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Donated by the
Grand Rap1ds Pubhc Library
The May G Qmgley
Collectwn
of Chrldren s Lrterature
December 2001
The Umversltv of Mlchlgan Dearborn
Mardxglan Llbrary
_





_
_
_
_
_
“AND WIN HE DID."
Boy Ranchers on Roaring River. Page 15.


_
_
THE
Bov RANCHERS
om ROARING RIVER
on
Diamond X and the Chinese Smugglers
By
WILLARD F. BAKER
Author of “The Boy Ranchers," “The Boy Ranchers in
Cong,” “The Boy Ranchers at Spur Creek,”
‘ he Boy Ranchers in the Desert,” Etc.
ILL USTRA TED
NEW YORK
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY
_
_


THE BOY RANCHERS SERIES
_
By WILLARD F. BAKER
12mo. Cloth. Frontispicce
_
THE BOY RANCHERS
Or Solving the Mystery at Diamond X
THE BOY RANCHERS IN CAMP
Or the Water Fight at Diamond X
THE BOY RANCHERS ON THE TRAIL
Or Diamond X after Cattle Rustlers
THE BOY RANCHERS AMONG THE
INDIANS
Or Diamond X Trailing the Yaquis
THE BOY RANCHERS AT SPUR CREEK
Or Diamond X Fighting the Sheep Herders
THE BOY RANCHERS IN THE DESERT
Or Diamond X and the Lost Mine
THE BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING
RIVER
Or Diamond X and the Chinese Smugglers
Other volumes in preparation
_
_
CUPPLES 8: LEON COMPANY, New York
_
Covvmonr, 1926, BY
Commas & Leon Com>/my
_
THE Boy RANCHERS on Romuno Rxvm
Printed in U. S. A.
_


CQNTENTS
onnnn
S<§gE:--1|-|
A DANGEROUS MISSION . . . . . . .
A STRANGE DIsAPPEARAIwE. . .
A SUsPIcIoUs VIsIToR . . . . . . . .
THE HIDDEN GUNMAN . . . . . . . .
ARRIVAL AT THE RANCH . . . . . . .
THE THREAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
VII A SHEEPLEss SHEEP RANCH. . .
VIII CYCLONE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DELTON RETURNS . . . . . . . . . . . .
BUD Fmns A NoTE . . . . . . . . . . .
J0E HAwRII~Is’s VIsIT. . . . . -
QEESNMFJ
TRAPPED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To-M0RR0w NIGHT .. -
BILLEE DOER’s STORY. . . . . . . . .
XVI BUD ’s EscAPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
XVII A NIGHT OF WAITING . . . . . . . . .
XVIII SMUGGLING OPERATIONS . . . . . .

THE SToRY or SMUGGLING. . . .O .
PAGE
1
10
18
26
34
42
50
60
68
77
86
93
102
111
120
130
139
147


CONTENTS
CHAPTER
XIX
XX
XXI
XXII
XXIII
XXIV
XXV
PAGE
THE CHASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Down AND OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
CLOSING IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
FLYING BULLETS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
A RING OF FIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Tm: RATTLING BUCKBOARD . . . . . . . 195
_Ym.Lm’ Km FmDs HIS Bnonc . . . . 204


THE BOY RANCHERS
ON ROARING RIVER
CHAPTER I
A DANGEROUS MISSION
“ OLD up there, you pint 0’ peanuts!
H Hold up, I say! Well, for the love of
spread eagle! I suppose you boys
are lookin’ for a job; eh?”
The speaker, a typical, raw-boned cowboy,
looked down from his pony at three boys seated
on a bench at the side of the cook-house.
“Whether we are or not, we ’ve got it, Kid,”
answered one of the seated trio, a well set-up
youth with light hair. “And the funny part of
it is, we don’t know what the job is.”
“Huh! Got a job and you don ’t know what
it is? Well, Nort, guess I’ll have to look into
this,” and the cowboy whom Nort addressed as
“Kid”—or, to give him his full nick-name,
“Yellin’ Kid”—swung' lightly from his saddle.
“Hold up there, you pony, you!” this as the
Kid’s mount started to prance about wildly.
“Just got this here dust-raiser, and she ain’t
1


A DANGEROUS MISSION 8
_
XO___v_ ‘5 ew P " ' '1 '7 -__g—_~__'_-_‘_-_-O—~ O- :;.:O;.::_'=\i¢O;._-.O-
_
Well, we sent four of our men to ride ’em in. I
went along with ’em. We started about sun-up,
calculatin’ to reach the Double-O before night,
and everything was lovely. ’Long about noon
we reached the gorge near Galgo. I suggested
we ride the cattle as far from the gorge as we
could get, ’cause I know how easy a herd of
long-horns are started. But no, nothin’ would
do Sam Holiday but going as near to the big
cut as possible, to save time. Sa.m’s our new
foreman, you know, and I didn’t want to assert
myself over him. So we drove ’em close to the
edge. I told Sam once or twice to keep away-
bnt oh, no! everything would be all right, and
we’d have the cattle in by five o’clock. Well,
we had ’em in by five o’clock all right. But
not at the Double-O!
“Just as we were passing the deepest part of
the cut we heard a most awful Bang! and I
knew in a minute what it was. Stump-blasting.
Yes, I knew what it was—but the cattle didn't.
And nobody had time to tell them, either. The
steers on the extreme right made a sudden
lunge——and in three minutes it was all over.
Nothin’ left but an old cow who broke her leg in
the first rush. And the rest—every blessed one
of ’em—two hundred feet down, lyin’ dead or
dyin’ in the bottom of the gorge ! ”
The Kid was the first to break in on the mo-
rose stillness Dick ’s speech had invoked.
“Well now, say, boys, that ’s right sorrowful
-O1


4 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
—yes, sir, that ’s what I call right sorrowful! I
sure am sorry for you-all! A whole herd of
cattle gone to the dogs! Well, well—that’s sad.
Say, is there anything I can do t0—you know,
sort of help out—like, well, maybe——”
“No thanks, Kid,” spoke up Dick quickly.
His glance told the Kid that he realized what
the half-spoken offer meant. In the west one
man understands his friend more by feeling
than by words. “Real good of you to ofi'er,
though. No, I guess we’ll make out all right.
Can’t have easy riding all the time. I imagine
Mr. Merkel has something for us to do. He sent
for us to come over to his ranch. So here we
are. That was the job I told you about.”
“A blind job, hey? Well, I guess it’s O. K.
or the boss wouldn ’t be mixed up in it. Anyway,
here ’s your chance to find out. Here comes Mr.
Merkel now.”
A tall, pleasant-faced man, hair slightly
grayed at the temples, strode out of the ranch-
house toward the four waiting cowboys. His
resemblance to Bud—especially around the eyes
—was easily noticeable.
“Hello, Nort and Dick! How are you, son?
Say, boy, you’re getting hard as a rock! What
have you men been feeding Bud—leather? He
sure l0oks- as though it was coming through!”
The kindly eyes of the older man lighted with
pride as he grasped the hand of his son.
“No, Dad—I guess hard luck toughened me


A DANGEROUS MISSION 5
_
_
up,” said Bud, but his smile belied the meaning
of his words.
“Yes, I heard about your accident, boys—and
that ’s partly why I sent for you. I thought you
might have time to do a little business for me.”
“Well, I guess I’ll step along, Mr. Merkel,”
the Kid said, as he realized he might be intrud-
ing on a private conversation. “I got that
fence fixed up all right.”
“Did you? Good! No, Kid, you stay right
here. You’re in on this too. Where’s Billee
Dobbi I want him to hear what I have to say.”
“He ’s ’round back, boss. I’ll get him.”
“Bring him in the house, Kid. My room.
Come on, boys—we’ll get settled inside and wait
for the Kid and Billee.”
As the boys followed Mr. Merkel each one
wondered what it was all about. Dick voiced
the thought of all as he whispered:
“Say, what’s up? You know, Bud?”
“Nope! I’m as much in the dark as you are.
Dad never said anything to me. We’ll soon
know, though.”
By this time they had reached the ranch-
house. As soon as the Kid arrived with Old
Billee Dobb—a grizzled product of ranching
who had been with the Diamond X from its
start—Mr. Merkel motioned them to be seated
and began:
“I reckon the first thing you men want to
know is the reason for this gathering. Well, it ’s
I


6 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
-_ 1
_
nothing very mysterious. I bought a sheep
ranch out near Roaring River, and I want you
five to take hold of it for me. Now—just a
minute. I know what you ’re going to say, Kid
—that sheep nursing is no job for a cowman.
But you haven ’t heard the rest of it. There ’s
been some very funny things happening out
near that ranch. I’ve had a letter from the
government ofiicial over at Candelaria asking
whether I intend to manage those sheep, myself,
and if I do would I let him know before I take
charge. Now, I’m not going to say just What
is the trouble, as I’m not actually sure myself.
But I have a hunch. And that ’s the reason I
want you five—men I can trust—to take charge
there. Will you?”
His listeners looked at each other. In the
eyes of each—with the possible exception of Old
Billee Dobb—the light of adventure was shining.
Whatever scruples the Kid had about “sheep
nursing” had vanished with the word “trou-
ble.” And he was the first to speak:
“Sure we will! What do you say, boys? Do
we go out? How about it, Dick and Nort?
What do you say, Bud? Billee here is just
achin’ for the experience!” And the Kid
laughed, for Billee D0bb’s tendency to pretend
displeasure at every change of conditions was
well known.
“Yes I am—not! Like as not we’ll all get
shot full of holes. But if you fellers want to


A DANGEROUS MISSION 7
go—guess I’ll have to trail along to take care
of you-all!”
“Listen to him—Just try to hold him back
if there ’s any shootin’ goin’ on!”
“Then I take it you ’ll go?" Mr. Merkel asked.
“Yes, Dad—I’m sure we ’ll all be glad to
take charge out there for you,” answered Bud.
“I don’t suppose you could tell us any more
about this government business now?”
“I’m afraid not, son—I want to be sure of my
ground before I make any statements. Well, I
guess that ’s settled. You ’ll leave to-morrow.”
Since this was the last night the Kid and Old
Billee were to spend on the Diamond X, it
seemed fitting to the rest of the boys that there
should be some sort of an entertainment. An
entertainment to a cowboy means principally
music—so after supper the boys gathered
around a roaring log fire and sang themselves
hoarse. After Slim Degnan, the foreman, and
Fat Milton, his chubby assistant, had rendered
their duet, and Snake Purdee had given his
famous imitation of a prima donna singing
“Bury Me Not,” Bud, with Nort and Dick,
decided to take a stroll about the place to see if
anything had changed. Their own particular
ranch was several miles removed from Diamond
X, owned by Mr. Merkel.
“See your Dad got a new building up,” ob-
served Dick, as they came to a newly-painted
shack, clearly visible in the bright moonlight.
_


A DANGEROUS MISSION 9
_
grammatically. “No use hanging around here
any longer. We’ve got to get started early in
the morning, and it might be a good idea to get
in a little bunk-fatigue. Let ’s hit the hay,
boys !” And wondering and speculating on the
meaning of what they had seen and heard, the
three went to bed.
The next day dawned clear and cool, and the
boys arose with the sun. On their way down
to breakfast they met the Yellin’ Kid. He was
evidently the bearer of startling tidings, as his
face was more flushed than usual, and his eyes
were shining with excitement.
“Heard the news?” he burst out. Then,
without waiting for an answer, he went on:
“The marshal at Roaring River has been shot
by a gang of Chink smugglers! They captured
one, but the rest got away with an auto load of
Chinks! Roaring River, boys—that’s where
we’re going!”
Chink smugglers! That conversation in the
new bunk house last night—in a flash it all
came back to the boys.
“Say, Dick, I’ll bet that ’s what we heard the
Mex talking about!" cried Bud.


onsrrna II ,
A STRANGE DISAPPEABANOI
ELLIN’ KID looked at Bud in surprise.
i “You heard someone talkin’ about this
here shootin’, Bud?” he asked.
“Not exactly about the shooting of the mar-
shal, but last night Nort and Dick and myself
were wandering down by the new shack that
Dad put up, and inside two men were talking—
one of them was a Mexican. We heard this Mex
say something about getting some money for
the delivery of Chinks. That sure means smug-
gling, doesn’t it?”
“That’s what it means all right. Couldn’t
you see who the two men were “I ” the Kid wanted
to know.
“We tried to, but they got away,” said Dick.
“We went in the front door and they ran out
the back.”
“Aw say, do you know what I think, fellows?
I’ll bet what we heard was just some rancher
asking a friend to send him a Chinese cook,”
suggested Nort, with a faint grin.
“Cook, hey? Why did they sneak in a
deserted bunk house to talk about a cook? And
10


A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE 11
_
_
how about that remark of ‘double crossin’1’
And what did they run for! Why?” demanded
Dick.
“Oh, all right—all right!” cried Nort, who
was now grinning widely. “Have it your own
way, Dick. It was probably a great Mexican
plot to send a million Chinese to this country
and form an army to capture Texas. And after
they captured Texas they’d set up a kingdom
and the king would have Snake Purdee sing
‘Bury Me Not’ for him every morning before
breakfast.”
“You can jolly all you like, Nort—just the
same, I’m willing to lay odds that we see some
excitement when we reach Roaring River. Let ’s
go, boys—that bacon will be frozen by the time
we get to breakfast.” And Dick led the way
toward the dining room.
Although they were cautioned several times
by “Ma” Merkel to eat more slowly, the boys
hurried through the meal. Each of them was
“rarin’ to go,” as Kid expressed it, and linger-
ing over the ordinary occupation of eating
seemed a waste of time. Within an hour the
five——Bud Merkel, Nort and Dick Shannon,
Yellin’ Kid and Old Billee Dobb—were stand-
ing by their ponies, ready to spring to the
saddles and be off.
There was a sudden cloud of dust as the five
urged their mounts into a gallop. With one last
yell to those watching, they streaked across the


12 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
ground in a typical “cowboy start.” Within
two minutes they were lost to view behind a
ridge.
Now for a moment let us leave them while we
learn something of their earlier adventures.
The three boys, Bud Merkel, and his eastern
cousins Nort and Dick Shannon, were intro-
duced to you in the first book of this series,
called “The Boy Ranchers; or Solving the
Mystery at Diamond X.” In that book was re-
lated how Nort and Dick Shannon went on their
vacations to the Diamond X ranch, owned by
Mr. Merkel, Bud’s father. While there they
were confronted with a strange situation, re-
garding the searchings of a college scientist, D.
Hendryx \Vright, who was discovered digging
near the Diamond X holdings. At first it was
thought that he was looking for a lost gold
mine, but later developments brought to light
the fact that his purpose was to unearth the
bones of a prehistoric monster for his college
museum.
The adventures of the boys while on the
ranch were also concerned with Del Pinzo, a
villainous half-breed, who nearly succeeded in
bringing the career of all to a sudden close.
After successfully overcoming all their diflicul-
ties, Nort and Dick decided to form a partner-
ship with their cousin Bud, and they located on
a ranch in “ Happy Valley” which Bud ’s father
bought for them. -


A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE 13
_
In the several volumes following was related
how the boy ranchers went to camp, and how
they took the trail, and the exciting times they
had in rounding up a band of Yaqui Indians
who had escaped from their reservation and
were raising havoc with the neighboring terri-
tory. Following this the boys went to Spur
Creek, where they had many startling adven-
tures among the sheep herders. The book
immediately preceding this present one is
called “The Boy Ranchers in the Desert,” and
tells of the difiiculties they had in their search
for some lost gold.
After the first wild dash, the five travelers
pulled their ponies into that long loping stride
which carries the cowboy for days and days
over many miles. Bud and Dick were in the
lead, with Nort and Kid and Old Billee Dobb
following close behind.
“Say, Kid,” Bud called back, after a while,
“what would you do if you saw a smuggler come
along now with a herd of Chinks with him? ”
“Tell you what I'd do, Bud,” Yellin’ Kid
replied, “I’d stop the Chinks and find out what
happened to a shirt I sent out to be washed the
last time I was in Dallas !”
“You mean that shirt with the yellow dots on,
Kid?” Dick asked with a grin. “If that ’s the
one, I can tell you what became of it. They
thought it was an oil painting that got in the


A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE 15
“All right. Tell you what—we '1l start from
here, and the last man there has to kiss a
sheep!”
“Right! All set? Ready—go!”
‘ ‘ Ye-e-e-ow ! ’ ’
“Yip-YiP-Yip-Yipee-99 !"
“Ride ’em cowboy!”
“Leggo that leather!”
‘ ‘ Gangway—gangway ! ’ ’
The five riders flashed over the ground almost
on a line. Kid’s mount was running easily,
head well up. Dick pulled a little ahead. Nort
just touched his pony with the spurs, and in a
moment he was even with Dick. There was a
sudden rush behind them—and Old Billee Dobb,
hat fanning his pony’s withers, hair streaming
in the wind, streaked to the front!
“Look at the old boy go!”
“Stay at it, Billee—stay at it!"
“Two bits he wins!”
And win he did. He reached the bush a full
length ahead of the others, who were laughing
so hard they could hardly stay on their horses.
The spectacle of the gaunt, elderly man sitting
straight up in the saddle, teeth clenched and
bowed legs wrapped around his pony, was too
much for them. They leaned on their pommels
weakly and roared with laughter.
“Atta boy, Billee!”
“Golly—did you see the old boy streak it
out!” '
_
F


16 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“Oh, cracky! hold me up, somebody, or I’ll
fall off !”
“Now—who’s gettin’—old!” panted Billee.
“Beat me, hey‘? Not in—a million years!”
“What do you say, boys-—-we give Billee a
salute!”
Four guns flashed out of the holsters and were
raised aloft.
((Bang!7!
They roared as one.
“Sure sounds like a celebration,” chuckled
Nort as he blew the few remaining grains of
burnt powder from his smoking barrel, and
replaced the gun. “Billee, accept my congratu-
lations!”
“Granted, youngster—if that ’s what I’m
supposed to say,” Billee retorted, his eyes
twinkling. “And just remember—a man's not
old out here until he can’t ride no more.”
“You look as though you might be good for
several hundred yearsvyet, if that ’s the case,”
laughed Dick. “Anyway, you sure showed me
a few things. Say, that race made me pretty
thirsty. Is there a water hole near here, Kid,
or shall I use my canteen?”
“Save it—I think I can find water for you.
Guess the ponies could use a little too. Let’s
see now—’pears to me there should be a water
hole right over here to the left. You boys stay
here while I go look. Be back in a jifiy.”
Leaving the four on the trail, Yellin’ Kid


A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE 17
_
rode swiftly away to the left. Water holes are
few and far between in that section, and a cow-
boy who rides a country a great deal knows the
location of every single one. Often that knowl-
edge means the saving of a human life.
The Kid had been gone ten minutes when Bud
said:
“Thought Yellin’ Kid said he ’d be right back!
I guess he’s all right though. He knows the
country about here pretty well, doesn't he,
Billee?”
“Like the palm of his hand, Bud—like the
palm of his hand! But maybe his pony broke
his leg in a prairie dog hole—seein’ as how it ’s
a new pony, he might do that. Tell you~—-I '11
just have a look. You fellows wait here for
me.”
The three boys watched Billee ride ofi in the
direction the Kid had taken. It was a deserted,
lonesome place.
Fifteen minutes later Billee rode back—alone.
“The Kid show up yet?” he asked as he
pulled up.
“No—-couldn’t you find him?” Dick asked, a
look of anxiety on his face.
“Nope! Neither hide nor hair! Something
sure must have happened. The Kid isn’t one to
go wanderin’ ofi and get lost. I’m afraid he ’s
in trouble, boys!”


CHAPTER HI
A SUSPICIOUS vIsrron
I ‘ '\HE three looked at each other in alarm.
“Golly, I never thought anything could
happen to the Kid,” Bud said slowly.
“He was brought up in this country, and always
said he could find his way about blindfolded.”
“Perhaps the water hole was farther away
than he thought,” suggested Nort hopefully.
“It ’s easy for any man to go astray on a matter
of distance, you know.”
“Well, maybe—but I doubt it. VVhat I think
happened is that his pony stumbled into a hole
and lamed hisself. Well—we’ll have to go look-
ing for him, that’s all. Nort, you and Dick
branch out here to the right. Bud, you take the
left trail. I'll try straight ahead. Now re-
member your trails, boys—we don’t want no
more accidents to happen. We ’ll all meet here
in one hour. If anything happens, fire three
shots. Git along there!” And Billee Dobb,
together with the rest set out to find Yellin’ Kid
who was so mysteriously and unaccountably
lost.
in


A SUSPICIOUS VISITOR 19
_
Nort, who was riding with Dick, was the first
to pick up a possible clew.
“Looks as though someone passed here in a9
hurry,” he said as he pointed to a newly beaten
path through some heavy brush. “Now if I
was just going along easy like I’d have ridden
’round that bush. The pony that went through
there got a few scratches.” _
“Wonder if it could have been the Kid?”
Nort mused. “Though why he should be in
such an all-fired hurry I can ’t understand. Un-
less he was chasing someone.
“Or being chased,” Dick added.
“Perhaps he met a smuggler, Dick.”
“Smuggler—’way up here? Not a chance!
Say, N ort, you’ve got smugglers on the brain.
You seem to think they ride around with big
signs pinned on them—‘ I am a smuggler-
shoot me9’ Suppose the Kid did meet a.
smuggler—how’d he know him from any other
man?”
“That’s right-—guess he wouldn’t,” admit-
ted Nort, a trifle shamefacedly. “But you know
what he told us about that marshal being shot. ”
“Oh, yes, but marshals get shot nearly every
day, somewhere—and maybe it wasn’t a Chink
smuggler that shot him after all—maybe it was
just an ordinary gang of rustlcrs.”
“Well, you can say what you like, Dick, but
'[’ll lay odds we see some excitement when we
reach Roaring River.”


