bent on some +daring scheme whereby the coveted stock might be stampeded, and then +picked up far away on the open prairie, have the brands quickly changed, +and find lodgment in the corrals of the several Walker ranches. + +The two boys took their turns at patrolling the corrals. Later on they +expected to hear from Mr. Comstock again, when perhaps he had formulated +his plans for the arrest of the suspects, providing they had not taken +French leave by then. + +It was while they were at the further end of the big enclosure that +Donald called the attention of his chum to a suspicious light that +seemed to have sprung up over the field where the several haystacks were +scattered about. + +“What d’ye think that can mean, Ad?” he asked, in an anxious tone. + +“It’s none of our men, I’m dead sure,” replied the other, quickly; “tell +you what, Donald, it looks to me as though one of the suspects is going +to fire that stack of hay! Yes, there it goes, and nothing can save that +pile now!” + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +ADRIAN MAKES A STAND. + + +As the hay flamed up like magic there arose a great commotion. Men could +be heard shouting to one another. Fortunately Mr. Comstock was equal to +the occasion. He hurried this way and that, calling at the top of his +voice; and for a small man he certainly had astonishingly loud vocal +attainments. + +“Stay where you are, every man I stationed by the corral! This is a +trick to get you away, so they can force a gap, and let the stock out! +Shoot every sneaking wolf you see trying to injure the corral! Leave the +rest to me! Adrian, would you care to come with me, and see if we can +get a crack at the cowardly coyote who put a match to my haystack +yonder?” + +“I’d like nothing better, Uncle!” cried the boy, aroused by all these +happenings, and with his mind made up that, given a chance, he, would +surely do some sort of bodily injury to the treacherous hound; for of +all things the boy detested, a fellow who could turn on the hand that +fed him and strike his benefactor in the back, was the worst. + +“Donald, you stick it out here, and perhaps you’ll get your chance +sooner than we may!” called the ex-manager over his shoulder, as he ran +hastily away, heading so as to switch around to the other side of the +burning hay; which Adrian understood to mean that he anticipated +discovering the firemaker starting operations in connection with one of +the other high stacks. + +Already the flames were leaping wildly upward, and beginning to roar. At +least they served as a huge torch, by means of which the defenders of +the corrals would be able to cover quite a fair stretch of territory +with their eyes, and detect the approach of any suspicious body of +raiders, upon whom they could open fire without compunction, once they +were sure it could not be the sheriff’s posse. + +As he ran Adrian was on the lookout for any kind of slinking figure that +might be discovered near the haystacks, perhaps with a flaming torch in +hand; though a simple match was really all that would be needed to start +another of those conflagrations, so dry was the hay. + +If he had the good luck to set eyes on such an object he believed that +nothing would hold him back from sending a bullet at the incendiary; for +by now the boy had become indignant at the way these Walkers were trying +to rule or ruin the entire country, and would welcome a chance to let +one of the brood know that he did not mean to stand their ways of doing +things. + +“You head toward that one on the right!” said Mr. Comstock, hastily, as +the two of them paused, the better to look around, and decide on what +had better be done in order to stop this work of wanton destruction. + +This of course meant that they should separate; and turning sharply +aside Adrian bent low, and ran toward the stack to which he had been +directed. + +As he did so he heard the positive report of a pistol, and actually felt +the wind caused by the passage of a bullet, so close did it come to his +left arm. That told him there was an enemy hiding behind the haystack to +which he had been sent by his uncle; and seeing him coming with such +evident hostile intent, the fellow had fired. Perhaps he had missed +hitting the crouching boy because Adrian kept dodging to the right and +to the left as he had seen an old Indian-fighter do once upon a time, +when a crazy puncher had shot a comrade, and was brought to bay over his +dead pony. + +Then again, it might be that the man did not really want to do the boy +serious injury, and was only trying to frighten him off. It was as much +as a warning that the unseen enemy had his range, and the next shot +would be more exacting. + +Adrian did not stand there irresolute. He knew when to act, and how to +go about it. The first thing he did when that shot sounded, and he knew +he had been the target at which the missile had been sent, was to roll +over upon the ground as though he had been hit. + +Almost as soon as he landed he was pushing himself in shape so as to +look over the slight knob of ground just in front of where he lay, and +watch the spot from which that little puff of smoke had leaped. It was +alongside the haystack to which he had been sent by Uncle Fred; and the +chances seemed to be that the fellow who fired must be the one whose +hand had already put a match to the blazing heap. + +Thus looking, Adrian believed he saw the slightest of movements amidst +the hay. This seemed to tell him that the other must be peering out +again, to see whether the coast were clear, so that he could either beat +a hasty retreat, or else continue his work of destroying the feed, by +using which the cattle might be kept shut up for days at a time in the +enclosures. + +Determined to teach him a lesson the boy pulled the trigger of his +rifle, having taken a quick snap judgment on the spot where he believed +the other to be hidden. + +His expectations were more than realized, for instantly there was a +whoop, and from behind the stack a whirling figure came in sight. It was +one of the “suspects” and from the way he kept clawing at his left arm +the boy guessed that his lead had found its billet all right. + +He gained his feet, and with rifle ready for more work if necessary, +started to hasten toward where the fellow was dancing about, shrieking +with the pain of his wound, and all else forgotten. + +About the same time Mr. Comstock came running up. + +“Got him, did you, Adrian?” he called out, in more or less exultation; +for he had been sorely badgered of late by these fellows who had the +backing of Mrs. Fred, and really snapped their fingers at his authority. + +“Help! Mr. Comstock, get a tourniquet on, and stop this bleeding or I’m +a goner! Oh! quick, sir! Don’t let me go under in this way like a dog! I +was a fool to turn against you just because she blarneyed me. Save me +first, and punish me afterwards!” was what the fellow called out, the +pain of his wound causing him to show actual terror, and bringing out +the yellow streak in his makeup. + +The stockman, seeing that the second stack had not as yet been fired, +did take hold, and with a few dextrous twists of a stout handkerchief +put a temporary stop to the loss of blood. + +“You deserve all you’ve got, and more too, Burke,” he said sternly; “but +I’m going to give you one more chance after all this row is done with. +Perhaps this may be a lesson that’ll be the turning point of your life, +because you used to have some good points about you. Adrian, will you +stay here, keeping out of sight all that’s possible, and aiming to hit +every time you see any one creeping around this field?” + +“What will you be doing, Uncle Fred?” + +“First of all,” called back Mr. Comstock, “I’ll take this young fool to +the bunk house, fix his arm, and then leave him under charge of Charley +Moo. It reduces the snakes to three; and my next job will be to take +hold of the rest of the bunch, unless they skip out on seeing what’s +happened to Burke here.” + +Adrian was satisfied with the way things seemed to be progressing. What +if one stack of the precious hay had gone up in smoke, there was more +than enough left for their purposes; and present necessities ruled the +hour just then. + +He patrolled his post, keeping out of sight as much as possible. All the +while he was listening to catch any strange sounds coming from the +vicinity of the corrals or the bunk house. He wondered how Mr. Comstock +would come out when he started to make prisoners of the other three +treacherous ones; and whether in so doing he might not come in contact +with his wife, who would be apt to side with the men, and try to +overthrow