The Rover Boys on the Plains; Or, The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch

out here," observed Sam as they jour

Dick. "You know he would do

ce," said Fred. "I shan't put

d man a long distance ahead. The former bully of Putnam Hall was on the looko

an," cried Songbird. "If we want to ca

nother turn hid Baxter and h

would happen to him if he was caught by the Rover

named Sack Todd, noticed his anxi

to git away from them

axter sharply. So many things had gone wron

-by if you want to," answered Sack Todd. "I wouldn't min

boarding academy, and they did their best to get me into trouble. Then I tried to get square, and that put

e. Go

em, and I'd do almost anythi

a fellow who wants to stand up for hims

uch a crowd alone. But some

d," said Sack Todd. "That wi

Baxter's story fairly well. The young man had come down in t

then on to a trail that was all b

an. "We can reach there in no time by this

learned as much as he cared to know. He realized that the former bully was hard up and ready to do almost a

aid Sack Todd slowly. "That is, if you are not over partic

" was the ready answer. "I am not used to

enough. But it would require judg

good judgment, and, as for ne

the business. You'd have to dr

n do

ods are not exact

ldn't stop me," and Dan Baxter grin

itable-after we know each o

a scheme to make big money. At last, the former

your mind. You can trust me with anything. I am not of the milk-a

eart," answered the man. "I reckon we

something pretty quick.

can help yo

h you

prove that I am taking an interest in you.

He gazed at the bank note in genu

d a crossing in the trails. "Keep right on, and you'll soon come i

wil

t of sight-if those Rov

ow," said Baxter w

ormer bully of Putnam H

loped off at a hi

't lend me a twenty so readily. He must be used to handling big money, by the roll of bills he car

d then continued on his journey. Several times he looked back

en without a companion in whom to confide, and the peculiar loneliness among utter strangers w

ey, the town of Cottonton, consisting of several well laid out streets and an outlying district

e lost no time in hunting up a modest restaurant on a sid

or dinner?" he asked. "

ed roast beef, potatoes, beans, coffee and pie. H

" he explained to the proprietor of

does. Going to st

yet. I'm just

stay, I'll be pleased to fu

emember

lit it. Then he hauled out the twenty-dollar bill. As he did so, he gave a slight start. He had

n't good?" he

eper. His usual price for such a meal was thirty c

the bully coolly. "I ought to have asked

he restaurant man, thinking only of the

d have a cigar on me," con

ank you, sah!

ollars and a half in change. Pocketing the amount, the bu

eat me to a cigar," thought the restaurant keep

t cost him anything. He put the twenty-dollar bill away, to use when he sh

ix dollars, and he passed over the new twenty-dollar

the store keeper, and left his place to do s

hey tell me one of these

!" gasped the

ank cashi

ch b

new

I took that bill in onl

ot stuck, M

e it's a c

ver imitation, and that a number of them are a

ant keeper. "I thought he was mighty smooth. He

tter watch

ow enough to keep out of my way," ad