20 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“We’ll see some excitement sooner than that,
if we don’t find the Kid. See here—if he made
this trail, he was going fast—and in this direc-
tion. Let’s get on our way.”
“Better go back, do you think?” Nort asked
as he looked up toward the sun. “We ’ve been
gone at least an hour, and Billee said to return
within that time.”
“Yes,” Dick responded, a little sadly, for he
and Yellin’ Kid were close friends. “I sure
hope the Kid ’s all right. Perhaps some of the
others picked him up.”
“Perhaps. Let’s hope so. At any rate, we
haven ’t had much success—and I doubt even
that the torn brush we saw was done by the
Kid.”
“Can’t tell, he may have ridden through
there and then taken a sudden turn to the right
or left. Or back again, for that matter. Well,
let ’s get started. ”
As the two arrived at the agreed meeting
place there was no need to ask the others if they
had had any luck. The Kid was nowhere in
sight.
“We saw a trail through some bushes that
might have been made by the Kid, Billee,” said
N ort to the old rancher.
“Yes, and it might have been made by any
number of other things, too,” Billee declared, in
a despondent tone. “Not that I am sure it
wasn’t the Kid ’s trail. It might have been-


A SUSPICIOUS VISITOR 21
_
but that doesn’t help us much. N o, I guess the
only thing for us to do is to go right on lookin’
—-and hopin’ he ’s O. K.”
It was almost dusk when the four gathered
together again. The Kid was still missing, and
anxiety was written on the faces of all as they
prepared to camp for the night. Each man
carried a blanket with him, and also a small
snack of food and a canteen of water. As dark-
ness settled down a fire was started, and hud-
dled in their blankets the boy ranchers prepared
to make the best of it.
The silence of the night hung close over the
four blanketed figures. The firelight threw
weird shadows about them, but above the stars
shone calmly on, quietly reassuring. A light
breeze rustled softly through the mesquite
bushes. Now and then a coyote yowled in the
distance.
Suddenly Bud jerked upright. He nudged
Dick, who was lying beside him.
“Dick!” he whispered, so as not to disturb
the others, “do you hear anything?”
“Eh? \Vhat? What’s that? You speak to
me?” Dick muttered sleepily.
“Listen! Can ’t you hear a noise like a horse
walking?”
Dick sat up, now wide awake.
“Say, I believe I do! Wait a minute——” and
he tossed some wood on the fire-“let's have
a look!”


22 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“Kid?” Bud called hopefully.
The approaching pony gave a sudden leap
forward.
“Yea boy!” yelled its rider. “Home again!”
“It is the Kid!” Dick cried exultingly.
“Nort! Billee! The Kid_O’s back!”
In a moment Yellin’ Kid was surrounded by
the four who shot questions at him as fast as
they could talk.
“Where in the name of the spread eagle have
you been!”
‘ ‘What happened?”
“Did you get lost?”
“Are you all right?”
“Hey, hey! Not so fast! Gimme time!
Wait ’til I get down off this here pony. Oh,
baby—that feels good. ” And the Kid stretched
long and high. “What a ride! Say—got any-
thing to eat?”
“Sure! Sink your teeth in this,” Billee said,
handing him a cold beef sandwich from his kit.
“And here’s some water. Are you all right,
Kid?”
“Me! Sure! Except tired and hungry.
Been ridin’ most of the day an’ night. S’pose
you-all would like to know what it ’s all about,
hey?”
“Well, if you haven ’t anything to do at pres-
ent, you might let us in on the secret. We
looked all over Texas for you,” Dick said,


A SUSPICIOUS VISITOR 28
_
grinning, happy now, that their lost comrade
had returned.
“Just a second while I put this little paint
pony of mine over with the others. Old boy—
you sure had some journey to-day!” and the
Kid rubbed the horse’s nose. “Stood up well,
too. To-morrow I'll give you a big feed—what
you need now is rest—like me. Well, boys,
guess I’ll turn in.”
“You’ll what?”
“You will not—not until we hear what
happened!”
“He ’ll turn in—well for the love of Pete!”
“All right boys—all right!” the Kid laughed.
“Seems you want to hear something about my
trip, hey? Well, to start from the beginning,
the day dawned clear an’ bright. The wind
was ticklin’ my ears as I rode——”
“Cut it out!”
“Let’s have the story, you locoed dust-
raiser!”
“All right, we’ll cut the kiddin’. Tell you
what really happened. I found the water hole
where I thought it would be, and I found some-
thing else, too. There was a horse standin’
near it, and by the side of the horse was a Chink
—on his hands an’ knees, crawlin’ around on
the ground. Thinks I, here ’s a crazy man. So
I rides up slow, and when I got up close I asks
the Chink what he ’s lookin’ for. He don ’t pay
no attention to me whatever. I gets ofi my


24 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
horse and says it again. Then the crazy Chink
looks up at me and says “Chock Gee.” That’s
all. Just “Chock Gee.” Me, not knowin’
Chinese, I can’t tell what he ’s after. But I see
it won’t do no good to insist on knowin’ so I
starts to help him up, thinking maybe he’s hurt.
Soon as I touched him, what does the crazy
Chink do but jump like a cat for his saddle, give
my paint a terrible crack with his quirt, and set
ofi like a scared rabbit, my pony after him,
leavin’ me stranded, high an’ dry!”
The Kid looked at his eager listeners and
grinned.
“That new pony of mine—she’s sure got
some speed. She was out of sight in two
seconds. An’ then, boys—I had to depend on
the ole legs! So I went huntin’ for her. Caught
her about four miles from where her an’ me
parted company. Then I went huntin’ for you-
all, but you was nowheres to be found. And
from then ’til now, I was ridin’ around, lookin’
for you.”
“And the Chink—what happened to him? ’ ’
“Blessed if I know! But if I ever see him
again I’ll give him something to remember me
‘by_”
“ So that ’s where you were all that time! We
thought you ’d been blown to Dallas on a cycloneO
Anyway, we’re glad you ’re back. Reckon you
could stand a little sleep, eh?” Bud said.
“You bet. I’ll sling my blanket down by you,


_ A SUSPICIOUS VISITOR 25
_
Dick, and we ’ll get started for Roarin’ River
as early as possible. It's still a good ways
ahead. Good night, boys!”
“Hey, you men!”
From the darkness came a sudden voice. All
five turned swiftly, five hands reaching for re-
volvers together. Into the firelight rode a tall
horseman.
“Hey, boys!” he called again. “Any of you
see a Chink wanderin’ around here?"


CHAPTER IV
THE HIDDEN GUNMAN
“ HO wants to know?” the Kid asked,
staring hard at the mounted visitor,
his hand firm on the butt of his gun.
“Now, boys, take it easy—take it easy! I’ve
got good reason’s for wantin’ to know, which
same I’]l explain if you give me a chance. If
you don’t mind I think I’ll park here for the
time bein’.” And he dismounted and came
closer.
By the light of the fire the ranchers saw a
tall, rangy cowboy of about forty. Two deep-
set eyes above a hooked nose gave him a hard-
ened, desert look which his manner emphasized.
He was, evidently, one to whom life had proved
anything but a pink tea party. Yet, withal, he
had something about him which seemed to
inspire trust.
“Well, stranger, you’re welcome, but we
haven ’t much to offer,” Bud said. “We weren’t
expecting to camp to-night, and we ’re some-
what shy on provisions. But I guess we can
rustle up something for you.”
“No need of that—no need of that at all,”
26


THE HIDDEN GUNMAN 2'7
_
the stranger heartily assured them. “All I
want is a little information. Guess I'd better
introduce myself first. I’m Joe Hawkins, spe-
cial deputy over at Roaring River.”
The others exchanged glances in the dim light
of the fire as the visitor continued:
“Here’s my badge. Don ’t know whether you
heard about the trouble we had, but if you
didI_1’t, I’ll tell you. Roaring River is right on
the Mexican border, you know, and there ’s been
a lot of Chink smugglin’ goin’ on, with Roaring
River as the key to the whole smugglin’ situ-
ation, so to speak. We don’t know who ’s the
boss of these smugglers, but we’d give a lot to
find out. Two thousand dollars, to be exact.
“Well, anyway, two days ago we had a tip
that a car-load of Chinese was about to be
rushed over the border just outside of town
limits. So we got all set. Sheriff Townley and
me and three other deputies hid in the bushes
where we thought the car was goin’ to pass.
But we lost out.
“The car came by all right—and we hopped
into the roadway to stop them. They never
stopped a-tall. Goin’ like a crazy steer they
flew by on two wheels, lettin’ ride with every
gun they had. Got poor Townley good. We
buried him yesterday. So—now you know what
it ’s all about.”
“And the car—did you see it again?” Dick
asked excitedly.


28 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“No-—-but last night a Chink came to town
and got oiled-up on pulque, and said a few things
more than he meant to. When I jumped him
he lit out for the open spaces. This morning I
thought I’d take a look around, and see if I
could spot him. Sure enough I did, but the old
yellow-skin got away before I could reach him.
I don ’t suppose you boys saw anything of him? ”
“Well now, that’s mighty strange,” drawled
the Kid. “It so happens that I did see your
man—at least I’ll take odds that he was the one
you ’re after. This afternoon I was trapin’
around for that water hole over yonder about
three miles—you know the one,” and the Kid
told of his adventure with the “crazy Chink.”
“ That ’s him, for all the money in the world!”
the deputy exclaimed. “Lookin’ for a ‘chock
gee’ was he? I ’ll chock gee him if I catch him.”
“Say, what’s all this about a ‘chock gee"l”
N ort wanted to know.
“Well, it ’s a government immigration ofice
paper every Chink in this country is supposed to
have, showin’ they ’re here legitimately. Those
that haven’t got ’em try to get one from an-
other Chink, and there ’s unlawful trading goin’
on all the time. ”
“Like a passport, eh?” Billee Dobb sug-
gested.
“Something like that. Where you men bound
for—if you don ’t mind me askin ’?”
“To a ranch just outside of Roaring River,”


THE HIDDEN GUNMAN 29
_
spoke up Bud. “My father, over at Diamond
X, bought it, and we ’re going to take charge.”
“Your father Mr. Merkel?” Joe Hawkins
asked suddenly, with new interest.
“Yes—do you know him?”
“Not exactly. But I know of him. When I
heard that the Shootin’ Star was changin ’ hands
I wrote to Mack Caffery, the boy on the job
over at Candelaria, askin’ him to get in touch
with the new owner. That’s how I got the
name Merkel. Did your dad hear from him, do
you know?”
“Yes, he did. So that’s what Dad meant
when he said there might be trouble, eh? Well
—we’re ready for whatever comes. What do
you say, boys?”
“Right!” the others chorused.
“Say, mister, what was that there you said
about two thousand dollars?” Billee Dobb
broke in.
“There ’s two thousand dollars’ reward,
offered by the government, for the capture,
dead or alive, of the head of the Chink smug-
glers,” the deputy said impressively.
“Two thousand bucks! Say, boys, with that
you could buy yourself a new herd of cattle, to
make up somewhat for the bunch you lost!”
cried Yellin’ Kid.
“We sure could—and then some,” Bud
agreed. “But I guess there ’s not much chance
of us collecting the reward. .We’ll be busy


THE HIDDEN GUNMAN 31
_
so far from the water hole. Why? You anxious
to begin sheep herdin’7”
“Not exactly,” Bud laughed. “But I do want
to see what the place looks like. Hope we don ’t
have to do much repairing.”
“No, the Shooting Star in in pretty fair
shape,” Joe Hawkins said. “Your father got
a good buy—if you can get hold of it all right.”
“What do you mean, get hold of it all right! ”
asked Bud curiously.
“Well, the feller that’s got it now isn’t ex-
actly a pleasant customer. There’s something
queer about him—we’ve been watchin’ the
Shooting Star for over a month now. I couldn’t
say for sure that there ’s anything wrong—but it
looks suspicious. That’s the reason I wanted
to have the government oflicial find out who the
new owner was going to be. I’m right glad I
met up with you boys. You may be able to
help me out some time.”
“And collect that reward,” Billee Dobb put
in. His mind seemed set on the two thousand
dollars the deputy had spoken of.
“You might,” admitted Hawkins. ‘ ‘It ’s
waiting for the person who brings in the head
of the smuggling system.”
“Well, we ’ll do our best,” the Kid said, with
a side glance at Bud.
“Say, Kid, we ’re not down here to capture
smugglers!” cried Bud. “We’ve got to take


32 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
_
charge of the Shooting Star. Of course, if we
do happen to run across?”
“I knew that would get a rise out of you!”
laughed the Kid. “Catch Bud duokin’ any
excitement! Why, even Billee here wants to
trail the smugglers—don’t you, Billee?”
“Never you mind!” came back the old
rancher. “Want another race?”
“ ’At-ta-boy, Billee!” Nort yelled. “Guess
that ’ll hold him! You didn’t know Billee Dobb
was a champion racer, did you?” Nort said to
Hawkins.
“I didn’t, no,” responded the deputy with a
smile. “But I believe it. Takes old birds like
us to show these youngsters up, eh, Billee?”
“Sure does!”
“Well, here we are,” declared the Kid, as
they came in sight of the water hole. Right
down there is where I saw the Chink on his
hands and knees. Hey, take it easy there!”
This to his pony, who strained toward the water.
“I know you ’re thirsty, but so are the others.
Easy—easy ! ” The Kid dismounted and led the
panting horse toward the water. Leaning over
he filled his hat, and held it to the mouth of his
pony. “Start in on that. ‘Slow! Or you don ’t
get any. ’At-ta-boy. Here’s another hatful for
you. Feel as though you can control yourself
now? All right—go to it!” By this time the
intelligent animal got the idea, and drank in
small mouthfuls. The other ponies, restrained


THE HIDDEN GUNMAN 33
_
by their masters from drinking too fast, did
the same.
“So it was here that you saw the Chink, eh? ”
asked Joe Hawkins.
“Yep—right in this spot. He was leanin’
over here by this little bush, lookin’ for—” the
Kid stopped suddenly and picked up something
from the ground. It was a folded paper. The
Kid looked it over swiftly.
“Lookin’ for—this!” he exclaimed, holding
it out.
“What is it?”
“Let ’s have a look ! ”
The deputy walked over to the Kid.
“Mind if I see it?” he said quietly.
Without a word the Kid handed it over. He
recognized the fact that it was the deputy ’s
right to demand it.
“That’s what the Chink was looking for,”
Hawkins declared after a moment. “See here!
This paper-—”
“Bang! Bang!”
“Duck !’ ’ cried the Kid. His hand reached for
his gun as he hit the ground.
uBang!”
Billee’s hat went sailing from his head.
“He means business!” Dick yelled. “Down,
everybody!"
_
i


CHAPTER V
ARRIVAL AT ran RANCH
NOTHER report rang out, and a bullet
A went singing overhead. By this time
guns were out ready for action. From
behind a small knoll, about one hundred and
fifty yards away, hazy smoke could be seen
arising.
“Dick, you stay here and keep me covered,”
said the Kid in a low voice. The boys were all
hugging the ground in the shelter of the brush.
“I’m goin’ to sneak around an’ see if I can’t
connect with the onery skunk that’s doin’ the
shootin’.”
“Take it easy, Kid,” Dick cautioned. “You
can ’t tell how many men there are over there.”
“Right! Now you pass the word to the others
to keep that hill peppered with lead. As soon as
you see a sign of life, let ride. If you can keep
whoever’s doin’ all this out of sight, I’ll have a
chance. So long!”
Yellin’ Kid had started. With a simple “so
long’ ’ he was off on a mission which might—and
very likely would—end in his death. Men who
spend their lives on the prairies have no time
34


ARRIVAL AT THE RANCH 35
_
for heroics. They do their job—a.nd say
nothing.
Slowly the Kid crept forward. The hidden
gunman seemed to be withholding his fire. In
the brush by the water hole lay the five watching
men—Billee Dobb and Joe Hawkins with long-
barreled Colts ready for action, Dick, Nort and
Bud squinting along the barrels of their shorter
guns. Closer, closer, the Kid crawled. Seventy-
five yards! Seventy! Now, Kid—now
“Well, by the ghost of my aunt Lizzie ’s cat !”
The Kid was standing upright, his mouth
open, his gun hanging loosely by his side.
Not a soul was in sight!
A quick look about verified this. The country
beyond the knoll was perfectly fiat, and for over
five hundred yards was bare of even the smallest
bush. Whoever the mysterious shooter was, he
had, apparently, vanished into thin air.
“Hey, you guys, come over here!” yelled the
Kid. “We been blazed at by a ghost!”
One by one the men by the water hole got to
their feet.
Dick was the first to reach the Kid ’s side.
“He ’s right, boys!” called back Dick, as he
saw the empty space behind the little hill. “No-
body here. But let ’s have a look at the ground.
We can tell if it ’s been disturbed, anyway.”
A careful search revealed not only the traces
of someone having lain down on the loose earth,
but also two empty shells.
_


36 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“That makes me feel a little better!” cried
the Kid as he saw this. “I don ’t hanker to be
shot at by someone I can’t see. Now the thing
to do is to find out what happened to our late
playmate. ’ ’
“He’s gone, ain’t he?” asked Billee Dobb
incredulously, as he came shuflling along. Off
his horse Billee was a bit awkward.
“You don’t say! Well, now, I never noticed
tlfiat! say, Billee, you a de-tect-a-tive by any
c ance
“Go on, laugh, Kid! You spent enough time
sneakin’ up on a whole lot of nothin’, didn’t
ye?!»
“What do you think about this, Mr. Hawk-
ins!” Bud asked of the deputy, who was looking
around quietly.
“Not much, youngster, not much! Seems
mighty funny to me. Doesn’t hardly appear
likely that a man could get away in this fiat
country without us seeing him. But that ’s what
happened all right. Never knew a cowpuncher
to have that much sneakin’ ability in him.”
“Maybe it wasn’t a cowboy,” N ort suggested.
“Maybe it was a—Chink.”
“Never knew a Chink to use a forty-four in
my life,” the Kid declared. “These here shells
come from a gun big enough to knock a. Chinee
clean off his slippers. Nope, this here job was
done by a puncher—or—” and he stopped a.
moment— “or a Greaser.”


ARRIVAL AT THE RANCH 37
_
“A Mexican!” cried Bud. “Say, Dick, re-
member the conversation we heard in Dad ’s new
bunk house? Maybe it was the same Mex that
did the shooting!”
“What’s this all about, boys?” asked Joe
Hawkins. “Anything I ought to know?”
“It might help you,” offered Dick. “It was
two nights ago.” And he told of hearing the
voices in the shack.
“Well, I don ’t know. I don ’t mind telling you
that the crowd we ’re after for the smugglin’ is
Mexican—at least we ‘re pretty sure they are.
Think you ’d recognize the voices if you heard
them again?”
“Certain sure I could tell that Greaser ’s tones
in a million,” Dick declared. “I’ll never forget
him.”
After another survey of the terrain, it was
decided to start for the Shooting Star ranch.
Joe Hawkins said he would ride to Roaring
River with them and make his report, and see
if anything had developed in town. So, filling
their canteens, the six set ofi.
On the way the Kid offered a tale of a taran-
tula fight. These bouts were carefully arranged
by the cowboys, the scene being set in a deep
washbowl. Two females were the combatants,
and the one who first amputated all the legs of
the other was declared the winner. Occasionally
a particularly vicious spider would forsake his
natural enemy and leap high at one of the


38 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
spectators, inflicting a painful, though not nec-
essarily dangerous, bite. Hence these contests
were not without excitement.
“I used to have a pet tarantula I called
Jenny,” told Yellin’ Kid. “She was absolutely
the meanest critter I ever see! She could just
about straddle a saucer, that ’s how big she was.
Had a coat of hair like a grizzly. She won five
fights for me, and I was all set to match her
against a spider some puncher brought all the
way from Oklahoma, when she took a sudden
likin’ to Jeff Peters, and her ca-reer was
brought to a sudden close. I cried fer near a
week—but Jeff, he was more sore than what I
was. She got him good before he killed her!”
And the Kid chuckled rememberingly.
-By this time the riders had come in sight of
Roaring River. They had all been through the
town, if it might be so dignified by a name, and
of course Joe Hawkins lived there, so it was no
new sight to them. But it was a change from
the surroundings the Boy Ranchers had been
used to, and when they remembered that it was
here all the smuggling was going on, all were
conscious of a feeling of excitement. They de-
cided to feed-up in town before going to the
ranch, which lay about three miles out.
They headed for “Herb ’s Eating Place,” the
one and only restaurant with tables. The meals
they ordered would have done justice to a hun-
gry bear.