the authority of the ex-manager. + +But Adrian believed Uncle Fred had determined to make one great fight +for his manliness, and would refuse to do what his strong-minded wife +said, even though she threatened him with the anger of her whole tribe +of relations, those lawless Walkers of whom the entire country was +ringing. + +Still, there did not seem to be anything unusual happening; at least +Adrian, holding out there in defense of the hay, failed to hear any +strange racket, such as would very likely have accompanied a trial of +strength between the two parties. + +He suspected that possibly the other three fellows had slunk away, +fearing under the new conditions that had arisen, the mistress would be +unable to defend them, should matters come to a crisis. + +The boy did not delude himself with the thought that the worst must be +over. Up to now they had only had to deal with the sympathizers of the +Walkers, those snakes in the grass who had remained in the employ of Mr. +Comstock because his wife refused to countenance their discharge, and +who were all the while taking secret pay from Hatch Walker, ready at any +moment to betray their trust. + +Between this hour and dawn there was a strong likelihood that the main +body of rustlers meant to get busy, and spring all manner of surprises +upon those who had the defense of Bar-S Ranch in charge. + +It might seem strange that the Walkers would thus openly attack a ranch, +when by such action they ran the risk of being classed as genuine +outlaws, if any one could be found bold enough to complain about them to +the proper authorities. + +The truth of the matter was, as Adrian suspected, that in this coming of +the owner of Bar-S Ranch upon the scene, these men could see an entering +wedge calculated to weaken the power of Hatch’s sister, and possibly +start the avalanche rolling that was fated to swamp them eventually. + +The energetic and fearless way in which the three boys had taken hold, +followed the stampeded cattle, watched until they caught the rustlers +off their guard, and then not only made them prisoners, but actually +drove the stolen herd all the way home—this must have made a deep +impression on Hatch Walker. He knew that extraordinary measures must be +taken to stem this tide in the beginning; or else it was bound to gather +such irresistible headway that he and his followers would be swept out +of sight. + +By degrees Adrian concluded that the hay was no longer in such danger +that he need remain there constantly to guard it. He made up his mind to +have another puncher sent out to that post, preferring on his own +account to be nearer the cattle, and consequently the point of most +danger. + +Accordingly he made his way toward the corrals, being careful to give +the call that had been arranged between the defenders, so that they +might not shoot one another by mistake. + +Donald was glad to have him back. + +“I heard about what you did,” he said, as he squeezed his chum’s hand. +“Uncle Fred brought that wounded chap past here; and he said you did it +for him.” + +“But what about the other three?” demanded Adrian; “Uncle Fred told me +he wanted to get back here so as to make prisoners of the rest of the +batch.” + +“Well, they seem to have disappeared,” replied Donald; “nobody knows +whether they scented trouble, and slipped away; or if Mrs. Comstock has +hidden them in the ranch house, meaning to turn a sly trick later on; +but let’s hope the sheriff’ll get along here before the worst happens.” + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +A BOLD PROPOSAL. + + +“Suppose we take a tally, and see just about how the game stands right +now,” suggested Donald, presently, after they had stood there for a bit +listening to the various sounds of the night that was in all probability +bound to mark the turning point of Bar-S Ranch’s fortunes, either up or +down. + +The cattle were uneasy in the corrals. Plainly they objected to this +summary way of taking them from the pasture-land and shutting them up +between walls, even if the confines did consist for the most part of a +fence-like structure. + +They bellowed more or less, and roamed around, as though in hopes of +finding a weak spot where they might force an exit. + +But thanks to the great care of Uncle Fred, who knew steers from the +ground up, not a loophole of a chance for such a thing happening had +been left, unless human hands started to make the break. + +As Adrian well knew, if the heavy animals had had the intelligence to +form themselves into a “flying squad,” such as proves so effective in +football, nothing could have kept them within those flimsy bounds; but +their efforts were all along the individual line, and therefore futile. + +“That isn’t a bad idea,” was the way Adrian answered this proposition +put forward by his chum. + +“In the beginning, then,” continued Donald, “we knew there were five of +these unreliables in the fold, for Uncle Fred mentioned their names. We +had our eyes on the bunch when driving in the herds, though they seemed +to behave halfway decent, and did their share of the work at that time. +Now, one we heard had been sent with a message to Hatch Walker; that +left four, didn’t it, Ad?” + +The other laughed softly. + +“Say, do you know what you make me think of, when you put it in that +way?” he remarked, still chuckling. + +“How should I?” demanded Donald. + +“Remember the old nursery rhyme we used to have long ago about the ‘nine +little Injuns swingin’ on a gate; one fell off, and then there were +eight!’” + +Donald laughed too, at hearing that. + +“Yes, this is something along the same order,” he declared, “only +instead of beginning with ten we start with only five; and I’ve already +cut that number down a notch. Then there was that chap you wounded out +by the haystacks—Uncle Fred fixed his arm, and has got Charley Moo +standing guard over him in the bunk house, with orders to shoot him down +if he even tries to cut out. You might think he’d use the big house for +a prison, but—well, under the circumstances it would hardly be the safe +thing to do.” + +“On account of my Aunt Josie, you mean, don’t you, Donald?” + +“Yes, to say what’s on my mind, that’s the stuff,” replied the other. +“She’s in league with this riffraff element, because her brother is +Hatch Walker himself, and blood is thicker than water, they say. I +reckon, now, the lady has been brought up to be in touch with rustlers +and all such, so that she believes in their ways of getting other +people’s property without paying for the same.” + +“Don’t be afraid to speak what’s on your mind, just because she happens +to be my aunt by marriage,” said Adrian. “Uncle Fred as much as admits +that he was played for and caught by the widow. He’s been bitterly sore +about it ever since; but since she’s his wife he’s tried to do the right +thing. And if she hadn’t happened to be related to the Walkers, and +influenced to back up their schemes for robbing the Bar-S Ranch right +along, he never would have gone back on her. Uncle Fred isn’t that kind +of a man, you see.” + +“Yes, I know,” Donald went on to say, “but let’s drop that subject now, +and get back to where we started. Two of the hard crowd we can account +for, and they’re out of the game, I reckon. That left three more. We +hope they’ve skipped, and gone over where they belong, with the enemy; +but we don’t _know_, and that’s where most of our danger lies, in my +opinion.” + +“Oh!” + +When Adrian uttered this one word there was considerable significance in +connection with it. The fact was he realized right then and there that +his chum had not commenced this counting up the disposition of the enemy +without some motive back of it besides mere curiosity. + +“Now, three fellows may not stand for a heap when they’re facing your +gun, and you’ve got a fair chance to pepper the same as they come on,” +continued Donald; “but that number of snakes in the grass, lying low, +and out of sight, ready to give you a tap on the head, or a thrust in +the back with a knife, can demoralize almost any garrison. You know +that, Adrian, don’t you?” + +“I think I know now what you’re getting at,” remarked the other. “You’re +afraid that when nobody was looking those three traitors have slipped +into the ranch house and are hiding there right now, waiting to be +tipped off as to when they ought to attack us in the rear, while we’re +fully occupied with defending our front—is that your idea, Donald?” + +“Well, it’d be about like the lady of the ranch to fix up a smart game +like that, and spring it on us when we weren’t looking,” the Arizona boy +remarked. + +“And you’ve got some sort of remedy up your sleeve, I’m sure of that,” +Adrian told his chum, with confidence in his voice. + +“I admit it,” replied Donald, immediately. “That was why I led up to +this by telling how two of the five had been put out of the game, and +meaning that according to my notions no army can do its best fighting +till they’ve cleaned out any traitors in the ranks.” + +“And what’s the answer; because I’m dead sure you’ve thought up a +remedy, Donald?” + +“One of us had ought to find out whether those three punchers are really +hid away in the ranch house,” came the prompt reply. + +“All right! I think that’s a good idea; and I’ll select myself as the +one to go and learn if it’s so,” said Adrian, as quick as a flash. + +At that Donald grumbled a little. + +“Now, see here, I didn’t expect that you’d take me up like that,” he +objected. “It was my scheme, and I ought to have had a fair show of +carrying it out. Even if we had to draw straws to see who’d get the +longest, you shouldn’t cut me off just like you thought I mightn’t be +equal to it, Ad.” + +“You know it isn’t that,” said his chum, laying a hand on his arm +affectionately. “You’re capable of doing anything that I dare attempt, +Donald; but this happens to be a case where it seems like I should be +the one to go.” + +“How do you make that out, I want to know?” asked Donald. + +“First place, it’s my property that’s in danger, and that ought to count +for something, hadn’t it? Then stop and think, haven’t I been all +through this ranch house hundreds of times as a boy, and oughtn’t it +stand to reason that I’d know it better than you would? Own up, Donald, +now; ain’t that the truth?” + +“I s’pose I’ll have to,” complained the other; “only I sort of hoped +you’d agree to let me go, because I thought of the scheme first. But +say, why couldn’t we both take hold, and push it through? There’s three +of the dodgers in there if there’s one; and that’d make it more even.” + +“But we wouldn’t mean to try and capture them, you see,” Adrian +continued; “and one could do the spying better than a pair. Besides, +every man is needed out here to guard the corrals, unless we want to +have the cattle let out, when chances are, we’ll never get half of the +same back again.” + +Donald had to give it up at that point. + +“Oh! well,” he went on to say, whimsically enough, “I reckon I’m +counted out this trip; but all the same, I’m not sorry I thought up +the idea. Whether you find the bunch lying low in there or not, it’ll +be something to know the truth. If they ain’t back of us, we’ll be +able to face the Walker tribe with more confidence, just because +those three mule-skinners[1] can’t rush us from the rear.” + +“Let’s hunt up Uncle Fred,” suggested Adrian. + +“You want to tell him about it, I reckon, Ad?” + +“Why, yes, he had ought to know; and p’raps now he might be able to give +me a few pointers that would come in useful,” the other went on to say, +as they started to pass along the outside of the big corral which they +were guarding. + +“What if he offered to go himself; would you let him?” asked Donald, +still feeling a little hurt because he had been deprived of the +privilege of playing the part of spy. + +“Honest now, I think I would,” chuckled Adrian; “but between us there’s +a mighty slim chance of that happening; because, you must remember who’s +in the ranch house at this minute; and Uncle Fred isn’t going to put +himself in any position where he’s likely to come suddenly face to face +with his wife.” + +“That settles it, and you go,” muttered Donald, as though realizing that +what his comrade said was the truth. + +They soon ran upon the ex-manager. Uncle Fred seemed to have quite +forgotten the fact that he had been deposed from the command of the +forces belonging to the cattle ranch, for he was bustling around at a +great rate, giving his orders in a low but positive tone, and seeing +that they were faithfully executed, too. + +When he heard what Adrian proposed to do he immediately declared that it +met with his approbation. + +“I’ve been worrying some myself,” he observed, “about what’d become of +those three skunks, because they have sure enough disappeared like the +ground had opened and swallowed the lot. And just as like as not they +_are_ hid in the house somewhere; and ought to be yanked out by the +heels, so we could put ’em alongside Burke. I’d feel a whole heap easier +in my mind if I knew we had the four of ’em tied, neck and crop, so they +couldn’t do us any damage unbeknown.” + +“Then you approve of my going in to find out, do you, Uncle Fred?” +Adrian asked. + +“Yes, only be very careful how you get around, son,” replied the +rancher. “When you make sure they’re inside, come out right away, +without trying to do a single thing. You press the button, and we’ll do +the rest. Now, p’raps I had ought to go myself, as I’m best acquainted +with the inside arrangements of the house; but—er, you see, I’ve got my +hands full as it is out here; and something might go wrong while I was +away. But you understand, don’t you Adrian; so go ahead; and here’s +hoping you’ll have the best of luck. Yes, I’m coming right away, Curly; +just stay where you are a minute and I’ll be with you,” saying which the +stockman hurried off, leaving the two boys chuckling to themselves. + +“Yes,” said Adrian, softly, “we know all about it, don’t we, Donald?” + +Footnote: + +[1]: Mule-skinner is a name given to teamsters in the West, and as they + prove to be pretty hard cases and tough citizens as a rule, it is + sometimes used to contemptuously refer to one who deserves terms of + reproach. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +TRAPPED. + + +When Adrian started out to carry through the scheme proposed by his +chum, he knew what chances he was taking. If those three renegade +cow-punchers were hiding in the ranch house they would be in rather a +desperate frame of mind, knowing that they were in the bad graces of Mr. +Comstock. Hence, they would not be apt to treat the young owner of Bar-S +Ranch with any particular degree of tenderness should they chance to lay +hands on Adrian. + +He had figured the whole thing out, and determined just how he ought to +go about entering, and exploring the house. And on the whole he made up +his mind that his best chance would be to crawl through the very window +which had figured so largely in Broncho Billie’s adventure, at the time +he had such a narrow escape. + +Once through this, and Adrian found himself in the office which Uncle +Fred had used as his den. Beyond was the apartment which Mrs. Comstock +called her own private property, a sort of sitting-room, through which +the man of the house was compelled to pass every time he came and went; +and in this way his spouse could keep “tabs” on his movements, which was +doubtless her motive in making these arrangements. + +All was as dark as midnight in there, though he could see a faint shaft +of light under the connecting door, and knew from this that there must +be a candle in the adjoining room, or else a lamp that was turned low. + +He listened as well as he could, expecting that he might catch even a +whisper, if the other apartment happened to be occupied. But not the +faintest sound reached his eager sense of hearing. + +Judging from this that there could be no one there, Adrian commenced to +open the connecting door. He used the utmost care in doing this, and +pushed it back an inch at a time, holding his breath with anxiety while +the process was going on. + +When he was finally able to take a look beyond the door he found that, +as he had suspected, there was no one in the room. + +His next step was to pass through and seek beyond for signs of those +Donald imagined had taken refuge in the ranch house, probably with an +understanding in connection with the mistress that they were to remain +hidden until the time came to take the defenders of the stock in the +rear, and create a diversion in favor of her relatives, who might be +cutting the corral at the time to free the cattle. + +Adrian crept along through another room. + +It was a good thing that he did know the interior arrangements of that +rambling building, for otherwise he might have missed his way; because +it was very much cut up, and a newcomer would almost need a guide to +keep from being lost. + +All the while the boy was straining his hearing in hopes of catching +some sound that would tell him he was getting “on a warm scent,” as a +trailer might say. + +The bellowing of the cattle, and other noises of the night, did not +penetrate in here to such an extent as they had come to his ears when he +was outside; and here were also little intervals of silence, when he +could