ARRIVAL AT THE RANCH 39
_
“We have arrived!” cried Bud, when he
swallowed sufliciently to allow himself to talk.
“After a long and hazardous journey through
the bad-lands of Texas, we finally came to this
little gem, nestling among the hills, resplendent
ini_”
“Roas’ bifi, roas’ pork, and lem’,” Nort fin-
ished. “How do you get that way? Food al-
ways do that to you? Look at the Kid here.
Not saying a word.”
“Good reason for that,” laughed Bud. “He
couldn’t talk if he wanted to. Hey, Kid, they
serve supper here, you know.”
“Yea? But I’m takin’ no chances! This
place may not be here to-night. Wow! What a
meal! Help me up, boys! Help me up!” And
the Kid struggled slowly to his feet. “Guess
that’ll hold me for a while,” he sighed.
“How about some more pie, Kid?” asked
Dick with a grin on his face.
“Pie? More pie? VVell, now— what kind is
there left?”
“Apple, and apple, and—apple.”
“Huh! Don ’t like them. Guess I’ll take
apple. Yes, a small piece of apple would just
about finish me off.”
Billee Dobb put down his fork and gazed up
at the Kid.
“Did I understand you to relate that you was
goin’ to eat some more pie ? ” he asked carefully.
“You did—why?”
I


ARRIVAL AT THE RANCH 41
_
week, and see how you make out. Well, adios,
boys. Good luck!” '
With a wave of his hand he was ofi’. The
boys were sorry to see him leave, for he was
very pleasant company.
“I have an idea he ’ll be a good friend,” de-
clared Nort as they rode toward the ranch.
“And if anything turns up, we may need a
couple of such friends.”
“He’s regular, all right,” the Kid agreed.
“Looks as though he could handle himself in a
fight, too. Doesn’t talk much, but when he does
—he says something. Yep, he suits me to a T.”
“Good thing we met him,” Dick said. “Well,
boys, here we are!’ ’
In front lay the ranch. As the five drew
closer, they could see that the houses were well
built. It was indeed in good shape.
“Say, here comes somebody that ’s sure in a
hurry,” Billee Dobb said suddenly. “Wonder
what he wants?”
Riding toward them, dust raising under his
bronco ’s feet, came a lone horseman.


CHAPTER VI
THE TnnnAT
ULLING their ponies to a halt, the five
P gazed curiously at the approaching rider.
As he drew closer, they noticed he carried
a sawed-off “scatter-gun,” otherwise a shot-
gun. This in itself was strange. No true West-
erner ever sports one of these, and they are
looked upon with derision by the regular “gun-
totin’ ” cowboy. A long-barreled Colt is the
puncher’s favorite weapon.
The stranger reined up sharply as he came
within talking distance and looked piercingly
at the ranchers as he called out:
“Anything I can do for you?”
“Well, I don’ know,” answered the Kid
slowly. “You might, and then again you might
not. What happens to be your special line?”
The stranger scowled.
“That’s my business. What I’m aimin’ to
find out is, what ’s yours?”
“This is the Shooting Star, isn’t it?” broke
in Bud.
“It is.” '
“Well, we ’re the new owners. My name is
42


TUYEY T7IRlL4T' 43
_
Bud Merkel—my father just bought this ranch,
and we came over to take possession. This is
Dick Shannon, and his brother Nort. Billee
Dobb and Yellin’ Kid on my right. Will that
do you? Now how about tellin’ us who you
are?”
“Me? Oh, Jim’ll do, I guess. I happen to
be the boss hand on this here sheep ranch. So
you ’re the new owners, hey? Wonder what old
‘J. D.’ will have to say to that. You got papers,
I suppose?”
“ Certainly. Here is the bill of sale, and;—”
“Take it easy, Bud, take it easy,” Billie Dobb
cautioned in a low tone of voice. “I don’t
exactly care for this feller’s looks.”
“Who ’s ‘J. D.’—the one tendin’ the ranch
now?’ ’ asked the Kid.
“Yea—only he ’s not exactly tendin’ it. He ’s
here, and something tells me he ’s goin’ to stay
here—new owners or not. ‘J. D.’ don’t care
much about owners. What he ’s interested in is
keepin’ what he ’s got. And as far as I can see,
he’s still got the Shootin’ Star.”
“I don’t like to dispute your word,” Nort
said hotly, “but we might have something to
say about that ourselves. Come on, boys, let ’s
ride in.”
“Just a minute—just a minute! Where you-
all countin’ on headin’ for?” sneered the lone
horseman.
“The ranch house, of course!”


44 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“Now just you let me give you-all a little piece
of advice. I won’t charge nothin’ for it, and it
might be useful. If I was you boys, I’d turn
right around and ride the other way. Tell you
what you do, youngster—” this to Bud—“you
tell your father you couldn’t find the ranch.”
There was a moment ’s ominous silence. The
Kid was the first to speak.
“Well, now, stranger, that ’s kind of you. Yes,
sir, I think that's right kind of you to take an
interest in us like that,” he drawled. “But you
know how it is. We sort of want to find out
things for ourselves. So if you don ’t mind—”
his tone changed suddenly. “We ’ll be gettin’
along to the ranch. Out of the way, puncher!
Let’s go, boys!”
The stranger's eyes narrowed. He half raised
his rifle, then apparently thinking better of it,
let it drop again. As the five moved forward
he rode slowly along in the rear.
They reached the corral at the side of the
house, and Bud and Dick dismounted. Nort,
Billee, and the Kid stayed on their ponies.
Walking to the door of the house, Bud knocked
boldly. There was no answer. He knocked
again, this time a little harder. Still no result.
“Wonder if there’s anyone around?” asked
Dick. “Suppose we take a look at the side.”
“Here ’s someone,” Bud declared as there
was a sound of a key grating in a lock. “They
certainly keep things tight down here.”


THE THREAT 45
_
The door opened slowly. In its frame stood
a man of slight build, and, by cowboy standards,
dressed efleminately. He wore a “boiled” col-
lar, small black string tie, low cut vest and gray
trousers. His long black hair, with a slight
shine on it, was brushed straight back.
“What ’ll you have, gents?” he asked.
“Lookin’ for me?”
“We ’re looking for the man in charge of the
ranch,” Dick said slowly. “If you can qualify,
then I guess it ’s you we want to see.”
“Right! And what can I do for you?”
“This will tell you,” spoke Bud, handing him
a copy of the bill of sale for the ranch. “We ’re
the new owners. You rent the place, don ’t you?
I believe the deed says your term was up last
month. Sorry to have to put you out, but busi-
ness is business. Can you get ready to shift by
to-morrow morning, do you think? We ’ll make
out down in town for to-night.”
The man in the doorway didn’t answer. He
read over the paper Bud had handed him and
then looked up. His expression was anything
but friendly.
“And I’m supposed to beat it out of here,
hey?” he asked coldly.
“Afraid so,” answered Bud.
The man suddenly stepped to one side.
“Come in a minute, boys,” he suggested. It
was evident that his manner had undergone a
change. He seemed more friendly.


Z6 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“You just get in?” he asked.
“Yes—we were delayed on the way, or we
would have gotten here sooner.”
“Sit down, boys.”
As the slightly-built man was drawing up
chairs Bud cast a quick glance at Dick. “Watch
out”! his look signaled. But there seemed no
need for suspicion. “J. D.,” as they had heard
him called, appeared harmless.
“I take it you boys are sensible?” he began
when they were seated.
“Hope so,” Dick answered with a slight grin.
“We ’ve never been in any asylum that I know
of.”
“Check! Now I’d like to talk business with
you. First of all, could you use one thousand
dollars?”
At this surprising query Dick and Bud
started. One thousand dollars! It represented
a small fortune. Bud thought of the herd of
cattle they had just lost and was about to reply
aflirmatively, when he felt, rather than saw, a
cautioning look come into Dick ’s eyes.
“That ’s a lot of money,” declared Dick, be-
fore Bud could speak. “We could certainly use
it, but you know it pays to be careful how one
earns it. Robbery is a bit out of our line.”
“Oh, it ’s nothing like that—nothing like that
at all,” the other assured them quickly. “This
thousand that I speak of can be yours for just
doing me a favor.”


THE TH REA T 4:7
_
“Sounds like a high price to pay for a favor,”
Dick said. “But let ’s hear the proposition.”
“Sure! It ’s simply this: you boys let me
stay on at the ranch here, for, say, six more
months, and as rental I’ll pay you one grand.”
“But certainly this place can ’t be worth that
much to you,” broke in Bud thoughtlessly. It
was a very unwise remark, for it was obvious
that this excessive figure was offered for some-
thing more than the mere use of the ranch.
“J. D. ” had made the mistake of going too high
in his ofier, and it instantly awoke suspicion in
the minds of Dick and Bud. But now that Bud
had blurted out this suspicion, the possibility of
being able to secretly find out why they had been
offered a thousand for the place disappeared.
The cards were on the table.
“As to that, I’m the best judge,” “J. D.”
said sharply. “If you want to accept, say so.
If you don ’t—well——”
“Can we have until to-morrow to think it
over?” asked Dick.
“Nope—sorry, but I have to have your an-
swer now. All you have to do is to sign the
present owner’s name to a renewal clause—-and
since he ’s your father, he won’t object to that,”
said the man, turning to Bud.
Evidently he was anxious to get things settled
as soon as possible—perhaps before the boys
had a chance to investigate.
Dick looked at Bud, and saw that he had


48 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
permission to take things into his own hands.
Dick arose.
“Well, sir, we can’t do it, and that’s that.
We were sent out here to take charge of this
ranch, and we’re going to do it, unless Mr.
Merkel tells us to do otherwise. You must get
in touch with him if you want a renewal of your
lease. And until that time we must take control
here. We are sorry, but we must ask you to
make ready to leave by to-morrow morning.”
The man seated opposite did not move.
“Is that your last wordi” he asked, slowly.
“Yes, it is. If we can offer you any assistance
in getting ready we’ll be glad to do it.”
The man made no response. He arose sud-
denly, walked over to the door and flung it open.
Then he turned to the two boys and with a sneer
upon his face, said:
“Very well! You ’ve had your say, and now
I'll make my little speech. You guys come over
here and think all you have to do is to tell me
to move out, and you move in. I don’t know
who you are—never saw you before. For that
matter I don’t want to know. You show me
some kind of a paper that you may have written
yourselves, and expect me to accept it as a bill
of sale. Well, that ’s out. I don ’t go.
“And another thing! I don’ know how many
many men you brought with you, but I’ve got
twelve here that will stick close to me. So don ’t
start anything. Good-day, gents!”


52 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
eat off of. Maybe it was away ’round the back
somewhere, but I couldn’t spot it.”
“That’s what I thought,” went on the Kid.
“Of course he may have sold all the sheep a
while back, and cleared his truck away at the
same time, but it don ’t hardly seem likely he
could get rid of all traces. Where ever sheep
go, you can usually tell they been there.” He
paused reflectively and added:
“Sort of queer that deputy we met didn’t say
something about there bein’ no sheep here. Did
you tell him we was expectin’ to find a sheep
ranch?”
“Now that you mention it, I don ’t believe I
did,” Bud answered. “I said we were going to
take charge of a ranch. He probably thought
we were bringing the cattle over later.”
“Probably. So your friend in the house told
you he ’d give one thousand bucks if you ’d let
him stay, did he?”
“Yep. That made me suspicious right away,
and I foolishly spoke up and told him as much.
Then he said it was his affair if he wanted to
pay that much to stay on. I knew that Dad
wouldn’t want me to allow him to do that with-
out his permission, so I refused—asked him if
I could let him know later. But no, that wouldn’t
do. He wanted me to sign an extension right
away. Then when I told him I couldn’t do that,
he threatened to stay anyway, and practically
dared us to put him ofi.”


A SHEEPLESS SHEEP RANCH 53
_
“He did, hey? That sort of puts it up to us,
don ’t it?”
“You know what I think would be a good
ideei” Billee Dobb broke in. “We ought to go
down and have a talk with Joe Hawkins. Tell
him what we found, and ask him if he’s got
any advice he ’d like to dish up. Seemed to
me he was a pretty reliable feller.”
“Not bad—not bad,” said Yellin’ Kid ap-
provingly. ‘ ‘ He said he ’d be glad to help us any
time. Not that we’re goin’ to need any help
gettin’ this dude ofi:",” he added quickly. “But
it might be a good idea to have the law on our
side.”
“We can see him and get him to sign a dis-.
possess notice, ” Nort suggested. ‘ ‘I don ’t know
whether he knows what that is, but it’s just a
paper saying we have a right to put out whoever
is on the land.” _
“We ’ll do that, Nort,” agreed Dick. “Then
we can start right. Let ’s get on, fellows. It’s
getting late, and we want to catch Hawkins be-
fore he leaves for home.”
Spurring their broncoes to a faster pace, the
five made their way toward the town. The sug-
gestion that they were to confer with the
friendly deputy seemed a wise one, not because
they were afraid to tackle the job of removing
“J. D.” alone, but because they wanted to know
just how things stood. Perhaps by inquiry they


54 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
could gain some clew as to why the tenant re-
fused to vacate. If he sincerely wanted an
extension of his lease to legitimately conduct
the business of ranching, he was going about it
in a queer way.
As the riders reached the town, they stopped
a cow puncher and asked where they could find
Joe Hawkins.
“Right down the street a ways,” they were
told. “Can’t miss it. Jail, court house and
sherifi’s ofiice all in one. Some shootin’ been
goin’ on?”_
“Not that we know of,” Dick laughed.
“Though there might be soon,” said Bud im-
petuously.
“How ’s that? You figgerin’ on pluggin’
someone, youngster? ” the cowboy inquired with
a grin.
“Not hardly,” the Kid spoke quickly. “We
just want to see Hawkins about some land.
Thanks for the info.”
Their friend looked back at Bud and grinned
again as he rode away.
“Evidently thinks you ’re an amateur bad
man,” said Billee Dobb. “You ’ll have a repu-
tation in this town before you know it, Bud.”
By this time they had reached the sheritf’s
oflice. All dismounted and went in.
They found Hawkins seated in a chair talking
to another man who was leaning against the side
wall gazing out of the window. The deputy


A SHEEPLESS SHEEP RANCH 55
sprang to his feet as he saw the boys, the light
of welcome in his eyes.
“Come in, boys, come in. Jerry, I’d like you
to meet some new friends of mine. This here is
Bud Merkel. Over here is-—er——-”
“My cousins, Nort and Dick Shannon,” fin-
ished Bud. “And Billee Dobb and Yellin’ Kid
—if he ever had another name I’ve forgotten
it, and I guess he has too.”
The deputy’s friend laughed and Joe said:
“This is Jerry Adler, boys. Say, I thought
you fellers were headed for the Shootin’ Star?”
“We were,” Bud answered, “but something
happened that we want to ask you about.”
“Guess I’ll be goin’,” said Jerry Adler. “I’l1
drop in to-morrow about that matter, Joe. No
hurry, you know.”
“AH right, Jerry. Glad to see you any time.
Now, boys,” and he turned to the five standing
near him, “what can I do for you? Or is it just
a friendly visit? If it is, I’m right glad you
stopped in. Now that you’re here, you must
come over to my place for supper. Got the best
cook you ever saw.”
“Thanks, Mr. Hawkins,” responded Bud.
“We may take advantage of that later. But
just now we want to ask your advice.”
“Go right to it, Bud. If I can help you I’ll
sure do it!”
“When we went over to the Shooting Star,”
_


56 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
‘ I -
_
Bud began, “we expected to find a sheep ranch.
Instead we find a place that could be used for
sheep, but certainly isn’t now. We went in and
showed our credentials, and asked the occupant,
who was called ‘J. D., ’ I think, if he could move
out by to-morrow, so we could get ready to move
1n.
“Whoever this ‘J. D.’ is, he isn’t a cow
puncher, nor a herder either. He ’s dressed like
a Chicago dude,” stated Bud.
The deputy nodded understandingly. Evi-
dently he was not surprised at Bud’s description
of the Shooting Star and its tenant.
“Well, as I say, we asked him to leave. He
not only refused, but threatened trouble if we
tried to put him out. Said he had twelve men
who ’d help him, too. So we thought, if you’d
give us a dispossess notice, we could go up there
with authority and if he still turned ugly—well
—we could do as we thought fit.’ ’
“I see. He told you he wouldn’t leave?”
“Yes.”
“He has no right to stay there, has he 1 ”
“None at all. He rented the ranch from the
man who formerly owned it, but his lease was
up a month ago. Dad bought the place free and
clear. VVe were to manage it for him, and take
charge of the sheep when they came in. I be-
lieve they are to be driven over in about two
weeks.”
“In about two weeks? Well, boys, I can’t


A SHEEPLESS SHEEP RANCH 57
_
exactly say I’m surprised at your story. I don ’t
mind sayin’ we ’ve been puzzled at the actions
of this ‘J. D.’—James Delton, I think his name
is—for some time now. When he first came he
did have some sheep—not many, and he sold
them a month after he took the ranch. Since
then it’s been empty, though, as he says, he ’s
got a number of hands on the place. They keep
it in good shape, as you may have noticed. But
what his business is nobody seems to know. Of
course out here a man doesn’t go pryin’ into
other people ’s affairs unless he ’s fairly certain
there ’s something wrong. I’ll go to Shooting
Star with you!”
Taking his belt and pistol holster from a
hanger, the deputy led the way from the olfice.
Mounted once more, the party swung away
toward the Shooting Star ranch. Nort looked
over at the Kid.
“Why that smile, Kid?” he asked.
“Was I smilin”! I didn’t know it. Say,
N ort, looks as though we might hand ourselves
somethin’ of a time before we finish with this
‘J. D.’ feller.”
“And you’re kind of hopin’ we do,’ hey Kid?
The last time I saw you smile like that was just
before we had that fight with the Del Pinzo
gang. Hope you don’t expect another ruckus
out here, as bad as that one.”
“And if we did, I suppose you’d run away
and hide your head,” laughed the Kid deri-


58 ‘BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
sively. “Yes you would not! You ’d be in the
thick of it with the rest of us.”
“Perhaps,” admitted Nort with a grin.
“However, I really don ’t think we ’ll have any
trouble. From Bud ’s description of Delton he ’s
sort of a weak-kneed type. We ’ll just have to
tell him what’s what, and I’m sure he’ll back
down.”
“ Can ’t tell,” the Kid averred. “ Those Dudes
have sometimes got a mean lot of fight in them. ”
Up ahead Joe Hawkins and Bud were talking
in low tones. Finally Bud turned about and
called to the rest:
“Close up a minute, fellows. Mr. Hawkins
has something to say before we reach the
ranch.”
“It ’s just this,” began the deputy, when they
had gathered around him. “The way I figure,
there ’s no sense of us all going in to see Delton.
If we call on him like a delegation, he ’ll get het
up, and be more disagreeable than if we went
about this thing quietly. Now Bud and I will
go in. You four stay around the corral, and
Kid and Billee, while you’re waiting, you might
take a ride around and size up the place. See
if you can discover traces of sheep bein’ here
in the last six months, and whatever else you
can find out. All right, boys, here we are. Re-
member what I told you, Kid. Let ’s go, Bud!”
The two dismounted. Turning their horses
over to Nort, they walked toward the ranch


Z4 SHEEPLESS SHEEP RANCH 59
_
house. The deputy stepped to the door and
knocked.
“He took quite a while to answer when we
were here before,” Bud suggested. “Better
knock again.”
The deputy did so.
“ ’Pears like he don’t care for no visitors.
Wonder if we can see anything by lookin’ in the
window?”
“I’ll have a try,” volunteered Bud. Stepping
to the side of the house he peered in the case-
ment.
“Too dark,” he reported. “Can’t see a
thing!”
“Must be somebody around,” Hawkins de-
clared, as he knocked again, this time more
loudly.
Within all was quiet.
“Funny,” he commented. Then suddenly he
turned the doorknob. The door swung open.
After a quick glance the deputy walked in.
“Not a soul in sight!” he called after a
minute. “The place is sure deserted. Not only
have they got no sheep on this place, but even
the men are gone now 1”


CHAPTER VIII
oxcnonn
OLLOWING the deputy into the house,
F Bud looked about. The place felt vacant.
It had an atmosphere of emptiness. The
furniture in the rooms had a tossed-about ap-
pearance, as though the occupants had made a
hurried exit. A cheap vase lay on the floor by
the mantel, broken. Rugs were kicked up.
“Well, what do you think_of that? ” Bud said
slowly. “They’re gone! Vamoosed! And
quick, too. Must have done some tall hustlin’
to get out in that short time. Wonder what the
idea was? Do you think Delton might be around
back, or somewhere outside'l”
“Better look, anyway.” Hawkins stepped
to the doorway and suddenly let out a yell.
“Yo-o-o-o, Kid! Over here!”
“Yo-o!” came the answer. “Right there!”
and Yellin’ Kid, together with Billee Dobb, rode
to the ranch house.
“What’ll you have!” the Kid called as he
came up.
“Take a ride around the place and see if you
so


CYCLONE 61
_
can locate someone; will you? The house is
empty.”
“Right! Billee, you ride to the left and I’ll
go this way. Back in two shakes.”
“Mighty queer where everyone has disap-
peared to,” Hawkins commented. “When you
were here before, Bud, did they look as though
they were getting ready to light out?”
“Nope—just the opposite. As I told you,
Delton insisted that he was going to stay. I
can’t imagine what scared them off. Unless
Delton decided discretion was the better part of
valor. It certainly doesn’t seem logical that
they’d make tracks like this, after what Delton
said.”
“Here comes the Kid. Got someone with him;
hasn’t he?” asked Bud.
“He sure has—a Mex, I’d say.”
“The lone survivor!” the Kid yelled as he
rode toward them. “Bud, recognize him?” and
he pushed the Mexican, whom he held by the
collar, forward.
“Why, he’s the fellow we saw in the res-
taurant! Remember, Mr. Hawkins? The one
you pointed out; isn’t he?”
“You mean Pete Alvido”! Come ’ere, son—
let ’s have a look at you.” The deputy peered
closely. “Nope! Sure looks like Pete, but it
isn’t. ’Nough like him to be his brother, though.
Hey, Mex, what’s your name‘! What are you
doin’ around here?”


62 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
The Mexican didn’t answer. He simply
shrugged his shoulders, and stood silent, his
face expressionless.
“Speak up, boy! What’s your name?”
Still no reply.
“Lost your tongue, Mex?” the Kid broke in.
“Take my advice, and answer when you’re
spoken to.” The Kid touched his gun sugges-
tively. Not that he would have thought of en-
forcing his half-uttered threat, but he simply
wanted to show the Mexican they meant
business.
At this the man gesticulated toward his
throat, and a guttural sound came from his lips.
“Why the pore cuss means he’s dumb!” ex-
claimed Billee Dobb, who had ridden in. ‘ ‘ Can’t
speak! Hey you! No spiki No habla?”
The Mexican shook his head forcibly.
“A dumb Greaser!” cried the Kid. “Well,
he ’s not much of a find. He ’s the only one left
of this outfit, though. Hey, Mex! Where ’s the
boss? Gone?”
With a widespread gesture of his arms the
man indicated his lack of knowledge of the
subject. At least he seemed to understand a
little English.
“Can ’t get much out of him,” Hawkins com-
mented. “Well, boys, seems like you ’ll have no
more trouble takin’ possession of the Shootin’
Star. It’s yours. Say—” and he turned to
their captive. “What’s your job? Vaquero?


CYCLONE 63
_
Herder? Cook? ” At the last word the Mex-.
ican nodded vigorously. “You ’re in luck, boys.
Here’s a cook all ready for you. Got any food
inside? Eats?” the deputy asked the Mexican.
He was answered with another aflirmative shake
of the head.
“Now you’re all fixed up for the night. Might
as well call in the other two. What ’s their name
again? Shannon, isn’t it? Kid, you give ’em a
yell. You seem to be able to do that particularly
well.”
N ort and Dick came riding over in response
to the Kid’s summons.
“Who ’s this you got, Kid?” asked Nort.
“Some friend of yours? Why, he’s the Mexican
we saw in Herb’s!”
“No he isn’t—that’s what I thought too,”
Bud said. “Mr. Hawkins says it’s another—-
though it sure looks like him. This one ’s dumb. ”
“VVhat do you mean—stupid?”
“No—can’t talk. At least he says he can ’t—
I mean he wants us to understand that he
can’t.” Bud corrected himself.
“I’ve got to be getting back,” interrupted
the deputy. “I suppose you men will settle
here, now that you ’ve got a cook and food. That
is, if he ’ll cook for you and you want to take a.
chance that he won’t poison you. Hey, you—
cook for hombres?”
Again that vigorous nod.
“Seems agreeable enough. Now if you want


64 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
anything, you know where to reach me. If it ’s
at night, you ’ll find me down the street ’bout
half a mile from the oflice, on the same side.
Anyone will tell you where Joe Hawkins ’s
place is. So long, boys. Again, good luck.”
“Good-bye, Mr. Hawkins. We ’re much
obliged to you for riding over with us.”
“Glad to do it, Bud. Any time at all. Git
along there, bronc. Adios!”
“So-long!”
(C 7Bye!77
“At last we ’re here,” Nort declared. “No
trace of anyone around; hey Bud? I/Vonder
what became of them. I wouldn’t mind seeing
our little friend with the sawed-off shot-gun
again.”
“Let ’s not look for trouble,” Dick suggested.
“I think what happened was that this fellow
you call ‘J. D.’ decided to take the opportunity
to get out without trouble. I don ’t believe we ’ll
see him again.”
“Maybe not. We’ve got enough to worry
about without him. Kid, suppose you take
charge of getting things ready for the night.
Those sheep won’t be here for a week or so,
and in the meantime we can fix things up a bit.
To-morrow I’ll go scouting around for a good
sheepman. There ought to be plenty in town.
All right, Kid, we’re under your orders.”
“Check! Nort, you take the horses to the
corral and see that they get fed. I guess you ’ll


CYCLONE 65
_
find some feed around somewhere—there’s a
barn down there a piece—look there. Dick, you
go see what sort of sleepin’ quarters they got
here. It might be well for us to stay here in
the house for the night. We can settle on a bunk
house later. The rest of you can make your-
selves generally useful. I’ll go ’tend to the
eats. Mex, we need food! Where ’s the
kitchen?”
Apparently understanding, the Mexican led
the way toward the rear, followed by the Kid.
The lay-out of the place was a great deal like
that of the ordinary cattle ranch. Indeed, if one
were not wholly familiar with the types of
dwellings which dot the Texas border, he would
be hard put to show the difference between a
cattle and a sheep ranch. The corral of the
cattle ranch would be built of stronger boards,
and on the sheep ranch, or “farm,” there would
be huge vats for “dipping” the sheep, to cure
them of any disease they might have contracted.
But except for these minor differences the two
ranches are much the same. Of course the per-
sonnel of the sheep ranch would not be as ex-
tensive as that of the cattle ranch—one herder
being able to adequately care for two thousand
head of sheep. In shearing time the ranch
hands are increased, to take care of this added
labor.
So it is not strange to find five hands prepared
to take over the management of a whole sheep


CHAPTER IX
DELTON RETURNS
YCLONES are somewhat rare visitors
C on the prairies, but when they do come
they make up for lost time. Bud, though
he had lived the greater part of his life on the
range, had never seen one. Now he stood with
his face to the east, drinking in the awesome
sight.
The eastern sky was covered with a blanket
of black, ominous-looking clouds, which quickly
expanded and filled the whole heavens with
their darkness. The breeze had died away and
a deathlike stillness hung in the air. Nature
seemed to be hesitating, gathering up her forces
for a tremendous onslaught. Suddenly the black
clouds in the east were tinted to a coppery
color, which slowly turned to a dark green. And
still Bud stood, oblivious to all else save the
grandeur of the scene before him.
Within the ranch house the men were scurry-
ing about, shutting windows, glancing out now
and then to see the progress of the approaching
storm.
as -


70 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
to see if the Mexican understood. To his sur-
prise the cook nodded several times and pointed
toward the sky, turning his other arm windmill
fashion. His lips gave forth a whistling sound.
After this demonstration he motioned to his
bacon, rubbed his stomach, shrugged his shoul-
ders, and went on with his cooking. No words
could have said plainer:
“Sure! I know. Cyclone coming. What of
it? Can ’t stop it now. Must eat. Might as well
stay here and cook. Hey?”
“Well, if you’re not a cool customer!” the
Kid cried, shoving his hands deep into his
pockets and tilting back on his heels. “Cook!
Go ahead an’ cook! You might just as well say
hello to St. Peter with a fryin’ pan in your hand
as not. How does she look, Nort?” he asked
as the boy rancher came in the door.
“Not so good! Where’s Bud?”
“Bud? I thought he was with you. Maybe
he ’s helping with the broncoes. I’ll take a
squint here in back—” as the Kid stepped into
the yard he saw Bud—standing silent, widened
eyes staring at the sky. The Kid started back
in surprise.
“Another guy that ’s gone locoed! First the
cook, and then you! Hey, N ort, take a look at
Bud. He’s in a trance or something! Wake
up, time to get up!”
“Wonderful!” murmured Bud, without turn-
ing his head. “Isn’t that wonderful, Kid? See


72 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
The five waited no longer. With a leap they
reached the cyclone cellar. The Kid was the
last i11, and just before he disappeared below
ground he looked again at the roaring funnel
of wind. It was almost upon them. In another
moment, unless a near-miracle occurred, there
would be nothing left of the Shooting Star but
a few timbers. The ranch lay directly in the
path.
Cyclones are freaks of nature. Even as the
Kid watched, hoping that the terrible funnel
might be diverted, nature gave a demonstration
of one of its most startling feats. The funnel
lifted.
Within three hundred yards of the ranch the
tip raised above the ground. As though a giant
hand had pulled it up into the heavens, the
whirling, twisting cyclone merged into the
blackness overhead. A tremendous pressure
beat against the Kid’s body. The air about was
tingling with electricity. And there, directly
above the Kid’s head, sailed the terrible funnel,
its tip held harmlessly aloft from contact
with the ground, thundering and screaming
in disappointed rage. For several seconds
the “twister” remained suspended. Then two
hundred yards past the ranch it dipped to earth
again, and went smashing along on its mission
of destruction and death.
The ranch was saved.
The Kid silently led the way out of the cellar.


DELTON RETURNS 73
_
As the five stood once more above ground, they
looked about at the surroundings. Ofi in the
distance the cyclone could be seen whirling
along, gradually growing smaller and smaller
as it departed. As they watched the terror
disappear, a prayer of thankfulness was in the
heart of each. It was indeed a near-miracle
that had saved the ranch from complete
annihilation.
Bud was the first to speak. His utterance
was not exactly fraught with elegancy, but it
expressed the feelings of all.
“Whew!” he said with a long, drawn-out
sigh.
“And then some!” cried Dick. “What a
show that was !”
“Boy!” Billee Dobb breathed. “I"m sure
glad we got missed! When I saw that ole baby
comin’, I says ‘raise yore sights, buster, raise
yore sights! You got the wrong range!’ An
blamed if she didn’t raise, too!”
A laugh started—the kind that relieves the
soul after a tense and dangerous moment. Bud
broke out in a loud guffaw. Then the Kid let
loose—and for two minutes the air re-echoed
with the shouts of glee of the five ranchers.
Nothing really to laugh at; this laughter was
not exactly in appreciation of Billee’s remark.
It was more in the nature of a celebration.
“Whusch ! ” cried Bud weakly, when he could
get his breath. “You crazy coot! So you’re


DELTON RETURNS 75
_
one of those for a while, anyway. Well, will
you look at that roof!” The Kid indicated
another out-house. Its roof was turned directly
around, so that the back was where the front
should be. Not a board on it was broken.
“Looks like a crazy-house down at Coney
Island!” laughed Nort. “Dick, I thought you
were going to see about eats? I’m starved.”
Dick walked toward the kitchen. Before he
got there the aroma of cooking bacon told the
waiting cowboys that the Mexican was still on
the job.
“Must have the whole place full of food by
this time,” Bud commented. “Think I’ll take
another look around, Kid. Billee, you want to
come along? I just want to make sure we
haven’t missed anything.”
The two set ofi on a tour of inspection. It
was growing dark now, and it would soon be
too late to repair that night anything that was
damaged.
“Guess we haven’t lost much,” Bud said to
the veteran rancher. “We ’re pretty lucky, eh,
Billee?”
‘ ‘ Sure are! We ’ll just look around the corner
of this building, however, and then go back.
I’m sort of hungry myself.”
“Me too. Hope that Mex has—” Bud broke
off suddenly. He peered hard at the earth in
the shadow of the shack. Then he walked
swiftly over.


CHAPTER X
BUD rmns A NOTE
ILLEE DOBB approached deliberately
B and gazed long and earnestly into the
face of the recumbent man.
“So that ’s Delton, is it?” he said. “He sure
took a funny way to come back. Wonder if
he’s—” the rancher stooped swiftly and laid
his hand on the breast of the man. “Nope!
Still living. We ’d better get him to the house
soon as possible. Grab hold there, Bud. ”
Lifting him as gently as they could, so they
might not cause the blood to flow more strongly,
they carried the injured man toward the ranch
house. They laid him on the couch in the living-
room, which was known as the “parlor,” and
generally reserved for funerals.
“I’ll get some water and bandages—if I can
find any,” said Bud when he had disposed of
his burden.
“That white shirt of the Kid’s will do,”
Billee suggested as Bud made for the door.
“He ’s got it rolled up in his saddle pack.”
The man on the couch seemed to be breathing
more strongly now. The blood from the cut
17


'78 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
had partly clotted, and the flow was greatly
diminished. But a glance at his face showed
that he was in a very weak condition.
“Must have been lyin’ out there quite a
spell,” Billee commented, as Bud returned with
the shirt and a basin of water. The news of the
unconscious visitor had traveled fast, for Dick,
N ort and the Kid followed Bud into the room.
“VVho is lie?” asked the Kid as he bent over.
“Little feller, ain’t he?”
“Recognize him, Dick?” Bud said, kneeling
down by the man ’s side and dipping one end of
the shirt in his basin.
“N o, can ’t say that I—yes I do, too! It ’s the
fellow that was here when we came—the one
who offered us the thousand! It’s ‘J. D.’!”
“Right. VVe found him lying over by a shack,
dead to the world. Billee and I carried him in
here. Seems to have a nasty cut, but I don’t
believe it’s dangerous. Way he talked to me
here a while ago, he ’s too ornery to die.”
“Must have been caught in the big wind,”
Nort said. “Hit by a board, probably. ”
“So that ’s Delton, hey?” Yellin’ Kid
drawled. “Well, mister, I’m pleased to make
your acquaintance. You don’t look pertikerly
dangerous to me. But you can ’t tell about these
quiet ones. Liable to fly up any minute. Don ’t
wash that blood off, Bud! Leave it lay. Have
him bleedin’ again if you don’t watch out. Nort,
mosey out an’ see if that dumb Mex has got


BUD FINDS A NOTE 79
_
the cofiee ready. Bring in some, will you?
Leave the ‘Canned cow’ out of it. When this
boy wakes up he wants something strong. ”
The man’s eyes opened for a minute, then
closed again. The dusk outside was settling
rapidly now, and the room was growing darker.
Dick ran to the kitchen and returned with a
lighted candle, which he held close to the head
of the recumbent figure. By this time their
visitor had regained consciousness, and was
staring wide-eyed at the group surrounding
the couch—three men leaning expectantly over
his body, while a fourth held a lighted candle
aloft like a weird statue. Little wonder that
a man awaking to such surroundings would be
somewhat bewildered.
“How do you feel, mister?” Yellin’ Kid
asked solicitously when he saw that Delton was
conscious.
“Not so—good,” was the jerky answer.
‘ ‘ Stomach—sick—head f eels— ’ ’
“Swally this,” urged Billee holding to his
lips the steaming coffee Nort had brought from
the kitchen. “Sure it ’s hot! Don’t want cold
sody, do ya? ’At’s-a-boy—drink ’er down!
Better now?’ ’
“Yea,” the man answered in a weak voice.
“What happened? Woolworth tower fall on
me? Wow! What a head! Seems to me I
remember takin’ a. subway train at Times


80 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
Square—or was that last year! Can’t just
think straight now——”
“N ew York,” whispered Bud to Dick.
“Thought he didn’t look like a westerner !”
“Just you lay quiet,” advised Yellin’ Kid.
“Won’t do you a bit of good to talk now. Got
lots of time to do that. You stay here to-night,
an! 7’
“I remember now! That storm! I was rid-
ing over toward the Shootin’ Star ranch, when
the sky got black, and that dumb-bell horse of
mine started to act up. The next minute I got
hit by a ton of bricks.”
He was silent a moment, thinking.
“Say—” he suddenly propped himself up on
one elbow and glanced around. “I know where
I am! Yes. And I know you—and you!”
pointing at Bud and Dick. “You’re the two
galoots that—oh !’ ’ he finished weakly, and sank
back. He closed his eyes again. It was not evi-
dent to the watchers whether he had really
fainted, or whether he realized he was talking
too much.
At all events it was useless to expect him to
say more. At Bud ’s suggestion he was carried
upstairs, and after his heavier clothing had been
removed he was laid in one of the beds. He
seemed to be resting easily, and if his sleepy
attitude was simulated at first, it certainly was
not now, as his regular breathing and relaxed
condition indicated.
_


BUD FINDS A NOTE 81
_
“Better let him sleep,” Dick said in a low
voice. “He ’ll be all right when hewakes up.
The bleeding from his head has stopped, and if
he had anything else the matter he would have
told us. I think we’d all better eat. Let ’s get
out of here, anyway—we’ll disturb him if we
talk much.”
“Eat!” exclaimed the Kid when they had all
left the room wherein Delton lay. “Let’s see
now—have I heard that word before, or did I
dream it? Believe me, when I sit down to this
chow nothin’ is goin’ to drag me away—fire,
wind or flood! Seems like that Mex cook of
ours is a hoodoo. Every time we start to eat
something happens.”
“Guess we ’ll go through with it all right this
time,” Dick remarked with a laugh. “Here we
are, boys. Set! And go to it! Enough bacon
here for an army. Kid, go easy on that bread!
You want to choke?”
The five were seated around a table in the
rear of the house. In the middle of the table
was a huge plate of bacon, and next to this was
a mess of beans, steaming hot. Bread, butter,
coffee and condensed milk or “Canned cow”
completed the repast.
“Wonder where the Mex got all this food?”
Nort asked as he reached for the bread. “Real
good, anyhow. Guess we ’d better keep the
Greaser, if he ’ll stay.”
“Keep him ’til we get settled,” added Dick.


82 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“I don’t exactly like his looks. He ’s tod much
like the Mex that Joe Hawkins pointed out-
the one he said to watch out for—remember1'—
to suit me.”
“Don ’t be tryin’ to find trouble, Dick,” ad-
vised Bud. “That Mex is just as good as the
next one. But it is funny why he should be
lingering around here when all the rest lit out.
And to have this food all ready for us.
Well——”
“Got a few suspicions up your own sleeve,
eh‘! ” laughed Dick.
“Boys,” Billee said slowly, “I want to tell
you something. You remember what your Dad
said about smugglin’, Bud? ”
At the word the men at the table gave a slight
start.
“Yes, smugglin’. You ’d forgot all about it,
hadn’t ye? Well, I ain’t. While we were in
Hawkins’s office I noticed a bill-head on his
desk. I took it. Here it is.”
He passed over the paper to the Kid. Tho
others got up and leaned over the Kid’s
shoulder, reading it.
“Two thousand dollars’ reward,” said the
Kid haltingly, “for the a-rest and con-viction of
—the person whose picture is below, and who is
known in New York as Dapper Dan Craven. He
is wanted for smuggling Chinese. Escaped
custody at ”
He stopped. His eyes sought the picture.
_


84: BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
excitin’ things to happen in the next few
weeks !”
Silence followed Billee’s long speech. The
veteran rancher had thrown a veritable bomb-
shell into camp. Delton_the man lying asleep
upstairs—the head of the smugglers! Two
thousand dollars’ reward! Why, all they had to
do was to tie him up and carry him to town-
over to the deputy’s house. Capturing the
smuggling king the first night at the Shooting
Star! It seemed too good to be true.
“There ’s a catch in it somewhere,”' com-
mented Dick. “N o man with a reward like that
on his head is going to dump himself into our
hands.”
“Why not? It wasn’t his fault. He came
sneakin’ around the place to spy on us and got
caught by the cyclone. Then a board or some-
thing hit him on the head and he fell where we
found him. Nothing strange about that! We
got him and got him good! Wow, what can’t
we do with two thousand dollars!”
“ There ’s one thing we forgot, boys,” the Kid
broke in.
“And what’s that?”
“We ’re downstairs, an’ Delton is upstairs.”
“That ’s soon fixed!” Bud cried, as he sprang
for the steps. “Let’s go, boys!”
“Take it easy!” cautioned the Kid quickly.
“What’s the use of scarin’ him? We’ll just
go up there and truss him up while he’s asleep.