listen with some hope of hearing low conversation near by. + +Then again Adrian could give a pretty shrewd guess at to just about +where these three deserters would be apt to be hidden by Mrs. Fred, +should they really be in the place. + +He drew near this part of the building with growing hopes of meeting +with success. The mere fact that as yet he had seen nothing of the lady +of the ranch added to his belief that she must be in communication with +the trio of punchers who really belonged to the Walker crowd, although +masquerading under the colors of the Bar-S outfit. + +Of course it might be that Mrs. Fred had decamped altogether, preferring +to be with her brother while the question of ownership of the herds was +in progress; but Adrian believed that he was a pretty good judge of +character, and what he had seen in her determined face told him she was +hardly the one to run away just because circumstances had temporarily +blocked her despotic will. + +And presently he found that this was exactly so, for he caught the sound +of low voices ahead; and pushing on silently was soon able to +distinguish a few words, evidently spoken by one of the punchers who +were in hiding. + +He listened long enough to make up his mind that they were all lying low +in the store-room, where the supplies of the ranch were kept. Then a +bright idea flashed into the mind of the boy, which he determined to +carry out. + +As he well knew, that store-room had been built with a view to its being +proof against light-fingered persons, who might think to profit by the +fact that on a ranch like the Bar-S an abundance of edible supplies were +always kept on hand, because it was a long way to town, and time counted +for much during the busy seasons. + +If Mrs. Fred were in there instructing her three followers as to what +they must do in order to turn the fortunes of the affray, when the +critical moment came, it looked as though fortune had indeed placed +things in the hands of Adrian, so that he could turn the trick +unassisted. + +Thrilled with the thought he crept still closer to the partly opened +strong door, and tried to make sure that he could distinguish her voice. +If the woman happened to be somewhere else about the house it was folly +to think of trying to make the concealed punchers prisoners by simply +closing that door, and turning the key in the lock, for chances were she +could open the same at her pleasure. + +A minute later and he plainly heard a low voice say: + +“Now stay here till I give the signal, and then remember what I told you +to do. If you carry it out straight we’ll throw them into confusion; and +before they get their heads clear the stock will all be running loose. +Understand?” + +Adrian judged from this that she was giving her very last instructions; +and no doubt would be coming out of the store-room in another minute. If +that were the case he certainly had no time to lose. Already his groping +hand had come in contact with the door; and as he continued his +investigations he discovered with a thrill of solid satisfaction that +the key was in the lock! + +It could hardly have been better for the successful carrying out of his +plan; and as soon as he had made sure of these things he started to +gently pushing the door shut. + +When it came to with a little sound, he heard some one exclaim: + +“What’s that?” + +Then the key turned in the lock, and the boy breathed easy for the first +time, because he felt that he had won out. + +The door was shaken violently; then a man’s voice cried excitedly: + +“It won’t give, missus; somebody’s gone and locked us in here!” + +Adrian did not wait to hear any more. Of course they would kick, and +rattle the door, but he chanced to know how strongly it had been built, +and that the chances of their breaking out might be reckoned very small +indeed. + +He walked straight through the house now, and emerged by way of the +front door. As he stepped on to the long piazza that ran the length of +the rambling building he heard a quick exclamation: + +“Hold up your hands there!” came in tense tones. + +“Why, hello, Donald, you wouldn’t think of filling me full of holes, I +hope?” + +That brought out another exclamation, this time filled with +astonishment. + +“What! is it you, Adrian, and coming right out of the front door as if +you didn’t care a cent whether school kept or not? Whatever does this +mean, tell me?” + +“Oh! well, I’ve been all through the house,” commenced the other, in +what seemed to be a careless tone. + +“Then the whole lot have skipped, have they?” queried Donald, in a +disappointed way; as though certain air castles that he had so carefully +erected were thrown down by this news. + +“Well, not that I know of; and in fact I reckon they’re not going to +leave us in such a hurry after all; if that door only holds out, and I +think it will,” was the staggering way Adrian conveyed his information. + +Donald was pawing for his hand the next moment, anxious to shake it +furiously. + +“You don’t mean to tell me you’ve gone and made prisoners of the whole +bunch?” he ejaculated, with his voice trembling in the excitement that +racked him. + +“Just what I was lucky enough to do!” declared the other. “Why, it was +as easy as falling off a log. I just crept through from room to passage +until I heard the low sound of voices, and discovered that she had taken +the punchers to the store-room, to hide them there until she gave the +signal, when they were to rush out and do some sort of thing she’d fixed +up, that was going to demoralize the lot of us.” + +“And Mrs. Fred was there with them?” demanded Donald. + +“Yes, I just heard her giving the last instructions, when my fingers +touched the key in the lock,” Adrian told him. “After that all I had to +do was to close that door and turn the key; and thinking it best to keep +it, I put the same in my pocket, so that no one is likely to let then +out.” + +“Bully for you, Adrian! You’re the fellow who can do things! I never +heard of such a smart trick!” said Donald. + +“Oh! don’t mention it,” remarked the other; “why, even Billie could have +turned it, if he knew as much as I did about the inside arrangements of +that long house, and didn’t get lost in the twisting passages leading +from one part to another.” + +“Listen! what’s that I hear right now, Adrian?” + +“Sounds like somebody might be trying to kick the toes off their boots +against a door, don’t it?” chuckled the other. “Let ’em go it while +they’re young; but it’ll take a heap of knocking to burst that stout +door open. My dad knew what he was doing when he picked the oak out that +it’s made from. But who’d ever dream that I’d make such a use of it as +to shut up three treacherous punchers, as well as my own aunt by +marriage, in that place.” + +“One thing sure, they won’t die from starvation,” remarked Donald, as he +continued to listen to the medley of sounds that came from the interior +of the building but which could not keep up long. + +“Let’s find Uncle Fred,” suggested Adrian. + +“Wonder what he’ll say when he learns that you’ve gone and clipped the +talons of his wife,” remarked Donald; “and if the marks on his face +stand for anything I reckon now that poor old Uncle Fred has felt those +same talons more than a few times, when the lady wished to make her +words more forceful.” + +“Yes, and how it’s going to end I can’t for the life of me see,” added +Adrian; “because she’s his own wife after all, so that the only escape +for him would be running away, and that would lose me my manager, which +I wouldn’t like a bit; but perhaps it may all come out right in the end; +you never can tell, Donald.” + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +COUNTING THE MINUTES. + + +“That clears the situation a heap, let me tell you, Adrian!” was what +Uncle Fred said, heartily, after he had been told what a clever trick +the young owner of the Bar-S Ranch had succeeded in turning. + +Donald took especial pains to note that Mr. Comstock did not appear to +be annoyed in the slightest because the wife of his bosom had been thus +made a prisoner in her own house; in fact, the prairie boy was inclined +to believe that Adrian’s relative seemed to breathe easier than he had +done for some time, because now he could be absolutely certain that Mrs. +Fred was so placed that she might not confront him unexpectedly, to +confound him, when he ought to be fixing his mind on other things than +family differences of opinion. + +“The corrals are all secure so far, are they, Uncle?” asked the boy, +anxiously; for he had become deeply interested in this strange game +which was being waged for the possession of his herds. + +“Yes, up