BUD FINDS A NOTE 85
\
_
Won ’t hurt him. That out on the head was all
that ailed him. Now, take your time!”
The ranchers moved quietly toward the room
in which they had left Delton. As he reached
the door, Bud opened it slowly and peered in.
Not a sound. Then he stuck his head in a bit
further. Still no action. In the darkness he
could see the outline of the bed but faintly.
Softly he turned the covers down. Farther—
farther! Then he let out a yell.
“Hey, come here! Quick!”
“What ’s the trouble?” The Kid called as he
entered the room.
“He’s gone! He beat it! Look!”
In the bed, molded into the shape of a man,
were two pillows. Delton had escaped, leaving
the pillows in such a way as to make it appear
that he was still in the bed.
“Here’s a note!” Bud cried. “He left it
on one of the pillows. Let’s have that candle,
Dick.”
By the flickering spluttering light of the
candle Bud read aloud:
“Sorry I got to go so sudden, but this bed is
too hard. I wouldn’t sleep well. If you guys
want a little advice, you’ll move along out of
this section. It ain’t healthy. A word to the
wise. J. D.”


CHAPTER XI
JOE nAwKms’s vIsrr
AN you beat that!” Nort ejaculated
I‘
‘ , when Bud finished reading. “Nerve
—that Delton certainly has his share
of it!”
The feeling which the note aroused was not
just one of disappointment. The Kid seemed
highly amused at the turn events had taken.
Billee Dobb assumed an “I-told-you-so” ex-
pression which sat comically on his grizzled
features. The rest looked slightly bewildered.
“Got away, didn’t he?” Dick asked in a flat
tone of voice. “Through the window, I
guess. Yep. Slid down the rain water leader.
Well?”
“An’ he took with him your wireless and
your new bunch of cattle,” the Kid remarked
sardonically. “Never count the chickens before
they scratch. Mr. Delton is a slicker article
than we figgered on.”
“Let’s see the note a minute, Bud,” Nort
said. “Huh—‘bed too hard—couldn’t sleep!’
Wise sort of a bird; isn’t he? Say, he must
have written this as soon as we left the room.”
so


JOE HAWKINS’S VISIT 91
_
“One of us wants to take a ride into town and
see about gettin’ hold of a sheep-man. I got to
get me a pony, too.”
“I’ll go,” offered Nort. “Think I'll look up
Hawkins. He might like to know what hap-
pened.”
The five walked slowly into the yard. The
meal seemed to change their ideas, and set them
quietly to thinking. Bud was leaning against
the side of the ranch house. The Kid strolled
over to the corral and looked longingly at the
four horses tethered there. Billee Dobb was
seated on the steps smoking his pipe, when he
noticed a cloud of dust in the distance.
“Rider,” he said, more to himself than to the
others. “Got a hunch who it is.”
The dust cloud grew quickly nearer, and from
it emerged the figure of a man on horseback.
“Someone coming,” Dick called.
“Who is it?” Bud asked. From where he
stood he was unable to see.
“Don’t know yet. Looks familiar, though.
Here he comes.”
“It ’s Joe Hawkins!” exclaimed Bud, as the
horseman rode into view. “Hi, J oe—Mr.
Hawkins, I mean.”
“Jim ’ll do, son,” the deputy said with a
smile as he dismounted. “Looks like you was
havin’ a convention here.”
“Just thinking things over,” the Kid, who


THE STORY OF SMUGGLING 95
_
hundred dollars have been paid. Just a mere
matter of slavery, that ’s what it amounts to.
“But the Chink signs. What’s fifteen hun-
dred in the land of ‘plenty dollah?’ Now our
Chink is put on a vessel bound for Mexico.
There he is met by an agent of the same com-
pany that put him on board in China.
“This agent takes him to a town, near the
border—say Presidio, or some such place. Then
the real fun begins. The company notifies their
man at headquarters that the Chink has arrived
and is ready to be shipped across the border.
Headquarters looks up the Chink’s bond that
he signed in China, and which has been received
through the mail, and sends back word that
everything is O. K., that the Chink, with sev-
eral others, is to be handed to a smuggler at a
certain spot, to be smuggled over the border.
And when the Chink is so delivered the com-
pany’s part ends.
“After this the Chink’s fate is in the hands
of the smugglers, and if they get caught, and
the poor coot is sent back to China again by the
emigration authorities, he ’s still got to pay that
fifteen hundred, although all he got for his
money was a long ride and hard treatment.
“The border runners take their consignment
of Chinese and either pack them in the back of
an auto or wagon, or arrange to smuggle them
across some other way. If they’re lucky, they
get through. If not they get hauled up by the


96 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
_
border oflicers, and the runners get jail and the
Chinks are sent back to their native land. And
even if they do get through the lines the Chinks’
troubles aren’t over, for at any time they’re
liable to be pulled in for not having what they
call a ‘chock gee,’ which is a government paper
signifying they are here lawfully and not by
smuggling. I told you about that before.
“And that ’s how the game works. These
smugglers get hold of a ranch near the border
so they can hide their Chinks when they get them
across, until the time is set to turn them loose.
’Course I can’t say that’s what this place has
been used for. But it would be great for it.”
The narrator paused and the Boy Ranchers
drew long breaths of excitement.
“Well, boys, what do you think about it?”
The tall deputy looked from one to the other.
He was prepared for a deluge of questions, and
they came.
“Can ’t the Chinese counterfeit this ‘chock
gees?”
“Who gets the fifteen hundred dollars?”
“Has that smuggling been going on here—
near the Shooting Star?”
“Cease firing!” the deputy laughed. “I’ll
answer Bud’s question first. Yes, it has been
going on here—right past Roaring River.
That ’s how our marshal got shot up—tryin’ to
stop a load of Chinks from gettin’ through.
“That fifteen hundred, Dick, is divided be-


THE STORY OF SMUGGLING 97
_
_
tween the men who actually do the running, and
the company that ships the Chinks to Mexico.
The smugglers get about five hundred a head for
every man they get in. The ‘chock gee’ is often
counterfeited, but not very successfully. It’s
printed like a government bank bill, and is just
as hard to fake.”
For some time the discussion about smuggling
went on. The deputy told of the difierent
tricks resorted to by the border runners in get-
ting their human cargo safely into the United
States, and to what lengths they will go to pre-
vent capture. Boats are also used to transport
the Chinese to the American seacoast, Hawkins
said, and if, by chance, the runners were caught
with a load of prospective undesirable Ameri-
cans they got out of the difliculty by the simple
expedient of dumping the Chinese into the sea.
Another method of transportation was for the
smugglers to put off in a small craft from a
Mexican port, with a cargo of barrels and
Chinese. When the boat neared the United
States coast the Chinese would be nailed in the
barrels and thrown overboard, to trust to the
mercies of Fate to bring them ashore. Often
the wind blows in an oflshore direction, which
spells death to the floating Chinese; weeks later
they are found dead, when the barrels pile up on
some distant coast.
This system of sneaking Chinese into this


THE STORY OF SMUGGLING 99
_
_
It sort of hits me hard, losin’ a good bronc like
that.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Kid,” Bud hastened to
say. “And Dad will insist on buying you an-
other. So if Mr. Hawkins knows of one that
will suit you, take it. You ’ll fix him up with a.
horse then, Mr. Hawkins?”
“Depend on it,” the tall deputy declared.
“Now to business. I’ve told you boys all I
knew about the way smuggling is being done
around here, but I didn’t do it just to be in-
terestin’. I want you-all to help me.”
“Sure!”
“That’s what we ’re here for!”
“N o we ’re not, Kid, ’ ’ Bud corrected. “We ’re
here to herd sheep. But we’ll certainly help
Mr. Hawkins all we can.”
“Here’s the dope, boys,” and the deputy
leaned closer. “This Delton may or may not
have been doin’ business here at the ranch. If
he has been, an’ I’m goin’ to figger that way,
his friends still expect him to be here. He left
in too much of a hurry to send out word. An’
here ’s where you-all come in.
“I want you to pretend the ranch hasn’t
changed hands. Just lay low for a while, not
travelin’ ’round much, an’ we ’ll see what hap-
pens. I don ’t mind tellin’ you we got another
tip, that some Chinks were goin’ to be rushed
across within’ the next few days. Can’t say
just when, but soon now. It ’s a big load this


CHAPTER XIII
TRAPPED
OR some minutes the boys listened to the
F details of the deputy ’s scheme. It in-
volved danger, there was no doubt of that,
but it also gave a chance for success. If luck
held in their favor—and Kid said after the run
of misfortune they had met with it was time for
a change of weather—they might hope for a rich
prize—possibly Delton himself—though this
last did not seem likely. The whole success of
the plan depended on fooling the smugglers into
thinking the ranch was still held by Delton.
“And there we are,” finished Hawkins.
“Any questions, boys? You-all know what to
do?”
“All set!” Yellin’ Kid answered. “Now
that’s over with, guess I’ll mosey down to
town.”
“Rather you stayed around, Kid, if you
don ’t mind,” said the deputy. “Anything par-
ticular you wanted? ’ ’
“Well, just to see about that bronc you
mentioned. And we got to get hold of a sheep-
man soon.’ ’
102


TRAPPED 103
_
“I’ll fix that up for you,” Hawkins offeredO
“Dick, how about you riding back with me?”
“Glad to, Mr. Hawkins. Anybody want
anything?’ ’
“Better find out about food, ’ ’ suggested Nort.
“And we could all stand a clean shirt or two.
Before you go, Dick, we all better take inven-
tory. Didn’t bring much, you know. What do
you say, boys? Speak up, and Dick can collect
your stufi while he ’s in town. ”
“Where ’s that Mex?” the Kid asked. “Wait
a minute while I head for the kitchen.
He bounded up the steps and flung open the
door. To his surprise a figure stumbled away
and ran back. But Yellin’ Kid was faster, and
in a moment he had collared the man. It was
the Mexican cook.
“Hey, what the mischief you doin’ here?
Huh? Listenin’, weren’t you?”
The Mexican shook his head.
“What, then? If you weren’t listenin’ what
were you doin’?”
The cook pointed toward the kitchen and then
to his mouth. He spread both hands, palms
upward.
“No more grub? Oh, I see. An’ you was
comin’ to tell us?”
‘ ‘What ’s the matter, Kid?” the deputy called.
“Who you talking to?”
The Kid dragged the Mexican out into the
yard.


TRAPPED 105
_
“The Kid wants to handle a pony again,”
N ort said, when the Kid had left. “He hated
to lose that one of his.” -
“Mighty fond of it,” declared Bud. “While
you’re gone, Dick, I think I’ll take a look around
and see what I can find.”
“Wouldn’t go too far,” Hawkins cautioned.
“Here’s your bronc, Dick. Let’s be on our
way. See you fellers later. So long. ”
The two—Dick and the deputy—rode toward
the town. Billee Dobb resumed the smoking of
his pipe. The effect of the exciting plan they
had just heard seemed to have departed with the
deputy, for the minds of those at the ranch
turned again to the business of sheep farming.
Billee spoke of “washes,” and “dips,” and of
buying a few “hurdles.” These terms were
Greek to the boys, being experienced as they
were only in cattle and not sheep raising, but
Billee explained to them some of the peculiar-
ities of the “woolies.” He in a varied career
had seen most of the life of the range, and it
was no surprise to the boys to find he had once
herded sheep.
As the morning wore on, the ranchers busied
themselves in the doing of many tasks about
the place. The Kid made a thorough inspection
of the roofs and sides of the several shacks, to
check up on the repairing needed. Nort inves-
tigated the state of their living quarters—the
bunk and cook house. Bud decided to ride a bit


110 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
tained. A gun could be poked through the bush
and all the ground, except a very small part
directly in front of the hill, would be covered.
The person who dug it evidently had in mind the
advantages of firing from a hidden spot.
“Well, no use in staying in here any longer.
Hope that fool bronc of mine is still there.
Don’t want to lose her like the Kid did his.
Won ’t the rest be surprised when I tell them
about this! The Kid will want to come right
out and see it, and try it out. And Billee Dobb
will say ‘I thought there was sumpin’ like this!’
Gosh, this thing is pretty deep.” Bud put both
hands on the sides and pulled himself toward
the top.
He threw one leg over the edge and was just
about to spring out when that unconscious
something which often warns us of the presence
of another caused him to look up. What he saw
almost caused him to fall back into the pit
again.
Looking down at him was a man. In his
hand he held a gun, the muzzle pointed at Bud ’s
head. And as the boy saw the man’s face he
uttered a cry.
“Delton!”
“The same! I see you decided to visit us.
Well, buddy, you’re in for a good long visit!”
Delton’s lips curled in a sardonic smile.


TO—MORROW NIGHT 113
_
There was nothing for it but to obey. It
would do no good to persist in questioning his
captors, and not only would he learn nothing,
but the questions would only serve to antagonize
them more.
The three rode along silently. Now and then
Bud would shift in the saddle, for it is no easy
thing to ride a long ways on a nervous pony with
one ’s hands tied behind. Finally they seemed
to reach their destination—the house Bud had
seen in the distance. It was a ramshackle afiair,
with the roof partly torn away and no vestige of
paint. Evidently it had once been used for a
farm house, for about it were several other
shacks, probably to store grain in.
Delton dismounted and held the bridle of
Bud ’s pony.
“Your new home,” he said, with a grin.
“Come right in. Sorry we can’t fix you up
better, but you see all the servants are away.
The lad hesitated a moment.
“Off you come!” Delton seized Bud by the
belt and pulled. The boy tumbled ofi his pony
and hit the ground.
“That wasn’t—necessary!” the boy panted,
as he lay there with most of the breath knocked
out of him. Luckily he had fallen on his side,
and not on his face, which would have meant
a9 real injury, his hands tied as they were. '
“Maybe not, but I figger it’ll do you good.


1144 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
Give you an appetite for dinner,” and Delton
laughed harshly. “VVhere I come from we
treat ’em worse than that.”
“Aw, let him alone,” Sam growled. “No
use hurtin’ the kid! That won’t help us any.
If we get caught it won’t be so good havin’ a
lot of enemies.”
“Who said we were goin’ to get caught?”
Delton walked over to where Sam sat on his
pony. ‘ ‘ Sam, I haven ’t liked your actions lately.
Now you yell about getting caught. You know
what happened to that last bird who arranged
for me to meet up with the cops?”
“Yea, I know.” Sam moved uneasily in his
saddle. He did not meet Delton’s eyes. “You
don’t think I’d tell on you, do ya—an’ get
twenty years myself 1 Ain’t likely. Any-
way 1:
“All right! Pipe down. Get this kid inside.
I want to see if Slim got back yet.”
“Come on, kid. Here, I’ll help you up. Hurt
yourself?” Sam had dismounted and assisted
Bud to his feet.
“No, I didn’t. Thanks. What was his idea in
pulling me ofi like that! If ever I get him I’ll
remember it.”
“Oh, he always pulls stunts like that. Wants
everybody to know he’s a hard guy. Comes
from New York, and thinks he can put it all
over the West. One thing I will say for him,
he sure can shoot. That ’s enough, now.”


116 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
to all this trouble? Just because I found that
pit by the water hole?
“That doesn’t seem reasonable. Must want
me for something besides that. Guess I’ll know
soon enough. In the meantime I’ll take a look
around. Water! That’s right—I am thirsty.
Funny how you forget that when you’re ex-
cited.” Bud was talking to himself now. There
are people who seem to be able to puzzle things
out better if the problem is put into words than
if they just revolve it over in their minds. Bud
was one of these, and as he investigated his
prison he kept talking in a low tone to himself.
With the shades up he was able to get a better
view of the room. It was small, and had only
that one window in it. The furniture consisted
of a chair and a table. The floor was bare.
The walls were painted a dull gray. Bud pushed
experimentally against one of the sides, but to
no purpose. It was as solid as iron.
There was one more thing to be tried, that
was the door. Bud was reconciled to spending
at least the morning within the room, and it
made very little difference to him whether the
door was of oak, as “Sam” had said, or some
softer wood. However, he thought, he might
as well take a crack at it. Try anything once,
he reasoned.
He walked over and turned the knob softly.
It refused to budge an inch. Then Bud applied
more pressure. This time it turned slowly.
_


118 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
_
fingers softly, and his eyes lit up. “I’ve got
it!” he whispered.
Taking ofi his vest and shirt he wrapped the
pitcher well in them, after pouring out the
water. Then he tapped it gently against the
window-sill. It made almost no noise, so he hit
it harder. After a few tries he felt it break.
As he unwrapped his bundle of shattered porce-
lain he saw he had, luckily, broken a piece just
the size he wanted. He replaced his shirt and
vest and with the piece of pitcher in his hand
he made once more for the door, this time with
a real hope of escaping.
“Just the right length!” Bud exalted as he
slid the narrow knife-like porcelain through the
crack in the door and against the bolt. Then he
started to coax the bolt from its slide. Softly,
softly he scraped against the iron, and to his
delight felt it move ever so little. He could not
open the door to its full extent in his endeavor
to slip the bolt, for this would tighten the chain
and hold the metal piece more firmly in its slide.
He had to work with his left hand holding the
door at the proper angle and his right hand
using the piece of the water pitcher.
It was tiresome work. Several times Bud
halted as he heard footsteps in the hall outside,
but they went on their way without stopping.
The porcelain was rapidly wearing down. Its
edge had already become dulled, and no longer
offered the purchase on the iron that it did at


122 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“Yep! Two dozen cans of the best yellow
cling peaches. An’ flour, bacon, an’ all the
rest. Help me unload, boys.”
With five pairs of willing hands on the job,
the wagon was quickly relieved of its load. The
food was carried into the kitchen, and left there
for the cook with an admonition to: “Get busy,
Mex. We’re starved!”
“Thanks for bringing the stuff over so
promptly,” Dick said to the youthful driver.
“You must have hit only the high spots to get
here so quick.”
“Should say I did! One time we left the
ground and stayed up while a coyote ran under
the whole length of the wagon. Can ’t beat this
here team of mine for speed. Well, guess I’ll
be gettin’ back. All set, ponies? Don’t strain
yourselves, now. Got plenty of time. Just go
along nice an’ easy. Yes, sir, boys, I love these
animals like brothers!
“Get along there, Pete. Get along, I say.
Pete, you lop-eared wangdoddle! Quit draggin’
that other bronc around! Hear me? Dodgast
your hide, I’ll blow your fool head right off your
worthless carcass if you don’t quit that. You
will, will you? How do you like the feel of
that? Now we’re off! At-a-baby, get goin’!
So long, boys! You, Pete! Gosh darn your
senseless hide, I’ll—” the rest was lost.
“He loves ’em like brothers!” shouted the
Kid, holding his sides with laughter. ‘ ‘ Oh, boy!


BILLEE DOBB’S STORY 125
_
wouldn’t have said a word. I thought you were
telling us about your indigestion.”
“Go ahead—go ahead! I’ll get you some-
time, Nort. Billee, do you think it’s nice to
rim me around like that?”
“Do you good,” Billee said with a grin.
“When I was young an’ worked out with a
bunch from Two-bar Cross—the roughest outfit
you ’d ever laid eyes on—I wasn’t let to open
my mouth without someone hoppin’ down my
throat. That was a gang, let me tell you!”
“They were the old-fashioned punchers,
weren’t they?” Dick asked, winking at the Kid.
“The kind that used a buck-strap and ate his
cofiee out of a frying-pan."
“Buck-strap! Buck—say, boy, if -any man
on that there Two-bar Cross outfit ever heard
you speak of a buck-strap they wouldn’t know
What you was talkin’ about. No, sir! Those
boys were rough customers.”
A buck-strap is a leather thong fastened to
the saddle in such a way that if the pony sud-
denly bucks, its rider can hold himself on by
inserting his hand within this thong and pulling
hard. The user of one of these contraptions
is never proud of it, needless to say.
“You used to work a lot in the summer, didn’t
you, Billee?” the Kid asked with a concealed
grin.
“Yes, and in the winter, too. Mostly in the
winter. I remember one time?-”


128 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
snow, until every blessed one of them dropped,
and died where it fell. First the little calves.
Then the mothers, wh0’d stick by their babies
until they died, too. Then the cows of the herd
who weren’t so strong. An’ last, some big,
proud long-horn would drop in his tracks an’
die. An’ there wouldn’t be nothin’ left of the
herd except dots in the snow along the path.
That ’s what we call a drift.
“I knew if they ever started driftin’ I
couldn't save them. I could try to turn them
by rushin’ my bronc into them, but it wouldn’t
do no good. It needs at least six men to do
that job. An’ even then, if they once get well
started, I don’t think they’d turn aside fer
nothin’. So I just sat on my pony an’ waited.
The snow kept gettin’ higher, and the wind
colder an’ colder. The cows were moanin’
heavy now. I saw ’em shift once or twice, an’
my heart went in my throat, but they settled
down once more to just breathin’ hard. How
I did hope that Joe made the ranch. I sort of
felt that if help didn’t come soon the drift would
start. It takes so long for a cow to get the
idea she wants to move, and when she gets the
notion into her head, her legs start goin’ them-
selves, an’ keep goin’ until something bigger
and stronger than she is stops her. I knew that
the only thing would stop this bunch, once they
started, would be death.
“All of a sudden the moanin’ of the cattle


_ BUD’S ESCAPE 133
_
by the villains. Bang—bang—another Indian
bit the dust! Anyway, I’m glad we ’re out of
that mess. What was the idea of the whole
thing, anyhow?
“Don ’t see what they wanted with me. And
‘to-morrow night’! Evidently they figure on
some sort of dirty work. Now that they know
I’ve heard part of their plans they may not pull
anything.”
Ofi in the distance Bud could now see the
buildings of Shooting Star. As he rode up,
the Kid was nailing a board to the lower part
of the ranch house, and had his back to Bud.
He turned swiftly as he heard the hoof-beats of
Bud ’s horse.
“Come in—come in!” he called. “Have a
good trip? How are all the babies—and Aunt
Sarah? You must be plumb worn out, ridin'
all the way from Arken-saw on a hot day like
this.”
“Quit your kidding,” Bud answered with a
smile. ‘ ‘When I tell you what did happen you ’ll
think I have a good right to be worn out. First,
though, is there any chuck left?”
“What—they didn’t even feed you? Well
now, I thought you ’d had a chicken dinner.
Sure, Bud, come on in, an’ we ’ll get Mex on the
job.”
The best they could do in the culinary line
on short notice was beans, but Bud filled up


BUD’S ESCAPE 135
_
“Well, that means they’re going to take a
chance on going through with their plan, be-
cause they can ’t get word to the other side that
this place has changed hands. An’ they won’t
stop because they caught you listenin’.”
“Say, you might be right at that, Kid. That ’s
going some, though, to push things like that,
when they know their plan has been overheard.
Of course I didn’t actually hear it all, but I
heard enough to know it has something to do
with this ranch. And the time is to-morrow
night.”
“That will hurry up the deputy ’s idea, won ’t
it? If things break right, we might have a
chance to collect that reward.”
“Let’s not think about that now. What we
have to do is to get hold of the rest and tell
them what happened, and ask Mr. Hawkins if
this will change his plan. He ’s in town, isn’t
he?”
“Should be. Dick’ll know—he rode in with
him.” '
“Say, Kid, before I forget it—I heard some-
thing that didn’t sound so good about that
Mexican cook of ours. Delton let slip the hint
that he was one of his men—didn’t exactly say
that, but he led me to believe he was.”
“Did, hey? Well, I’ve been kind of sus-
picious of that Greaser ever since we found him
here alone, when the rest had beat it. Don’t
seem reasonable that one man would stay at a


136 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
ranch that has been cleaned out, unless he had
some business there. Delton’s idea may have
been to let him stay and spy on us. Think we
ought to kick him out?”
“That means we’ve got to find another cook.
N o, I think it will be all right to let him stay
if we watch him carefully. He sure is one
peach of a cook—I’ll say that for him—and I
don’t think he ’d deliberately try to poison us.”
“Oh, I’m not afraid of that. Of course we
could make him taste each dish he cooks for us,
like they do in stories, but he’d sure suspect
something then. I believe in keeping a secret
to yourself.”
“You mean not letting him know we suspect
him?”
“Yep! That’s it. We can watch him if he
doesn’t know he ’s bein’ watched, but as soon
as he knows we got something on him, we ’re
through.”
“You’re right about that, Kid. Say, where
did you say the others were?”
“In town. Ought to be back soon, though.
Billee Dobb is around some place in back. VVant
to see him? ”
“N 0, I’ll wait till Nort and Dick get here and
spill it all at once. Let’s go out.” ‘
The two arose and walked toward the yard.
As they passed through the door the Kid looked
sharply about him, but the Mexican cook was
nowhere in sight. His lesson had been learned


BUD’S ESCAPE 137
_
when the Kid had caught him listening before.
They hadn’t long to wait before they heard
the approach of two riders. Dick and Nort had
returned.
“Something happened,” Nort exclaimed
after he had dismounted.
“How do you know?” Bud asked with wide-
open eyes.
“I mean to us. Why, did something happen
to you, too?”
“I’ll tell you about it in a minute. Let ’s hear
your story first.”
“Not much of a story,” Dick said. “We saw
Delton.”
“You did! Where?”
“You remember that water hole the Kid
found the Chinaman at?”
“Yes—go ahead!”
“Well, N ort and I decided to take another
look at it on our second trip back from town,
so we rode over. It isn’t so far from here.
And as we reached it—only about an hour ago—
we saw a group of men talking. We rode up
easy, but they heard us and beat it. We saw
one of them, though. It was Delton.”
‘ ‘And do you know what he was doing there ? ”
Bud asked with a quizzical smile.
“What?”
“Chasing me! I found the water hole, too,
and something else and this Delton dragged me
for miles and locked me in a room. Then I got


140 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
The latter spoke of one tentatively engaged
and told the Kid his new horse would be sent
over in a day or so.
The remainder of the day went quickly.
When evening came the boys were excitedly
making plans for the following night. After
“chuck” they gathered around the table in the
sitting room and discussed ways and means.
The Kid was in favor of drastic action.
“No, We’ve got to go slowly,” Dick cau-
tioned. “This isn’t strictly our afiair, you
know. The government is interested in it. And
it ’s anything but a joking matter. The other
adventures we had—at Spur Creek and in the
desert—were our own concern entirely. This
is different. Hawkins hasn’t said so, but I
think it means a lot to him if we aid in cap-
turing the smugglers.”
“Thought you were out here to herd sheep?”
Billee Dobb put in.
“We were—at first. But there ’s no use try-
ing to dodge the issue—from now on until this
business is finished, we have one job on hand—
to help stop Chink smuggling. The sheep can
wait.”
“That ’s the stuff!” Yellin’ Kid burst out.
“I was waitin’ to hear you say that, Dick.
Might as well look things in the face! We ’ve
gotten too deep into this to drag freight now!”
“You ’re right, Kid,” approved Bud. “And
truth to tell, I’m not a bit sorry. I don’t care


A NIGHT OF WAITING 14:5
_
time this afternoon. May bring a friend with
me--Larry O’Connor—one sweet shot with a
revolver. That is if I think we need him.”
“Well, we’ve got five men all told,” Dick
declared. “And all of us are fairly used to
handling guns. Target practice at tin cans
keeps your eye in, and we do lots of that.”
“Good idea, if you can afford the money for
ammunition. Never know when you ’ll need to
rely on a well-placed shot.”
“Are you just going to ride over to the ranch
openly?” Bud asked. “Won’t someone see
you?”
“Even if they do, they won’t suspect any-
thing. But to make sure I’ll wait until after
dark. Guess that would be best. No attempt
will be made until well on into the night, and
we’ll have plenty of time to get set for them.”
“Then we ’ll see you to-night?” inquired Dick
as he arose.
“Sure thing! Oh, by the way—keep an eye
on that Mex cook of yours, will you? I want
him where I can grab him quick if I need him. ”
“We will. Good-bye until to-night, Mr.
Hawkins.”
“So-long, boys.”
Bud and Dick rode back to the Shooting Star.
As soon as possible they told the others of their
talk with Hawkins, and of his being a secret
service ofiicial. Billee Dobb said he “opined as
much long ago.”


146 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
_
The day dragged on. The boys were all
slightly nervous, though they wouldn’t admit
it. Several times one would catch the other
fingering his gun unconsciously. But evening
finally came, and while they were eating supper
Joe Hawkins arrived. He was alone.
“Thought you were going to bring someone
with you?” Bud said when the greetings were
over.
“Decided it wasn’t necessary. “We’ve got
plenty here. Now, boys, are you all set?”
“All set!” the Kid said loudlyO “Bring ’em
on!”
“They’ll come without us bringing them,”
Hawkins declared a trifle grimly. “Turn that
lamp low, Dick, and let ’s get out of here.”
“What about the Mex?” inquired the Kid.
“Bring him along,” the agent declared.
“Want him where I can keep an eye on him.”
In spite of his wordless protests, the cook
was dragged out of the kitchen and made to
accompany the punchers to a place near the
side of the house. And there the six men
watched, each with his hand on his gun and
with ears strained for the sound of a car. There
was a road which ran past the ranch and into
the town. It was over this road that the watch-
ing men expected the smugglers to come.
And now all settled down to a night of
waiting.


CHAPTER XVIII
smneenme ornmTrons
ARDLY a breath of wind stirred. The
H sky had become partly clouded, blotting
out the moon. Now and then a horse
whinnied, softly, as though frightened. The
waiting men moved about uneasily, talking in
whispers. Nine o ’clock passed. Then ten came.
The air grew chill and damp, and the clouds
overhead gathered more thickly.
“Gonna rain,” said the Kid in a low voice.
“We sure are favorites with the weather
man.”
“May hold off,” Bud observed softly. He
moved over to where Hawkins was standing,
eyes peering down the road. “What do you
think of it?” he asked the agent.
“Not much,” was the quiet answer. “Looks
like rain. That means we ’ll have a hard job to
see them when they do come.”
“Hey, the Mex wants to go back,” the Kid
said, lowering his voice. “He ’s cold, I guess.”
“You tell him to stay where he is, or he ’ll be
colder yet,” Hawkins said in a grim voice. ‘ ‘We
147


SM U GGLIN G OPERA TI ON S 1&9
_
poor critter is almost scared out of his wits.
He may have a bad brother, but I think he’s
O. K. himself. I’ll watch him for you. Over
here, Mex!” he ordered sharply.
The cook walked slowly over to Billee, and
squatted down beside him. He looked up at the
old rancher as a calf might look for protection
to a cow.
“I’ll depend on you to see that he doesn’t
pull any funny work,” Hawkins said to Billee.
“When the show starts we’ll have our hands
full, and we don ’t want any slip-ups.”
Yet they could not afford to give up now. If
things worked out as the agent had hoped, they
might succeed in arresting Delton and his gang.
“And that reward will come in right handy,”
Billee Dobb said.
“Will we really get a reward if we capture
these smugglers?” Nort asked Hawkins.
“You certainly will! And the government
will be glad to pay it, too.”
“I don ’t care so much about the reward as I
do about getting Delton,” declared Bud, as he
remembered how he was mistreated at the hands
of the smuggler.
“An’ I’d like to get my bronc back,” Yellin’
Kid asserted, as he moved his arms briskly
about to warm himself.
The night wore on, minutes seeming like
hours. Billee Dobb stood motionless, leaning
against the side of the ranch house, and at his


150 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
feet sat the Mexican, seemingly oblivious of the
cold. Hawkins moved slowly about, glancing
every now and then down the road. The others
stood about, talking in low tones. The storm
seemed to have been blown aside, as the rumble
of thunder no longer reached the ears of the
waiting men. Still the moon was covered with
clouds, making the night almost pitch-black. A
soft glow from the low-turned lamp within the
ranch house was the only illumination.
“Say, I’m goin’ to take a walk around to the
corral,” exclaimed the Kid suddenly. “This
waitin’ is gettin’ me woozy. Just want to see
if the ponies are all right.”
“Watch your step,” Bud cautioned. “It’s
pretty dark. And don ’t make too much noise.”
“I ain’t goin’ on any picnic,” Yellin’ Kid
answered. “Be back soon.”
He left the protection of the house and in a
moment was lost sight of in the darkness. It
wasn’t far to the corral, and as he approached
the horses stirred uneasily.
“All right there, ponies,” the Kid called
softly. At the sound of a familiar voice the
restless moving stopped, and the animals suf-
fered the Kid to walk in among them.
“Lonesome, hey?” he said in a low tone. “So
am I. Don’t like this hangin’ around nohow!
Wish we’d have some action.” He stroked the
nose of one of the steeds. The horse whinnied
softly in response. “Wish I had my own


SM U GGLIN G OPERATIONS 153
_
“You want N ort an’ me to watch the road
in the other direction?” asked the Kid.
“Yes—and we ’ll be here when they unload
the Chinks. All right now?”
“All set! Let’s go, Nort!”
Yellin’ Kid and Nort ran swiftly to the other
side of the ranch house, in which position they
would be hidden from sight of the road until
they chose to show themselves. Billee Dobb
went around to the corral.
The oncoming car was plunging along the
road, and would reach the Shooting Star ranch
in another minute. It couldn’t be seen, due to
the blackness of the night—the clouds seemed to
have thickened in the last few minutes—but the
noise was suflicient indication of its approach.
The six men awaited its arrival with breathless
excitement. If the plan only worked! Delton
would surely show up sooner or later, he
couldn’t risk too long a delay—and the capture
would be complete. The boys felt their hearts
beating fast as the moment approached. Guns
were out now, and ready for action.
Suddenly another sound came to the ears of
the waiting ones—the sound of rapid hoof-beats.
Those on the farther side of the house from
where the car was coming peered down the
road in the direction of town. They held their
breaths.
“Hear it?” the Kid asked excitedly of Nort.
“Horses! and coming this way! It must be


_ ‘ CHAPTER XIX
THE CHASE
HROUGH the darkness came many and
I varied sounds. The thunder rolled long
and continuously. The angry voices of
men rose loud and hoarse. Along the drenched
road came the smugglers’ car, its exhaust roar-
ing. And over all the rain came down in
torrents.
“Out of the way there, you!” came a voice.
“We ain’t got no time for foolin’!” ‘
“Stick to it, Nort!” the Kid yelled. “Don’t
let them through!”
The two boys were standing in the middle of
the road, guns out, determined to prevent Delton
andhis men from closing in on Hawkins, who
was grimly awaiting the smuggling car. If
they could be held off until the auto pulled in
and stopped, the party at the other side of the
ranch house might succeed in capturing the
Chink runners.
There was a sudden shot.
“Hurt, Nort?” the Kid called anxiously.
“Nope! Missed! Put those guns up, you!
O 155


156 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
We ’ve got you covered! Climb down off those
horses quick, or we ’ll fill you full of holes!”
There was a desperate ring in the boy
rancher’s voice, and Delton must have recog-
nized this, for he yelled something to the men
back of him and they all halted. The thunder
was less frequent now, although the rain had
not let up. The boys standing in the road were
soaked to the skin. Still they remained firmly
in their place, listening to the roar of the ap-
proaching car, and hoping they could hold
Delton until it reached the ranch. By the sound
it was almost to the Shooting Star ranch now.
In another moment——
“Hey, you guys, what ’s the idea?” through
the night came a questioning voice. ‘ ‘ Don ’t you
know it’s rainin’ here? How about lettin’ us in
the ranch to get dry?”
“You stay where you are!” the Kid yelled.
“_Yli>tu! have plenty o’ time to get drry all
rig
“Kid—here’s the car! Watch out now!”
Nort was at the Kid’s side, but facing the other
way. “Can you see anything—any of Delton’s
bunch?”
“N ope—only hear that guy that was talking!
Can ou?”
“N¥o but—what’s that?”
From the other side of the house came three
shots in rapid succession. Then someone yelled.


THE CHASE 157
_
The next moment Dick came splashing around
to where the Kid and Nort were waiting.
“ They—they fooled us!” Dick panted. “Del-
ton and three others got to the car before we
did and warned the smugglers! They all got
away!”
“Delton!” the Kid exclaimed. “Why, we
had him here-”
“Yes you did !” came a mocking voice. “You
big cheese—all you had was a good talk! So
long!” There was the splashing noise of a
horse rapidly departing for parts unknown.
‘ ‘ Can—you—beat—that ! ’ ’ Nort ejaculated.
“Fooled! Taken in like suckers! While we
stood here talking———”
“Yes, and while we’re standing here talking
now, the smugglers are getting farther and
farther away! Come on! We ’ve got to chase
them!” Dick turned and made for the corral.
“Chase an auto on a horse?” the Kid yelled.
“What ’s the sense of that?”
“They can ’t go fast in this wet—and we can
spot them by the noise. Hurry up!”
“But I ain’t got no pony!” wailed the Kid.
“Wish I had my bronc! What am I supposed
to do; stay here?”
“No—one of Delton’s bunch lost his seat and
we’ve got his animal—use that. He got away
in the auto. But for the love of Pete, hurry
upva
The rain had abated a little when the boys


158 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER _
_
reached the corral. Billee Dobb was waiting
with the ponies untied and ready. It was but
the work of a moment to mount and lead the
other horses over to where Hawkins and Bud
were standing.
“Where ’s my new bronc?” the Kid asked as
he came up.
“Here— this do you?” Bud was holding a
little black pony.
“Sure—as long as it’s got legs!” The Kid
swung himself upon the horse ’s back. “Right!
Let ’s go !”
“We ’ve no time to lose men!” Hawkins
called out. “We messed that up proper! This
Delton is more clever than I thought he was.”
All were mounted now and ready to take up
the chase. The Kid was letting his pony walk
about, and the rest were awaiting Hawkins ’s
word to start.
The six riders set out into the night. Haw-
kins said the car had taken a route at right
angles and to the left of the road, and all went
in that direction. They pushed their ponies
as fast as they dared over the soaked prairie,
hoping to catch sight of the car before they had
ridden too far. It was obvious that no auto
could make great speed over the rough surface
of the plains, and to add to this rain must
certainly slow them up still more. So the
punchers had a fairly good chance of over-
taking them. Delton would probably be acting


THE CHASE 159
_
as convoy to the car, and if they were able to
take that, they would capture him also. With
these thoughts in mind the ranchers beat along
through the rain, which was not now so heavy.
“What happened,” asked Billee Dobb.
“Just this,” Bud answered. “Mr. Hawkins
and I were waiting for the car to reach us. We
couldn’t hear what was happening on the other
side of the house, and Mr. Hawkins and I were
all set to grab the gang in it, when four men
came riding by like mad and reached the ear
before we did. They yelled something, and in a
second the car was ofl the road and away, the
horsemen after it. But one of the riders fell,
and didn’t wait to get on his horse again—
just hopped on the running board of the car.”
“What were those cracks we heard?”
“I took a couple of pot-shots at the tires, but
I don’t think I hit anything. Too dark. And
it was raining cats and dogs, you know.”
“Don’t I know it! Nort an’ me sure had our
hands full. Five men to stop! We figured if
we could hold them until you had the fellows in
the car covered, we could capture them too.
Say, see any Chinks in the car?”
“Didn’t see anything! The car turned off
before we could get close enough to see in it.”
“Too bad we couldn’t work it, boys.”
Hawkins ruefully said. “We ’ve still got a
chance to nab them, though. They can ’t get far
over this ground with a car. ’ ’


160 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“They can lead us a merry chase,” Dick
asserted. “Wonder what time it is?”
“One o’clock,” Bud suggested. “Not much
more, anyway. Think they came over this way,
Mr. Hawkins?”
“Yes—I do. Know where we are?”
‘ ‘ Comin ’ to the water hole, I think, ” answered
Yellin’ Kid.
“Say, maybe they ’re going to try and make
for the place where they held me!” Bud ex-
claimed. “That’s over this way somewhere.”
“Can you find it again?” the agent asked,
an anxious note in his voice.
“Think so.”
“Then if we don’t make out to-night we can
have a try at that in the morning.”
“How far do you want to go?” Bud asked
Hawkins.
“Let ’s see now. I have an idea, and I want
to see what you fellows think about it. First,
though, are you sure that you can find that
ranch where they held you, Bud?”
“Can in daylight. Maybe not at night.”
“If you started from the water hole do you
think you could spot it at night?”
“Might. I could try it, anyway.”
“Hold up a minute, then.”
The six riders drew rein, and waited for the
agent ’s next words.
“It’s not much use trailing them much
farther. What I think they did, is to make for


THE CHASE 161
_
that ranch house where Bud was, and stay
there. Now here ’s the point. Even if we did
come upon them now, we ’d have a hard job
taking them. I think this is a better plan.
Listen, now. ”
The boys drew closer around Hawkins.
“This idea I have calls for two men to stay
up all night. Who ’ll do it?”
Cl ! 7 7
“Let me in on that!”
“What is it—keeping guard?”
‘ ‘Yes, Nort, that ’s exactly what it is—keeping
guard. Now here’s the dope. We followed that
bunch pretty far. There’s no doubt but that
they headed for that house, and intend to unload
their Chinks there. Now if we can only keep
them in that house until morning, we can get
the whole gang—including the Chinks—like rats
in a trap. Now do you see what I mean‘? ”
“You mean you want some of us to watch the
place and do a little shootin’ so that they won ’t
come out?”
“That ’s it exactly, Kid! If two men can get
close to the house, and keep firing at intervals,
they ’ll think that We’ve got them cold, and will
stay there long enough to allow us to get them
by morning.”
“What ’s the matter with all of us going up
there now?”
“Wouldn’t do any good, and besides, some-
one has got to be at your ranch. And some of


162 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
_
us have got to get a little sleep. We may have
to do some more riding to-morrow.”
“Well, if you think that ’s best, I’ll do it, for
one,” spoke Dick.
“And I’ll go with you!” Bud exclaimed. “I
owe Delton quite a good deal for the way he
hauled me ofl’ my horse 1”
“All set for this new plan then?” asked
Billee.
“Yes, I think that would be best,” Hawkins
said slowly. “Bud, you know something about
the lay-out of the place. We ’ll ride part of the
way with you, in case anything happens. Then
when we get near it, you ’ll have to go on alone.
You and Dick can decide on a plan of action.
We will ride back, and return before dawn.
This time we won’t fail!”
“You’ll ride with us to the place now, you
mean?”
“Almost to it. Then I’ll know the way to
find it again. Come on, let ’s get started!”
The moon was now struggling to shine
through the clouds as the six took up the ride
again. Bud was in the lead. They had ridden
for ten minutes when, suddenly, Bud uttered an
exclamation, and pulled up his horse.
“Look there!” he cried, pointing.
Ahead loomed a dark mass. The boys rode
up to it. As they approached slowly the moon
finally came out fully, and before them they
saw the wreck of an automobile.