to now nothing has happened,” came the reply; “but what lies +ahead of us no man can say. They’re a wily and unscrupulous lot, those +Walkers, and wouldn’t hesitate at anything short of murder, I reckon, +and even that crime might be laid at their door, if you cared to go back +to certain unexplained things that’ve happened around these diggings in +times past.” + +“It’s too bad the moon is hidden by the clouds, so that the darkness is +likely to keep right along,” Donald remarked, as he cast a critical eye +upward toward the gloomy heavens; and as boys on the plains learn early +in life to read the signs of the weather almost as well as the Indians +can themselves, Donald knew what he was talking about when he +regretfully admitted that there was little hope of the sky clearing in +time to do them any good. + +“Yes, because we can never say what lies hidden right out yonder,” Mr. +Comstock went on to observe, sweeping his hand off toward the blackness. +“Somewhere in the midst of that pall we believe there are a dozen riders +hanging out, waiting to swoop down on us at a certain time, and cut the +barricade that holds the cattle safe, if they can manage it. That may +mean the exchange of dozens of shots; and some people are apt to get +their summons this very night; but what does Hatch Walker care for that, +when he’s made up his mind to do a thing? I’d be a happy man if only +some of us could get him to with a bullet. It’d be the best thing that +ever happened for this section of country if Hatch was put out of the +running for keeps. And remember, I’m not a blood-thirsty man at all, but +one who would have peace all the time, even if I had to fight for it.” + +“But Uncle, don’t you think it queer that sheriff doesn’t show up, when +he must know he’s wanted right here and now so much?” Adrian asked, +presently. + +“Well, I am beginning to think it kind of strange,” admitted the +rancher, in a thoughtful way. “For a while I rather expected that he was +delayed on account of some trouble he might be having, collecting the +right sort of a posse; because I warned Frank not to let him take a +single man that he suspected of feeling the least bit toward the +Walkers. But by now it seems like he had ought to have got a bunch of +gun-fighters together, and be along here, if he’s going to come at all.” + +“Perhaps the new sheriff has a case of cold feet right in the start!” +suggested Adrian. + +“Yes, that’s what I’m afraid of,” added Donald; “because I’ve known such +things to happen away down in Arizona. When this man hears how his very +first call is a summons to come and hit up against the Walker tribe, he +may find that he’s got some mighty important business at the other end +of the county; or that his wife is sick, and has wired for him to come +right home.” + +“No,” declared Mr. Comstock, “from all I’ve heard about this man he’s +the right sort. We had the time of our lives electing him; and +everybody’s been on tiptoe with excitement waiting to see how he panned +out. This business right here is going to make or break Jo Davies; and +it’s also bound to see the beginning of the end of either the Walker +bunch, or cattle raising in this same county; because nobody is going to +take all the chances, and then have their stock rustled.” + +“Watch out there, Uncle; for I believe I saw some sort of a light flash +up, and then disappear again,” Adrian said hurriedly, pointing as he +spoke; for the fires were still burning, and they could see fairly well +around the corrals. + +“Yes, I saw the same several times,” admitted Mr. Comstock. “I reckoned +that the rustlers might be passing certain signals along; because one +time it came out yonder to the east, and again it flashed up due +southwest. Those lights mean something; but of course we don’t know +what, because we haven’t got the key.” + +“What a long night this is going to be to us,” Adrian went on to remark, +as he stood and watched to see if there was any answering flash out +there on the prairie where everything was shrouded in darkness. + +“Sometimes I even wish they’d hurry up and do what they’re planning,” +pursued the old stockman, grimly. “I don’t like to be kept in suspense. +If the worst comes along you know what you’re up against; but now we +keep on waiting, and with every nerve strained as the minutes crawl +along into hours; and as you say, son, seems like the night would last +forever. If it’s going to be fight, why, let’s get it over with, and +then take stock of damages; but I do sure hope Hatch will be in the +thick of it, and get his.” + +And Adrian, knowing how his uncle must have been badgered during the +last year and more with the knowledge that his hands were tied, because +of his wife’s siding with her greedy relatives in their forays, could +not find it in his heart to blame Uncle Fred for this wish, even though +it could not be classed as pious. + +Yes, there would be no peace in that section until the chief offender +was either put behind prison bars, chased into another county, or else +“planted” under the prairie sod. + +It was now not far from being eleven o’clock. Adrian found this out by +consulting his little nickel time-piece. And supposing that the rustlers +were planning to make their attack about the middle of the night, it +would not be long delayed. + +“If only they knew that we had taken their four allies prisoners, and +that they need not expect help from any one inside our lines, it might +make some difference,” he went on to say. + +“Yes,” added Mr. Comstock, “because it goes without saying that they +expect help from the rear. When they give the signal they look to these +fellows to create a diversion, either by firing the balance of the hay, +or in some other way; and while we’re kept busy with them, the corrals +will be slashed wide open, and the stock run out. As it is, we’ll be in +condition to pay full attention to the rustlers who come in from the +front, so that they’re due for a surprise. That pleases me; and it’s all +due to your caging that lot of plotters in the house, son.” + +The scene was a remarkable one, with the fires burning, and the cattle +keeping up an almost incessant bellowing, just as though they knew that +unusual events were transpiring, and the fact excited them almost as +much as though they were in the midst of stampede, such as the three +Broncho Rider Boys had witnessed when having their first introduction to +the Walker method of building up a cattle ranch at small expense. + +Each defender of the corrals had been urged to pick out some place where +at the first sign of trouble he could find shelter, and which would +allow him to cover a certain stretch of territory, so that he could use +his gun on any rustler who had the boldness to show himself in the +firelight. + +The greatest danger that Mr. Comstock anticipated, was the fact that +should they find themselves cornered, it would be impossible to keep +adding fuel to the fires, so that gradually darkness might come upon the +scene, under cover of which the corral cutters could get to work, and +sever the barbed wire; as well as tear down the heavy poles that were +placed to show the cattle the barrier and allow them to keep clear of +the cruel points that would tear the flesh. + +The stockman had endeavored to provide against this emergency the best +he could. If other things failed perhaps those clouds that covered the +heavens might break, so as to allow the moon to shine, and thus afford +them all the light they needed. + +“We’d feel some better, I think,” remarked Donald, as the ranchman fell +silent, doubtless thinking of the many things he knew of that were +calculated to give him anxiety; “if only we knew that posse was +galloping this way as fast as their horses could carry them.” + +“I should say we would,” Adrian admitted; “and if it was daytime that +might be learned by making use of the field glasses; but now we couldn’t +tell until they were right in on top of us.” + +“Well, we used to have a way down where I came from, that is as old as +the hills,” Donald went on to say. “I remember one time when I was +trying it Billie up and declared that he’d read about the same dodge in +one of Cooper’s Leatherstocking stories of the woods in the old times +about Revolutionary days. I’ve got a good notion to try the thing right +now.” + +“No harm done anyhow,” argued Adrian, possibly more than half guessing +to what his chum referred. + +So what did the Arizona boy do but throw himself flat on his chest, and +place his ear on the ground. Yes, it _was_ an old idea, and one that has +served its purpose many a time. If you doubt how sound travels faster +and stronger along some