CHAPTER XX
DOWN AND OUT
“ T’S a car!” Dick cried. “Must be the
I smugglers’ machine, and they wrecked
it and got away! Now we know they’re
at that ranch!”
“Wonder what happened to the Chinks?” the
Kid said as he examined the wreck more closely.
The mass of twisted metal lay still in the moon-
light like some once-living thing that had met
its sudden doom.
“Probably dragged them along too,” Haw-
kins suggested. “Yep, I think this is the
smugglers’ car, all right. Looks like the one we
had a short glimpse of, just before it turned
ofl’. And, if that ’s the case, our plan may suc-
ceed. Having a harbor close at hand, it’s
natural for them to make for it. Now it ’s up
to us to see that they stay there until we
capture them.”
“That’s our job, and we’ll do it too,” Bud
said in a determined tone of voice. “Might as
well get going. The longer we stay here, the
more time we give Delton.”
“True enough,” commented Dick. “I won-
der if anyone was hurt when this car crashed?”
163


164: BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“Doubt it,” Hawkins said. “Those boys are
too lucky! If they weren’t they never would
have gotten away with the stunt they pulled to-
night. Imagine riding right into our hands and
getting away from us! Every time I think of it
I feel like kicking myself around the block.”
“It wasn’t any more your fault than the fault
of the rest of us,” N ort declared. “They were
too many, and too clever. Let ’s forget it and
go after them again, and this time we’ll win.
What do you say, boys?”
“Sure will!”
“No more foolin’ around for us!”
“Well, on our way,” Bud called. He took
one more look at the auto lying on its side in a
small depression, and spurred his horse onward.
The rest followed quickly. The night was well
spent, now, and but little time remained to
reach the ranch and post the guard. However,
it was not far now, and by dint of hard riding,
following directions from Bud, they reached
the vicinity of the ranch house in half an hour.
They halted well away from the house itself.
“Take it easy now,” Hawkins cautioned.
“We don ’t want to make too much noise. Bud,
have you and Dick decided what you ’re to do? ”
“Practically—he is going to take one side, and
I ’m to take the other, and if we see anyone come
out we’ll fire over their heads. That ’ll keep ’em
in all right, for they can’t see us in the dark.
No one likes to be fired on by someone he can ’t


DOWN AND OUT 165
_
see—as we all found out. Now it ’s time to give
them some of their own medicine.”
“Yes sir!” exclaimed the Kid. “I wish I
could stay with you, Dick, and have a crack at
them myself.”
“You come along with us, Kid. We ’ll be back
before dawn, and you’ll see plenty of action
then. Now is there anything you boys want be-
fore we leave?” asked the secret service man.
“Might bring back a snack for us,” Bud sug-
gested. “It ’s cold and hungry work waiting in
the dark. Not that we mind it,” he added
quickly, “as long as it helps capture Delton.
And if you can make it, Mr. Hawkins, please
get back as soon as you can. They may try to
make a rush for it.”
“We will —we’ll be back as soon as we get
things right at the ranch and maybe snatch an
hour’s rest. Depends on how much time we
have. But Qwe’ll surely be back before it’s
light.” -
This conversation was being carried on near
a small group of trees, just out of sight of the
old farm or ranch house. Now Hawkins and
the rest turned their ponies toward home. Dick
and Bud, of course, were due to remain and
watch Delton’s retreat.
“Now we’re on our own,” Bud said as he
listened to the hoof-beats of the horses gradu-
ally dying away. “Let’s get up to where we
can see the house.”


166 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“What about the broncs? Think we better
leave them?”
“Well, what do you think? We want them
near us so we can get going quick if we have to.
Suppose we tie them as close to the house as
we can without being seen?”
“That ’s a good idea. Well, there ’s the place.
Somebody’s sure in it. All lit up!”
The boys stood and looked at the old farm
house which loomed in the moonlight before
them. It was certainly inhabited, for several
lights were glowing on the ground floor, and
every now and then a figure would pass in front
of the lamps, casting a shadow plainly visible
from the outside.
“Got a lot of nerve, walking around like
that in front of lamps, ’ ’ Bud commented. ‘ ‘Easy
to take a pot-shot at them.”
“Guess they don ’t figure us as the kind for
that sort of thing,” Dick responded. “And
we’re not, either—though it would serve them
right if someone did let ride at the window.”
The two boys now took up their positions
agreed upon—Dick around to the left, and Bud
to the right. They were thus separated from
each other by about three hundfed yards.
“Mustn’t start thinking foolish things!”
Dick exclaimed to himself. “Got enough on my
mind now.” He shook his head as though to
rid it of fancies which hung around it. The boy


DOWN AND OUT 167
_
was certainly not of a morbid type, and it was
the most natural thing in the world for him to
be a bit uneasy, considering his situation. Yet
he would not even admit to himself that he was
anything but wholly composed.
“Wonder how Bud is making out?” he
thought. “Perhaps I’d better sneak over and
see. But no, there’s no sense in that.” Thus
did he dismiss the craving for company. “Be-
sides, I’ve got my job cut out for me here.”
He looked more intently at the house, seeking
to concentrate his attention on the everyday
affairs of life. Smuggling. The reward if they
caught Delton. What they could do with it. A
new herd of cows. The Kid’s bronc—whether
he would see it again. How Delton timed the
arrival at the Shooting Star ranch just when
the smuggling car got there. The getaway.
How it did rain!
Still, in spite of himself, that uneasy feeling
was stealing over the boy. Surely there was no
one around but Bud, away over on the other
side. Of course it was night, but there was
plenty of moonlight, and there was not much
chance of Delton’s men prowling about. Per-
haps it was because there were trees back of
him that Dick felt restless. Might be better to
move more out in the open.
The boy arose, then suddenly froze into still-
ness. That peculiar feeling that there was
someone behind him became stronger.


168 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
It seemed as though a pair of eyes were
boring into his back. He listened intently.
Suddenly he heard a voice.
“Hey, Dick!”
The boy turned swiftly, hand on his gun,
every nerve a quiver!
“It ’s me, Dick! Billee Dobb!”
What a relief! The boy now recognized the
old rancher ’s voice, and the next moment Billee
appeared, walking as noiselessly as possible.
“What on earth are you doing here, Billee?”
“I decided to come back. Didn’t want to miss
all the fun.”
“Yes, but you weren’t supposed to, were
you?”
“I told Hawkins, an’ he said go ahead. So
here I am.”
“So I see.” Dick could now afford to laugh
at his foolish fears. “But let me tell you, you
gave me a thrill for a moment. Now that you ’re
here, what are you going to do?”
“Watch with you. That ’s what I came back
for.”
“Nice of you to do it, Billee. What time is it,
do you know?”
“ ’Bout two. Lots of time yet.”
The rancher was observing the activity within
the old house. Nothing could be seen but the
passing and re-passing of the figures in front of
the windows, but for some reason it appeared
that more persons were moving about.


DOWN AND OUT 169
_
“Looks as though something was goin’ to
happen,” Billee commented in a low voice.
“Think so? Well, we’ve just got to wait,
that ’s all.”
The time passed slowly. Billee and Dick were
observing the situation within the house as best
they might, without necessarily exposing them-
selves.
“Say, Dick,” said the veteran rancher after
an hour that seemed like a year, “I’m goin’ to
investigate. ’ ’
“What do you mean?”
“I’m a-goin’ up and have a look inside an’
see what ’s happenin’.”
“I don’t know, Billee—they might spot you
and let ride with some lead.”
“Don’t worry about that, Dick. They ’ll
never know I’m there. Now you wait here an’
I’ll be right back.”
“Well, for the love of Pete, be careful! We
don ’t want anything to go wrong. ”
“ N othin ’s goin’ wrong. Now you wait.”
Billee Dobb moved softly in the direction
of the ranch house, walking so easily it seemed
as though he were stepping on wool. Unlike
most other punchers, who spend most of their
time on horseback, Billee was exceptionally
surefooted. Much tramping about the country
did that for him, and there were some who said
he had been active in Indian warfare, long ago.


170 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
He would be the first to deny this, however, as it
would add too much to his age.
So while Dick waited impatiently, the rancher
went toward the house, shoulders low, making
himself as inconspicuous as possible. The dis-
tance between the house and where Dick was
waiting was not far, but it was all open, and
with the moon lighting up the scene almost like
day, a person crossing might be easily seen.
Nearer and nearer Billee crept. Dick could
see him picking his way like a dancer, so that
he might step on no branch or twig which would
break and give him away. Now he was ahnost
at the side of the house. Dick saw him lean
forward and cautiously peer in the window.
Then it happened. Dick saw a flash of fire
from within the room, and the roar of a gun
awakened the stillness of the night. Billee
staggered back. He fell to the ground, but was
up in a moment, and ran swaying toward Dick.
The door of the house flew open, and a man with
a gun in his hand burst out on the porch. Like
a flash Dick had his gun out and fired. The man
ducked back as the bullet struck the side of the
house with a resounding “ping!”
With a supreme effort Billee reached the
shelter of the trees. Dick ran to him. The old
man’s face was twisted with pain, and he sank
to the earth.
“Dick—Dick—” he gasped, “they got me!
They got me! I’m down—and—out!’ ’


CHAPTER XXI
onosmo IN
ORT, Mr. Hawkins and Yellin’ Kid rode
M as fast as they might toward the Shoot-
ing Star. It was their intention to reach
the ranch and return as soon as possible, after
having taken a bite to eat. The idea of resting
was given up as the hours flew by. It seemed
no time at all before the stars grew dull, and
the gray fingers of dawn spread out in the east.
“Have to hurry,” Hawkins commented as he
fumbled around in the dark kitchen of the
ranch. “Where in thunder is that lamp?
Haven ’t you got one out here?”
“Sure—I think so,” Nort answered. “Have
to hunt for it, though. I’m not so certain of
my ground here. It ’s all new to me, you know. ’ ’
“Well, it’s not in the corner, that’s sure.
Let’s have another match, Kid. Ah, here we
are!” The soft illumination of an oil lamp
flooded the room. “Got any non-exploding
sand in this machine, Nort?”
“VVhat’s that?”
“It’s something the gold-brick artists used
to sell to farmer’s wives to keep lamps from
I|
171


172 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
exploding. Nothing but plain ordinary sand,
but the directions that came with it said to
always keep the lamp clean, not to put too much
oil in it, trim the wick, and so forth. Then put
the sand in and the lamp would never explode.
Of course it wouldn’t, if the directions were fol-
lowed. But the sand didn’t help any. It was
the cleaning that did the trick. Yet the buyer
bought peace of mind and security for ten cents,
so the game wasn’t so bad as it sounds."
“Pretty good!” the Kid laughed. “Never
heard of that trick before, but a feller was out
here last year sellin’ an electric belt, guaranteed
to take off ten pounds. All you had to do was
to live on bread an’ water for five days an’ run
two miles every morning, wearin’ the electric
belt. Didn’t do no business here, though, ’cause
most of the boys wanted to put on weight, not
lose it.”
“Some graft,” Hawkins declared. “Well,
that ’s neither here nor there. Find that bread
and meat, N ort ‘I ’ ’
“Yep. Got it all fixed up. Say, by the way, I
wonder where that Mex cook of ours went?”
“That ’s so too!” exclaimed Hawkins, as they
hurriedly ate a lunch. “Forgot all about him
in the excitement. No use looking for him now,
I suppose. He may turn up. ”
“Then again he may not,” the Kid spoke
grimly. “We ’re well rid of him, I think. Don ’t
like them Greasers nohow, and this one was no
~i


CLOSING IN 175
_
“Make it?” N ort called to the Kid.
“ Sure! Coming to the water hole now.”
The Kid ’s thoughts were racing along, keep-
ing pace with the horses’ flying feet. As is the
case when one is engaged in work of a monoto-
nous nature, such as riding, one ’s thoughts seem
to whirl about in a circle, the same subjects re-
curring with regularity. The Kid was thinldng
about his lost bronco. Then Delton. Then the
reward. Then back to the bronco again. And
all the while the miles were disappearing behind
him.
Suddenly the Kid pulled his mount to a. stop.
“Wait!” he cautioned. “Isn’t that where
we left Bud, just ahead?”
A group of trees rose in front. They had a
familiar aspect.
“Sure looks like it!” Hawkins agreed.
“Let’s take it easy. Kid, you lead, and go
slow.”
The three walked their horses toward the
trees. As they came nearer, they made certain
that they had reached their destination. And
just in time. The sky was graying rapidly.
“You two wait here, and hold my new bronc,”
Yellin’ Kid directed softly, “an’ I’ll go around
on foot. See how the land lays. All right, Mr.
Hawkins?”
“All right, Kid. Go ahead. Then come back
and tell us.”
The Kid dismounted and handed his bridle


176 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
rein to Nort. Then he walked carefully into
the trees, and disappeared from view.
“See some action soon,” Hawkins declared.
He and Nort were waiting on their horses about
three hundred yards from where the Kid had
disappeared into the trees. “The old ranch
house is right back there. And this time I want
to make sure of getting the whole gang.”
“Don’t you-think they figured we followed
them, and are all set for us!”
“Maybe. Can ’t help that. But I’m not so
sure, Nort—you know they had to get those
Chinks to a place of safety. Couldn’t let them
wander around loose. And this was the only
place they could go to. They had no choice.
And whether they figured we’d follow or not,
they had to dig in here.”
“ They sure got away neat before,” Nort said,
as he thought of the escape. “And if they
hadn’t wrecked their auto we’d probably never
have seen them again. Now we ’ve got a
chance.”
“Yes, and a little more than a chance. Won-
der what ’s keeping the Kid. Told him to come
right back.”
“And here he comes—runnin’!” exclaimed
Nort suddenly, as a figure burst into sight.
“Something must be the matter!”
They spurred their horses toward the Kid,
and met him half way.
“VVhat is it?” Hawkins asked sharply.


CLOSING IN 177
_
“Billee Dobb ! ” Yellin’ Kid panted. “He ’s—”
It was an ominous pause.
“Not so loud! Easy!”
“It’s Billee!” the Kid exclaimed in a lower
voice. “They shot him!”
“Shot him! Is he dead?”
“Not yet. Looks pretty bad. Bleedin’ hard.
By golly, let ’s go after those yellow sneaks, an’
get ’em!” ’
“Shot Billee Dobb,” Nort said slowly, as
though he couldn’t believe it. “Poor old Billee!
Well—” he looked up sharply. ‘ ‘Let ’s go!”
The boy’s lips were closed grimly. In his
eyes shone a wild light. Whatever quarter
would have been extended to the smugglers be-
fore, they could expect none now. The chase
had turned—had changed into a personal ven-
ture. They had been seeking the capture of the
smugglers because it had been their duty.
Now
“Men,” Hawkins spoke in a low voice, clip-
ping his words, “let’s get started. We got
work to do!”
There was not another word spoken. Belts
were tightened, and guns loosened in their hol-
sters. Dawn was just breaking. The three
men closed in on the ranch house in silence.
_


CHAPTER XXII
FLYING BULLETS
INALLY Nort spoke.
“What about Billee?” he asked.
“Dick’s taking care of him as best he can.
Poor old geezer—” the Kid bit his lip sharply.
“He told me—he was sorry it happened, ’cause
now he ’ll miss the fun.”
“How did he look, Kid? I mean——”
“Can’t tell, Nort. He ’s hit pretty bad.
Course we don’t know for sure—he’s pretty
old, you know ”
“But tough as a board,” Hawkins broke in.
“I know his kind. Don’t worry boys. I’m sure
he ’ll pull through O. K. Kid, is Bud coming
with us?”
“Said he ’d be right here. Want to wait ’til
he comes, before going closer?”
There was a halt in the determined march
toward the ranch house. There seemed to be but
little formal plan in the boys ’.attack; simply to
“get those guys an’ get ’em good,” as the Kid
expressed it. But now that the first shock of
learning of Billee’s wound had passed, all
realized how hopeless it would be to simply go
_
178


_ FLYING BULLETS 179
_
up and take Delton. Some sort of a scheme of
attack was necessary if anything was to be
accomplished.
“Here’s Bud now,” Hawkins said as the boy
rancher rode toward them. There was a sober
look on his face.
“How goes it?” the Kid asked, anxiously.
“Pretty fair. He ’s got a chance, I think.
Bleeding’s stopped. Dick's got him covered up
with a saddle blanket over there a ways. If I
get a crack at Delton—'—”
“How ’d it happen, Bud?” asked Hawkins
quickly. It was evident that he wanted the
boys to control themselves. It was dangerous
work they were about to start, and thought
must be clear and quick, unimpeded by external
circumstance.
“From what I gather from Dick, Billee
sneaked up to take a look in one of the windows,
and someone snipped him. He just made the
shelter of the trees and fell unconscious.”
“Well, men, that means we have an additional
reason for taking Delton.” Mr. Hawkins looked
about him to be sure all were listening. In the
east the red rim of the morning sun was bulging
over the horizon. The time for action had come.
“Nort, come over here a minute, will you‘
!
Hold my bridle rein while I see if I’ve got that
paper with me. ”
The boy, wondering a little, seized the rein
while Hawkins went through his pockets. The


180 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
agent’s eyes were riveted on Nort’s hand. It
was as steady as a rock.
“Never mind—guess I won’t need it. All
right.” Hawkins took the reins from the boy,
satisfied by his little ruse that Nort was not
afiected by his lack of sleep. The business
before them called for a firm hand and nerve.
Hawkins was speaking in a low voice.
“Can you men all hear what I’m saying! If
not, get closer. Now listen. We ’ve got to figure
this thing out, or fail again. And if we don’t
take Delton this time, I’m afraid we never will.
At least that ’s the way it seems to me. Here’s
what I thought. We’ll ask him to surrender
and come with us peaceably. We are bound to
do that. They know by this time that we are on
their heels, and can cause trouble for them if
they attempt an escape now. I believe they’ll
bide their time, and make a rush for it. That ’s
what we have to be ready for. I’m going up
there with a flag of truce, and demand that they
give in to the law.”
The agent dismounted and, drawing his gun,
he tied to the barrel of it a white handkerchief.
“You mean to say you ’re goin’ to walk right
up there in broad daylight, after what they did
to Billee?” Yellin’ Kid askedz in a tone of
surprise.
“I am. It’s my duty. Besides, it’s safe
enough. No one but a fool would shoot a man
bearing a white flag, when they ’re in Delton’s


FLYING BULLETS 181
_
position. It ’ll go hard enough with them as it is.
I have an idea they might agree to come peace-
ably.
‘ ‘Well I haven ’t, ” the Kid said grimly. “The
only way we ’ll get those skunks out of their hole
is to pull them out!” '
Hawkins shrugged his shoulders and pre-
pared to set out. They all walked to the edge of
the trees, and just as the sun burst forth in all
its glory Hawkins started across the open space
toward the ranch house.
The boys watched him with anxious eyes.
Would he cross safely, or would he be shot down
like a dog! There was no sign from the ranch
house. All activity had ceased as though the
occupants had been frozen into stillness. Nearer
and nearer walked the agent, head up, the gun
with the handkerchief tied on it held in front of
him. Still there was no sign of life inside the
house. When the agent reached within ten feet
of the place, the boys saw him stop and look
closely at the quiet house.
“Hey, you!” he yelled.
“Nervy guy,” the Kid commented, “He
might easily get creased, standin’ there yellin’.
He, I wouldn ’t put it past that bunch ! ”
Suddenly a window flew up and a head poked
out. It was a stranger, none of the boys ever
having seen the fellow before.
“What do you want?” the man demanded in
a truculent tone.