such good conductor than through the air, the +first chance you have, after a train has passed, put your ear to the +rail, and you will find that you can hear the click of the wheels +passing over the joints long after the train has passed from sight, and +when not a sound can be caught otherwise. + +After lying thus for a minute or so Donald arose again. + +“Not much luck, I reckon?” remarked his chum, for Mr. Comstock had +passed on. + +“Well, not that you could call by that name,” returned Donald; “you see, +the cattle keep up such a trampling around, and making all sorts of +noises that it was pretty hard to get anything else. I did think, +though, I caught the whinny of a cayuse coming from out there in the +black somewhere; because our hosses are all safe in the stables, you +know, and the door locked in the bargain.” + +“Just as likely as not,” remarked Adrian; “for we feel pretty sure those +cattle rustlers are hanging out somewhere close by. If only we had a +searchlight so’s to throw it on them sudden-like, couldn’t we make the +lot scatter like partridges when we opened fire a few times? But if +Frank would only come along, and bring that posse, it would clear the +air a heap, believe me.” + +“It sure would; and here’s hoping that same will happen before it’s too +late,” was the way Donald expressed his sentiments. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +THE COMING OF THE RUSTLERS. + + +“You don’t think it’d pay for somebody to sneak out there and learn if +the rustlers are really hanging around?” suggested Donald, after some +time had crept on, without anything happening to change the conditions +as they existed. + +“No use, Donald,” said the other, immediately. “There’d always be more +or less risk that you’d get in a peck of trouble; and if the attack came +when you were away, why, we’d miss your helping hand.” + +“But I’d like to go the worst kind, Adrian.” + +“I’m right sure you would,” answered the other, quickly; “but the more +you get to thinking it over the sooner you’ll make up your mind that +it’d never pay. When I crawled into that house it was of prime +importance that we found out if those three renegades were hiding there, +waiting to attack us from the rear when we had our hands full of other +business. That was an important thing; but we already feel dead certain +that the Walkers are hanging out yonder, so what good could it do to +just crawl up and find this out? Perhaps, now, you’re thinking of +corraling the whole bunch, and beating my little game five times over, +eh, Donald?” + +“I give it up, Ad; so don’t speak of it again, please. Just as you say, +we feel they’re waiting out there, hidden by that measly gloom; and I +couldn’t really do any more than make sure of that. Forget it. I’m +wondering what their dodge’ll be when they get busy. I’ve known more’n a +few games being played by rustlers; but believe me, in all my life down +in Arizona, where the Mexicans come across the border and steal cattle, +to rush it over the line so that we can’t go after ’em, I never heard of +such boldness as these Walkers show. Why, they just up and tell a +ranchman they are in need of about sixty fat beeves, and that his seem +to fill the bill; so if he knows what’s good for him he’ll turn over and +go to sleep again, in case he wakes up some fine night, and hears a +stampede taking place outside where his corral lies. Yes, and they get +the habit, too, for they come back again and again.” + +“Well,” said Adrian, grimly, “something’s going to happen before morning +to make a change in this program, even if we’re left to fight it out +alone. If that posse only shows up it’s a dead certainty the end of the +Walker trail has come.” + +“How long now to midnight?” queried Donald. + +“You seem to have got your mind made up they’ve picked out that time to +begin work,” remarked the other, taking out his watch again. + +“Because I know the breed so well; perhaps that’s why,” the prairie boy +went on to say, positively; “they had to set some time, you see, so that +the other bunch in the ranch house would know when to get busy; and +somehow midnight seems to be the favored hour. Pretty close to that, +ain’t it, Adrian?” + +“I should say yes, because it’ll be here in ten minutes more, Donald.” + +“Well, I’m glad of that, because, to tell the truth I feel a heap like +Uncle Fred said he did; and the sooner we know the worst, the better. By +the way, have you seen Billie lately?” + +“That reminds me I haven’t; and I wonder what he’s doing with himself,” +Adrian went on to say; for events had chased after each other so quickly +that for the time being he had forgotten all about the stout chum. + +“We might take a walk around and see if he’s crawled into one of the +bunks over at the men’s quarters; because you know, Billie’s failing +next to stuffing at dinner time is trying to ‘make up for lost sleep,’ +as he calls it, though where he ever dropped any beats me. But as it’s +so near the time we look for trouble we’d better let things go as they +are. If there’s any shooting he’s bound to be waked up by Charley Moo, +who, you remember, is in there guarding the wounded fellow.” + +“That’s right,” replied Adrian, who often found this thing of looking +after the fat chum rather wearisome, and fancied Billie ought to be left +more frequently to take care of himself; since of late he had shown such +marked improvement that he must be considering it quite unnecessary to +have one of his chums forever holding out a helping hand, when they came +to a muddle of any sort. + +“Everything seems quiet over at the house where you left your +prisoners,” Donald next remarked, as he turned his head in that +direction. + +“Oh! not much danger of their breaking out through _that_ door,” Adrian +assured him. “Once or twice I’ve wondered whether the woman in her blind +rage would think to set fire to the place; hoping that she might get out +in that way; but those punchers would put a stop to any risky game like +that, I should think.” + +“They would if they had their right sense,” averred Donald; “because the +chances are three to one that instead of getting free they’d all be +smothered there in that store-room.” + +“Shall we make our stand here, and together?” asked the other, fingering +his repeating gun as though under the conviction that he must speedily +have use for the same. + +“That was the program, as I understood it,” replied Donald; “we’ve got +the choice place, too, where we can command a wide sweep; and when I +picked it out I was pretty sure the attack would swing down from out +yonder, though you never can tell where lightning’ll strike.” + +“Then let’s get down behind all this trash, and lie low,” suggested +Adrian; “for if they come riding along, they’ll be apt to send some lead +singing in this direction, you can be sure.” + +As they had before this time arranged certain nesting places in the +midst of the old lumber and such things, thrown into a great heap until +it could be taken away at some future date, all the boys had to do now +was to snuggle down. + +Then, resting their guns over the top of the barricade, they awaited +developments, still confident that they would soon have plenty of +excitement on their hands to satisfy any desire for action that might +exist in their venturesome young hearts. + +So the minutes dragged along, and at last Adrian announced that the hour +of midnight had really arrived. + +“They may come crawling up like snakes in the grass,” he said; “and +again, p’raps they’ll go galloping past like the Indians used to do, +down your way, when they had a caravan stalled—hiding behind their +horses, and banging away with their guns to beat the band.” + +“Well,” said Donald, firmly, “I hate to hurt a poor horse the worst +kind, as you know right well, Adrian; but if they go to trying that sort +of dodge, there’s only one way to break such a game up, and that’s to +drop their mounts so fast they’ll soon get sick of it.” + +“And when one of us does that, perhaps the other might get a chance to +send his compliments to the rustler when he goes pitching over the head +of his mount?” suggested Adrian, showing that he had fallen in with his +chum’s idea. + +“Good enough; and we’ll try that same if we get the opening. Now, let’s +watch out, so that no crawler gets in close enough to start cutting the +wire corral open. In some places it wouldn’t take only a few minutes at +most to slash things wide; and by the way the cattle keep moving around, +chances are they’d be pouring out through the gap before you could think +five times.” + +Again silence fell upon the two chums. Not the slightest sound came but +they listened carefully to place it, under the impression that it might +have a significance far beyond its apparent nature. + +“There, did you see that?” whispered Donald, suddenly. + +“That light flashed up three different times, sure it did,” replied the +other. + +“A signal different from any of the others, too,” added Donald. + +“And p’raps it means for them to come along; they’ll be apt to whoop it +up pretty lively too, mark my words; because they’ll expect their pals +in our camp to take notice, so they can carry out their part of the +slick game. What did I tell you, Donald?” + +The night was suddenly broken by a series of loud cowboy yells, such as +always cause the herd to take notice and show immediate signs of being +ready to stampede. Then came the pounding of horses’ hoofs on the +prairie, and the two Broncho Rider Boys, crouching there, waited to get +their first glimpse of the coming rustlers. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +WHEN THE SHERIFF CAME—CONCLUSION. + + +Quickly following these shouts the two boys could see moving figures, +that presently developed into galloping horses. They seemed to be +riderless until one looked more closely, when possibly a knee might be +discovered above the saddle, or it might be an arm was disclosed. + +Every fellow kept shouting at the top of his lungs, undoubtedly with a +two-fold object in view; for by this means they hoped to not only excite +the penned-up cattle, and work them into a fit condition for a stampede +the moment an opening was provided, but at the same time such a racket +was apt to alarm the defenders of the corrals, as well as bring their +confederates into the game. + +As they started to swing back and forth, now coming closer, and anon +falling more to the rear, these wild riders started shooting their +revolvers at a rapid rate. If there is one thing that a cow-puncher +dearly loves above all others it is an opportunity to pull the trigger +of his gun in quick succession, while he is shooting up some unlucky +town where they sell strong drink. + +And these rustlers were of that breed to a certainty, for they kept +things going at a pretty lively gait. + +“Let’s start in some ourselves!” cried Adrian in the ear of his chum; +for they had simply crouched there, watching what was going on, as +though it might be a free show organized for their especial benefit. + +Donald was only waiting for this word. He dropped his head close to the +butt of his rifle, and like a flash the report came. There was a horse +on the ground immediately, with his rider taking a flight through the +air so that he landed fully fifteen feet ahead. + +“Watch and see if he gets up; if he does let him have it!” said Donald, +already filled with the enthusiasm such a situation was apt to bring +about. + +The fellow could not have been badly hurt by his tumble, for he at once +started to scramble to his feet, as though meaning to either make off, +or else try and run for the shelter of the nearest corral, bent on doing +certain work that had been assigned to him beforehand. + +Adrian, seeing a good chance to disable him, fired so as to hit the +rustler in the leg. He went down in a heap, and the last glance they +cast his way they could see him hugging his injured limb as though all +the fight might have been taken out of him after that disaster. + +“Don’t stop there!” urged Donald. “We must teach the fools a lesson. +Wait till that fellow mounted on the big bay comes along again; because +somehow I’ve got a notion it may be Hatch Walker himself on that horse. +I’ve heard he rides a magnificent bay; and that animal sure is a dandy!” + +“Look there, you’re some too late!” shouted Adrian, himself full of +animation. + +“Yes, somebody else got ahead of me, and bowled the horse over as neat +as you please. But did you notice that shot, Adrian; didn’t it have a +sort of familiar ring to you? If I didn’t believe our chum Billie was +asleep in the bunk house right now I’d be willing to say that was his +rifle!” + +“And you’d hit the bull’s-eye plum center!” laughed the other; “because +there he is right now, standing up, and swinging his hat to let us know +he’s in the swim. And Donald, look at that fellow lying there where he +fell. It must be Hatch Walker, and he’s had his neck broken by the +tumble, or else is knocked senseless. Now, our game would be to play +safe; don’t let any of them swoop down and carry him off.” + +“I see what you mean,” echoed the other; “if so be we could get Hatch in +our power this business would stop right short. Without his guiding hand +the rustlers’d throw up the job, and never have the heart to stampede +another herd. There’s one fellow heading that way, and he’s just got to +be told to stop, or he’ll find himself hurt the same way as those +others!” + +Donald took a quick aim and fired. This time he could see well enough to +try and strike the leg that projected over the back of the galloping +horse. The conditions were all against him; but he must have touched the +rider enough to give him cause to change his mind about trying to carry +off the stunned leader; for the fellow suddenly whirled aside and went +furiously past. + +“There’s Billie running out to bag his game!” cried Donald, suddenly; +“he may be a fool, but we’ve just got to back him up, Ad; so let’s rush +it. When they see us coming perhaps the rest’ll get cold feet and skip +out!” + +It was a bold act, but by such tactics has many a battle been decided. +Seeing the three boys starting out toward the riders who were circling +around, others of the defenders of the corrals started after them. + +“Listen! what’s all that shouting going on?” cried Adrian, as he paused; +“can the rustlers be getting reinforcements?” + +“Not much, if I know what a cheer sounds like!” answered Donald; “but it +must be that sheriff’s posse, come up just in the nick of time. Give +them an answering whoop, Adrian, Billie, and then let’s capture that man +who rode the bay hoss; because unless I miss my guess that’s the king +pin of the lot, Hatch Walker himself!” + +Billie made wonderfully fast time in trying to reach the fallen man +first. + +“Surrender! The game is up, Hatch Walker!” he panted, as he presented +his rifle at the man, who was now beginning to move a little. + +“I’m all in, so don’t shoot!” called the other, feebly. + +Out from the darkness dashed a body of at least a dozen bold riders; and +as if they grasped the situation instantly each one seemed to pick a +certain rustler, and put after him at full speed. And to the delight of +the boys, the fickle moon thought best to sail out into an open space +above just then, allowing the pursuit to go on with more or less +success. + +Sheriff Jo Davies must have picked up the right kind of a posse for his +first trial of strength against the infamous Walkers, for they scattered +the band to the four winds of heaven; five were brought back as +prisoners, and the boys afterward learned that two had been badly +wounded, so that they were carried to the ranch to be looked after for +the time being. + +It certainly was the chief offender, Hatch himself, whom Broncho Billie +had dismounted by that lucky shot. He fell into the hands of the sheriff +who was determined to do his duty; and it might as well be said right +here that Hatch and all of his men who were captured received good long +sentences for rustling cattle; while the band was broken up for good, +never to come together again in that county while Jo Davies carried the +star of his office on his left breast. + +Of course the three who were hiding in the strong room were also taken +in hand, and would at least be warned never to show their faces again +around that cattle section. It was the sheriff himself who took the key, +and escorted the inmates of the store-room to the outside air. They +happened to arrive just when Mr. Thomas was begging Mr. Comstock to +allow him the use of a horse taken from the rustlers so that he could +accompany the posse back to town, in order to keep an engagement he had +just thought of. + +As the three renegades and the lady of the house suddenly appeared in +view the ragged pilgrim tried to escape observation; but there was a +shriek from Mrs. Fred, who, rushing forward, penned him in a corner; and +to the wonder of all the rest clasped her arms about him, voicing her +astonishment and delight: + +“Why, Thomas Smeed, then you ain’t dead after all, and that report was a +lie! I actually believe you got it up a purpose to deceive your lawfully +wedded wife, and make her believe she might be a widow. But after all I +reckon I was happier with you than I’ve been since I married that +fightin’ stockman, Fred Comstock. Course