182 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
“I call upon you to surrender, in the name of
the law!” said Hawkins.
“You what?” Without waiting for an
answer, the head drew in but the window re-
mained open. In a moment the head reappeared.
“W'hat are you talking about? Why should
we surrender?”
“You ’re under arrest for smuggling, and for
assault and battery with intent to kill!”
“You don ’t say!” The head popped in.
Then in a moment——
“Who are you—John Law?”
“I happen to be a federal agent. But I’m not
here to give you my history. Do you surren-
der?” The boys could hear the sting in the
agent’s words.
“Wait a minute.” Once more the head dis-
appeared. This time it stayed back for some
minutes. The watching boys were moving un-
easily. Finally another came to the window-
It was Delton. The agent gave no sign that he
knew him.
“Want to speak to me?” asked Delton, an
imperious note in his voice.
“Makes no difference who I speak to. I
want to know if you ’ll surrender, and give your-
selves over to the law.”
“What for?”
“You know well enough! Smuggling, and
shooting!”
“It was that bird’s own fault that he got


FLYING BULLETS 183
_
shot. What ’s he want to come sneaking around
for‘? Serves him right! As for smuggling, who
said we were smugglers?”
“Never mind about that.” The agent was
speaking quickly now. “I ask you once more,
do you surrender?”
Unwittingly Hawkins lowered his gun on
which was the flag of truce. There was a sud-
den report, and a spurt of dust arose at the
agent ’s feet.
“There’s our answer!” Delton yelled, and
slammed down the window.
Hawkins wasted no time in returning to the
waiting boys.
“That’s that,” he said grimly, and he re-
moved the handkerchief from his gun. “We got
to go after them. Kid, where ’s Billee Dobb
resting?”
“Over there behind that bend. Want me to
go over and see how he ’s makin’ out?”
“Yes. In the meantime, where ’s that meat
and bread you brought, Nort? Everybody grab
some. Got water over there for Billee, Kid? ”
“Yep; Dick ’s got a canteen full, and he ’s got
Billee’s shoulder tied up with his shirt. We
-can’t do anything more for him ’til we get
home.”
“I hate to think of Billee lying out there
hurt,” Bud said a trifle sadly. “Think we all
better go over and see him?”
“N o, I don’t,” Hawkins said decidedly.


FLYING BULLETS 185
Bud get around to the extreme right. In that
way we can cover the whole ground. Nort and
I will start first, and try to make the door.
“When I shoot, you start, Kid. If we can
get into the house, the rest is easy. I know that
bunch. Fine when they’re on top, but as soon
as anyone gets under their guard, they welch.
That ’s the reason I think we can make it. But
listen—” and the agent ’s voice dropped. “ This
is a mighty risky business. I don’t want any-
one to get in this against his will. No telling
what may happen. Are you boys willing to
take a chance?”
Bud was the first to speak.
“Mr. Hawkins,” he said, “I think I know
the others well enough to speak for them.
When we started this thing, we did so because
it was our duty, and, I might as well admit it,
because of the excitement. Since then some-
thing has happened. Billee Dobb was shot,
Are you answered?”
“I am,” said the agent, with an understand-
ing look. “All set then, boys. Around that
way, Bud. Wait for three shots, then close in—-
fast. Let’s go!”
Bud and Yellin’ Kid started for the right of
the house. The moment had come. Before
many more minutes passed, the plan would have
either succeeded, or there would be fewer men
able to walk around the ranch house. Hawkins
and Nort drew their guns, and headed their
_


A RING OF FIRE 189
_
“What makes you think someone started it?"
Hawkins asked, looking at him closely.
“Well, I figure it couldn’t set itself—and it ’s
not likely an accident would happen.”
“Can’t tell—like as not a lamp turned over.
Wow, look at that roof go! Where can those
birds be keeping themselves? What chance
have they got now?”
“Probably trying to put it out from inside.
Foolish thing to do, but they know as soon as
they come out they ’re finished. I wouldn’t de-
liberately set the place on fire, but it sure solved
our problem for us.”
As the fire raged more fiercely, the ranchers
looked at each other. What had happened to
Delton? Could it be that he determined to stick
it out until the last moment, and risk a horrible
death? Surely he must realize that in peaceful
surrender lay his only hope.
Suddenly Bud uttered a cry.
“Here comes someone! Out of the cellar!
Look!’ ’ Running toward them was a bedraggled
figure. Clothes torn, face blackened with smoke,
it presented a truly pitiful picture. As it ran it
waved its arms wildly. Something in the ap-
pearance, or possibly its gesture, caused Bud to
exclaim:
“Say, he looks familiar! Kid, Nort—know
who that is?”
The boys looked curiously at the wretched
man. Now he was almost upon them, and they


A RING OF FIRE 191
_
The Mexican pointed to himself, then held up
two fingers. Then he pointed to the house, and
shook his fist.
“He means his brother!” the Kid said.
“What about him, Mex? Did Delton get hold
of him?”
Another nod, and more furious gestures.
“I see!” cried the Kid. “He means Delton
put his brother up to some dirty work. That
right, Mex?”
Eagerly the man signified yes.
“And he did this to get back at him. But
where is Delton, Mex? Why doesn’t he come
out? He ’ll be burned to death in there !”
The fire had eaten its way through to the
front of the house and now the whole upper
story was ablaze. It seemed impossible that
any living creature could withstand those flames.
“Where ’s Delton, Mex?” the Kid persisted.
The cook pointed to the house then to the
ground.
“ The cellar!” Bud cried. “He means they ’re
hiding in the cellar! That ’s the reason they can
stay in there so long. We should have thought
of that before. ”
“They ’ll soon be out,” spoke Hawkins a trifle
grimly. “The fire is reaching the lower story.
We may expect a rush any minute now.”
The men were standing in a group at the edge
of the trees. With the house directly in front of
them, and the country about perfectly flat, there


192 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
was no chance of anyone escaping unseen. The
flames mounted higher. There was a certain
amount of awe in the faces of all as they thought
of the tortures a person would endure if he were
trapped in that furnace. And for all they knew,
men might be burning to death in front of them!
It was a harrowing situation. Even though they
had shot Billee Dobb, it was an inhuman thing
to wish, or even think, of them being caught in a
burning building.
If they would only come out, even though they
came shooting! Bud saw a huge tongue of flame
shoot out of the roof.
“I can’t stand this any longer!” he shouted.
“Those men must be burning to death! I can ’t
stay here and watch that. I’m going to ”
“But what can you do?” Nort asked. “They
want to stay there until they ’re good and ready
to leave. I don ’t see how we can help them.
Certainly I don ’t want to see anyone burned to
death, but I don ’t think we can do anything, ex-
cept go in and get them, which we can ’t do; and
if they won’t come out, they won’t.”
“Perhaps they ’re trapped!”
“You ’d know it if they were. They’d yell or
something. N o matter how much they want to
escape, they won’t risk getting burned. No man
would.”
“Then why don ’t they come out?” Bud per-
sisted.
“Ask me something easier! Maybe the Mex
_



A RING OF FIRE 193
_
can tell us something about it. Hey, Mex! Why
they no come out?”
But this time the cook shrugged his shoulders
and spread his hands wide in a gesture express-
ing ignorance. They could get no information
there.
“I’m going to ride over and see!’ ’ Bud ex-
claimed, a ring of determination in his voice.
“Well, if you want to—then I’ll go with you.
Kind of wonder where they are myself.” This
from Nort.
They had to force their horses to head toward
the fire. The sparks were flying high, and the
heat could be plainly felt even at the distance
the boys stood. But finally Bud and Nort got
the ponies started.
The animals approached the fire with mincing
steps. The boys had to force them continually
onward, for no beast will go toward fire will-
ingly. A few more steps and Nort said:
“Say, Bud, there ’s not much point in this.
The broncs will never go near enough for us to
see anything. What say we get ofi and walk?
I don’t think there ’s much chance of Delton
shooting at us. If we really want to find out
anything we better get ofi these horses.”
“Guess that ’s right,” agreed Bud as his
mount reared high. “Fast, though—snap to it,
N ort!”
The boys turned their ponies away from the
fire and rode swiftly back. They dismounted


194i BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
and without hesitation ran again to the burning
house. They made for the side, from where
the Mexican cook had staggered out.
“There ought to be an entrance to the cellar
about here,” Bud panted as he ran on. “The
Mex said they were down there!”
As they neared the building they saw that
this was so. A small door indicated the way
to the cellar. The heat was tremendous, and
Nort wondered if their errand hadn’t been in
vain. It didn’t seem possible that there living
creatures were voluntarily remaining within.
Just as Nort was about to tell Bud his
thought, a figure emerged and staggered toward
them. It was the man who had protested at
Delton’s treatment of Bud when the boy had
been taken, bound, to this very house. The man
was in sad case. _His breath was coming in
sobs, and he maintained an upright position only
by a supreme efiort. One side of his face was
badly burned.
“Help—” he gasped. “Help—men in
there———”
“What is it? Speak quick!” Bud com-
ilnandedin “Can’t they get out? Are they in
anger
“Trapped! Delton—in there-—can’t move—
hit on the head ”
The next moment the man collapsed at their
feet. unconscious.
_


CHAPTER XXIV
THE BATTLING BUCKBOARD
“ UICK, N ort! Pull him back out of
Q the heat and call the others! We’ve
got to save those men !”
“What ’s the matter?” Dick cried as he came
up. “Aren’t they out of that furnace yeti”
“No— they ’re trapped inside! We ’ve got
to get them out! Billee Dobb-—is—_is he dead? ”
“N o—he ’s better! He insisted on my coming
over when he saw the smoke. Thought I might
be needed. No time for talk now—we’ve got to
get busy!”
“It ’s sure death to enter that!” Hawkins
cried as another huge tongue of flame shot
heavenward, sending the boys reeling back.
“You ’ll only throw your lives away ! ”
“I can ’t help it—we must do something! We
can ’t see them burned to death!”
At that moment Bud felt a tug at his sleeve.
He jerked around. At his elbow was the Mex-
ican cook. He motioned to himself, then toward
the cellar. Then he leaped forward.
“Follow him!” Bud cried. “He knows how
to get in safely!”
\
105


196 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
With a rush the others were on the heels of
the Mexican.
“Someone has got to stay here-—help them
out if we do get them!” exclaimed Hawkins.
“Nort—you and Dick wait!”
Bud was directly behind the Mexican. He
saw the man disappear down into the smoke,
and taking a full breath, the boy followed. He
found himself below ground, and for a moment
hesitated to get his bearings. The air was chok-
ing, but the heat was not intolerable. The fire
had not quite reached the lower floor.
There was no time to be lost, for any minute
the building might collapse and bury them. Bud
plunged on. He could see faintly now, and he
caught a glimpse of a figure in front of him,
beckoning.
“Go—ahead !” the boy gasped. “Coming!”
A few steps further and he stumbled against
a door. At his side was the Mexican, pointing.
Bud pushed frantically, but the door refused to
budge. Then he found the reason. It was
bolted.
“You — you locked them in! You in-
human-—”
“He saw the Mexican shrug his shoulders.
Even in the burning building the Latin’s philo-
sophical mind did not desert him.
Bud struggled with the bolt. It stuck. He
strove with all his strength—a.nd the door flew
_


198 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
stained face. Then with a sudden heave he
lifted him and staggered to the door.
“I’ll take him!” he gasped to the Kid, who
had reached for the burden. “See if there are
any more!”
He heard Yellin’ Kid smashing against the
walls in an efiort to locate other senseless fig-
ures. Then he followed Bud.
“Can’t find any more. Ask the Mex how
many———”
The cook heard the inquiry and flung his arms
wide, indicating that the rest had made their
escape. The Kid, gasping, plunged out intothe
open.
As he gulped in great mouthfuls of the wel-
come fresh air the Kid heard a sudden crashO
He turned quickly. A shower of sparks and
flames shot into the air, like the eruption of a
volcano. There was another roar, and the next
moment the building was in ruins. The walls
had collapsed, and nothing remained of the
structure but a pile of embers. With horror
written on his face, the Kid looked wildly about
him.
“Bud!” he almost screamed. “Bud—is he
in there? Get him out-—get him ”
“All right, Kid—all right-—-” said a voice by
his side. It was Bud. The Kid stared at him
for a long minute, with a suspicious moisture in
his eyes. Then he laid his hand on Bud’s
shoulder.


200 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
Y
_
who was standing on the edge of the group.
“Come here! You know him!”
He pointed to a man seated on the ground,
leaning against a tree, with one of his sleeves
burned entirely away. The arm was scorched.
But with his other hand the man was calmly
holding a cigarette.
The Mexican cook looked at him and then
nodded briefly.
“He ’s your brother, isn’t he?”
Another careless nod.
“Then you ask him what became of the
Chinks!” ,
“Why don’t you ask him yourself 1” Dick
wanted to know.
“Tried it—won’t answer. I think his brother
can make him talk.”
This proved to be correct. The cook bent
over his brother and made a few rapid motions
with his fingers. The seated man muttered
something. Again the cook’s fingers moved.
This time his brother answered more at length,
and the cook walked in the direction of a small
shed, motioning to the others to follow. N ort
and Mr. Hawkins trailed along behind. When
they reached the shack the cook pointed to it.
“In there?” the agent asked doubtfully. It
didn’t seen large enough to hold more than two
men. It had probably been used to shelter a
calf when the place had been run by a farmer.
The Mexican nodded. Hawkins stepped to
~-


THE RATTLING BUCKBOARD 203
_
“Let me see,” the agent said. “It is a prob-
lem, N ort. Bud, have you a suggestion? The
sooner we can get the bunch to town the quicker
we’ll get something hot to eat. And a little
sleep wouldn’t harm us any. Think of any-
thing, Bud?”
“Well, if—” The boy stopped and listened
intently. In the distance he heard the sounds
of horses. Then as they approached nearer the
creaking noise of a wagon traveling fast came
to him. The next moment all heard a voice
yelling: ‘
“Get along there, boys! Watch it—watch it!
Pete, you spavin-back cayuse, come out of that!
Quit side-steppin’! At a baby—now yore
goin’! Out of that hole! Out of it! Pete!
Pete! You dog-eared knock-kneed bleary-eyed
paint, if you don’t swing wide I’ll skin you
alive! You, Pete!”
A rattling buckboard popped into view like
the presiding genius of a jack-in-the-box.
‘ ‘It ’s our friend from town—from the store!”
N ort exclaimed.
“Yes, and look who ’s with him!” Bud yelled.
“It’s Dad! Yea, Dad! Golly, I’m glad you
came! You’re just in time!”


CHAPTER XXV
YELLIN’ KID FINDS ms BRONC
HE wagon came to a sudden stop, and Mr.
Merkel jumped out.
“Hello, son! Howdy, boys! Say-
what happened here? Bud—how did you get
burned? You hurt?” There was a note of
anxiety in the father’s voice.
“Not a bit, Dad! Just blackened up a little.
Had a fire, and we had to pull some men out.
Look at that!”
The boy pointed to the mass of embers that
was once a house. The fire had died down until
now there was only glowing bits of wood left.
It had started quickly and ended as suddenly.
“Anybody seriously burned?” Mr. Merkel
looked at his son keenly, as though to satisfy
himself that he was uninjured. The father’s
glance evidently convinced him that Bud was
all right, for he turned quickly and said to the
others:
“Where’s Billee Dobb? I don’t see him.”
“Billee is the one who is really hurt, Uncle,”
Nort answered. “He’s got a piece of lead in
his shoulder. He ’s asleep now—be all right
later, I think.”
“Shot! The rascals! They’ll suffer for
H__ A
204


YELLIN’ KID FINDS HIS BRONC 205
_
that! You want to get Billee to a doctor as soon
as possible, before infection sets in. We ’ll bring
him back in the wagon. ”
“How did you happen to come here, Dad?”
Bud asked curiously. “I didn’t think you knew
where we were.”
“I didn’t, exactly. I have a confession to
make, Bud. You weren’t sent out here to herd
sheep. You were sent to do just what you did—
to capture the smugglers.’ ’
“But—but why didn’t you tell us?”
“I couldn’t, Bud. I gave my word to the
government that I’d not let on the reason I was
sending you out here. You see, no one could
tell just what would happen. If you knew that
you were sent to go after smugglers, and you
went after the wrong gang, things would be in
a pretty mess. So they concluded that it was
best to leave you in the dark. I’ll admit I
favored telling you, boys, but as it turned out,
the other way may have been best. Even as it
was, I let slip something about it. And when
you weren’t at the ranch I figured you might be
in this direction. I sort of suspected this place.
Well, all’s well that ends well. Now what,
boys?”
“If we can get that wild buckboard man to
drive slowly, we have a load of passengers to
take back. Oh, say, Dad, do you know Mr.
Hawkins! I don ’t know whether you—” Bud
paused suggestively.


YELLIN’ KID FINDS HIS BRONC 207
_
“Ten years,” the agent answered briefly.
“Delton’s due for quite a long stretch. He ’ll
have time to think over his errors.”
“Ten years,” Bud said musingly. “Ten
years in jail! Mr. Hawkins, if we testified that
Delton wasn’t so bad as he ’s supposed to be,
and that ”
The boy stopped. Hawkins looked at him long
and hard. Then he walked over and held out
his hand. _
“Son,” he said simply, “that’s the whitest
thing I’ve ever seen a man do. I’ll try to fix it
up for you. We ’ll do what we can to lighten
his sentence.”
“Thanks,” Bud said gratefully.
“Well, when do we start?” Mr. Merkel asked.
“If you men are hungry, we’d better get going.
Did I understand you to say we ’d have a load
going back, Bud?”
“And then some! Now let ’s see how we can
arrange this. Billee Dobb goes back in the
buckboard. And so do the others who are badly
hurt. How many do you think can ride, Kid’!
You know we’ve got their horses at the back,
and some can come along on them.”
“Figure Delton and two of those other guys
should go in the wagon. The rest can fork the
broncs. They’re able. Well, let’s get those
fellers that are going along with this wild man
in the wagon. Think you can take it easy a
_


208 BOY RANCHERS ON ROARING RIVER
_
short spell?” Yellin’ Kid asked the grinning
driver.
“Sure! Like an am-bu-lance. They’ll never
know they ’re ridin’.”
“All right. Now about these Chinks. Guess
they ’ll have to get along on the ponies.”
‘ ‘But maybe they can ’t ride, ” N ort suggested.
“Maybe they can’t—but they’re gonna take
a lesson right now! Their first an’ last. Let ’s
get hold of Billee an’ lift him in the wagon.
Still asleep?”
“Yep. Easy now. That does it——”
As they raised the form of the old rancher
he stirred uneasily. Then he opened his eyes.
“Boss!” he exclaimed. “\Vhat do you think
of me bein’ carried around this way. Wait a
minute, boys, I can walk. I want to?”
“You ’re to lay right still,” admonished
Yellin’ Kid. “Think we want you bleedin’ all
over the landscape? Now go slow, an’ Mr.
Merkel will shake hands with you when we get
you in the wagon.”
“How are you, Billee?” the cattle owner
asked warmly. “Heard you had an accident!
Well, we’ll feed you up good for a couple of
days and you ’ll soon be on horseback again.”
“Sure will! Can’t say I like this lyin’ down
idea. But the boys won’t let me get up.”
The buckboard carrying Billee and the other
injured men went first, and the rest of the pro-
cession followed, with Mr. Hawkins and Dick


YELLIN’ KID FINDS HIS BRONC 209
_
in the extreme rear, to see that everything went
well. And thus they started for town.
They had scarcely gotten under way when all
heard the sound of a horse behind them. They
turned and saw a riderless pony galloping
toward them.
“What the mischief—” Bud cried out as he
saw the horse nearing them. “He wants to
visit! Look—his halter has been broken. Must
be a runaway. I wonder-——”
“Runaway nothin’!” yelled the Kid. “He ’s
comin’ home! That’s my bronc!”
The horse made straight for Yellin’ Kid.
“Look at that—knows me! Well! Well!
Well! Come home to papa! My bronc, sure as
you’re a foot high! See that spot above his
eye? I’d know it in a million! Come here,
baby—where you been? Huh? I been lookin’
all over for you. ”
There was a sudden exclamation from one of
the smugglers who was riding in front of the
Kid.
“Got away!” the man muttered. “Thought
I tied her-—”
“So-o-o you’re the coot that had her, hey?
An’ you tied her up tight, hey? So she couldn’t
get loose? Well, let me tell you that this little
paint can bust any halter, if she wants to. Can ’t
you, baby? By golly, I ”
“Sing it, Kid, sing it!” Dick laughed. “Do
you tuck her in bed at night, too 1 ”
_


YELLIN’ KID FINDS HIS BRONC 211
_
rather a long time to get there, as the buckboard
had to be driven slowly on account of the in-
jured. True to his promise, the young “wild
man” held his verbally much-abused horses
down to a walk.
The smugglers were removed to jail, with the
assurance from the warden that those who were
injured would be treated by a local doctor. The
Chinese were also jailed, to be held for the
federal oflicers. Deportment, first back to
Mexico, and, eventually, back to China was their
portion. They seemed to realize it, for they
were a sad and silent bunch.
Billee Dobb was given a room to himself in
the ranch house where he could rest and get
well, and then the others washed up and “filled
up,” as Nort expressed it.
“Now comes the reward,” said Mr. Hawkins,
and he arranged to have it paid to the Boy
Ranchers, with Yellin’ Kid and Billee Dobb
sharing in it. There was an additional reward
for capturing the smuggled Chinese as well as
the smugglers, so there was a fund large enough
for all to share.
“Let ’s go up and see Billee now,” proposed
Bud, when they had eaten and quieted down.
They found the old rancher restlessly picking
at the coverlet of his bed, his weather-tanned
face in strange contrast to the white pillow
cases. As the boys and Mr. Merkel entered,
Billee grinned.


JPN .Bakeb8 B76

_
Baker. Willard F 21
The boy ranchers on roaring
river, or, Diamond X and the
Chinese smugglers
1
O Q
P
.-Y .___,_ 4
!