since you’re alive, and there +ain’t been no divorce, I’m still your own wife. No use trying to get +away, Thomas; you just _got_ to go with me, d’ye hear? I own a little +farm away down in Kansas that I bought with my savings; and there we’ll +go and try it all over again. So that’s settled, and a good riddance I +say. I likes a husband as don’t fight back when a lady wants something +done.” + +And sure enough, when she did leave Bar-S Ranch on the next morning, +with a wagonload of stuff which Mr. Comstock only too gladly allowed her +to take away, poor Thomas was sitting alongside on the seat, looking the +most forlorn man on earth. + +Of course all his actions were explained now, for as soon as he +discovered that the woman who had once made life miserable for him was +installed as the mistress of the ranch, his desire to take service with +Mr. Comstock had oozed from the tips of his fingers; and his only +thought was to escape without his identity being disclosed. + +But Fate had been too much for him; and Thomas had to be resigned. + +The stockman was acting like a boy, such was his delight at the way +things had turned out. Once again he was free, and a bachelor, with no +one to please but himself and his employer. Of course he immediately +made a new contract with his nephew; and from the way he took hold it +was certain that things would boom from that hour, until the Bar-S Ranch +far exceeded its most productive year. + +Before the three boys left things had all been cleared up, and peace +reigned in the county which had fast been becoming known as the most +riotous in all Wyoming. + +As Billie had many more months still ahead of him before he would be +expected to return home—and he might conclude to remain in the Wild +West, since it seemed to agree so well with him—it can be set down that +the three Broncho Rider Boys were bound to see further adventures in +company. Some day in the near future it may be our pleasing task to +again introduce these tried and true chums to the reader, and chronicle +some of their doings in the form of another series of stories that will +vie with these present ones in interest. Until such time then we will +have to say good-bye. + +THE END. + + + + +_SAVE THE WRAPPER!_ + +If you have enjoyed reading about the adventures of the new friends you +have made in this book and would like to read more clean, wholesome +stories of their entertaining experiences, turn to the book jacket—on +the inside of it, a comprehensive list of Burt’s fine series of +carefully selected books for young people has been placed for your +convenience. + +Orders for these books, placed with your bookstore or sent to the +Publishers, will receive prompt attention. + + + + +FRANK ARMSTRONG SERIES + +By Matthew M. Colton + +Six Exceptional Stories of College Life, Describing Athletics from Start +to Finish. For Boys 10 to 15 Years. + +Price, 50 cents each + +postage 10c extra + +Cloth Bound + +With Attractive Jackets in Colors. + + FRANK ARMSTRONG’S VACATION + FRANK ARMSTRONG AT QUEENS + FRANK ARMSTRONG’S SECOND TERM + FRANK ARMSTRONG, DROP KICKER + FRANK ARMSTRONG, CAPTAIN OF THE NINE + FRANK ARMSTRONG AT COLLEGE + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the +Publishers + +A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK + + + + +BORDER BOYS SERIES + +By Fremont B. Deering + +Mexican and Canadian Frontier Stories for Boys 12 to 16 Years. + +Price, 50 cents each + +Postage 10c extra + +With Individual Jackets in Colors. + +Cloth Bound + + BORDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL + BORDER BOYS ACROSS THE FRONTIER + BORDER BOYS WITH THE MEXICAN RANGERS + BORDER BOYS WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS + BORDER BOYS IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES + BORDER BOYS ALONG THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the +Publishers + +A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK + + + + +THE BOY TROOPERS SERIES + +By Clair W. Hayes + +Author of the Famous “Boy Allies” Series. + +The adventures of two boys with the Pennsylvania State Police. + +For Boys 12 to 16 Years. + +All Copyrighted Titles. + +Cloth Bound, with Attractive Cover Designs. + +Price, 50 cents each + +Postage 10c extra + + THE BOY TROOPERS ON THE TRAIL + THE BOY TROOPERS IN THE NORTHWEST + THE BOY TROOPERS ON STRIKE DUTY + THE BOY TROOPERS AMONG THE WILD MOUNTAINEERS + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the +Publishers + +A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK + + + + +BOYS OF THE ROYAL MOUNTED POLICE SERIES + +By Milton Richards + +A new series of stories of Adventure in the North Woods + +For Boys 12 to 16 Years + +Handsome Cloth Binding + +DICK KENT WITH THE MOUNTED POLICE + + Dick and his friend Sandy meet with ambush and desperate hand-to-hand + encounters while on a dangerous mission with the Canadian Mounted + Police. + +DICK KENT IN THE FAR NORTH + + Outwitting the notorious outlaw “Bear” Henderson with the help of + Malemute Slade, the two boys discover the secret of a lost gold mine. + +DICK KENT WITH THE ESKIMOS + + In their search, with the mounted police, for an escaped murderer, + Dick and Sandy have thrilling experiences with ice floes and animals + in the Arctic. + +DICK KENT, FUR TRADER + + On the trail with Corporal Rand, Dick Kent and his two associates + unravel the mystery of the fur thieves. + +DICK KENT WITH THE MALEMUTE MAIL + + Entrusted with the vaccine for an isolated trading post, Dick and his + friends win through in spite of incredible difficulties. + +DICK KENT ON SPECIAL DUTY + + Corporal Rand and his young recruits solve a mystery and find a hidden + treasure. + +A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK + + + + +THE BOY ALLIES + +(Registered in the United States Patent Office) + +WITH THE ARMY + +By Clair W. Hayes + +For Boys 12 to 16 Years. + +All Cloth Bound Copyright Titles + +In this series we follow the fortunes of two American lads unable to +leave Europe after war is declared. They meet the soldiers of the +Allies, and decide to cast their lot with them. Their experiences and +escapes are many, and furnish plenty of good, healthy action that every +boy loves. + + THE BOY ALLIES AT LIEGE; + or, Through Lines of Steel. + THE BOY ALLIES ON THE FIRING LINE; + or, Twelve Days’ Battle Along the Marne. + THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE COSSACKS; + or, A Wild Dash Over the Carpathians. + THE BOY ALLIES IN THE TRENCHES; + or, Midst Shot and Shell Along the Alsne. + THE BOY ALLIES IN GREAT PERIL; + or, With the Italian Army in the Alps. + THE BOY ALLIES IN THE BALKAN CAMPAIGN; + or, The Struggle to Save a Nation. + THE BOY ALLIES ON THE SOMME; + or, Courage and Bravery Rewarded. + THE BOY ALLIES AT VERDUN; + or, Saving France from the Enemy. + THE BOY ALLIES UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES; + or, Leading the American Troops to the Firing Line. + THE BOY ALLIES WITH HAIG IN FLANDERS; + or, The Fighting Canadians of Vimy Ridge. + THE BOY ALLIES WITH PERSHING IN FRANCE; + or, Over the Top at Chateau Thierry. + THE BOY ALLIES WITH MARSHAL FOCH; + or, The Closing Days of the Great World War. + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the +Publishers + +A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK + + + + +THE GOLDEN BOYS SERIES + +By L. P. Wyman, Ph.D. + +Dean of Pennsylvania Military College. + +A new series of instructive copyright stories for boys of High School +Age. + +Handsome Cloth Binding. + +Price, 50 cents each + +Postage 10c extra + + THE GOLDEN BOYS AND THEIR NEW ELECTRIC CELL + THE GOLDEN BOYS AT THE FORTRESS + THE GOLDEN BOYS IN THE MAINE WOODS + THE GOLDEN BOYS WITH THE LUMBER JACKS + THE GOLDEN BOYS RESCUED BY RADIO + THE GOLDEN BOYS ALONG THE RIVER ALLAGASH + THE GOLDEN BOYS AT THE HAUNTED CAMP + THE GOLDEN BOYS ON THE RIVER DRIVE + THE GOLDEN BOYS SAVE THE CHAMBERLAIN DAM + THE GOLDEN BOYS ON THE TRAIL + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the +Publishers + +A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK + + + + +THE RANGER BOYS SERIES + +By Claude H. La Belle + +A new series of copyright titles for Boys 12 to 16 years telling of the +adventures of three boys with the Forest Rangers in the state of Maine. + +Handsome Cloth Binding. + +Price, 50 cents each + +Postage 10c extra + + THE RANGER BOYS TO THE RESCUE + THE RANGER BOYS FIND THE HERMIT + THE RANGER BOYS AND THE BORDER SMUGGLERS + THE RANGER BOYS OUTWIT THE TIMBER THIEVES + THE RANGER BOYS AND THEIR REWARD + +For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the +Publishers + +A. L. 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