Comrades of the Saddle; Or, The Young Rough Riders of the Plains

again been raided by cattle thi

The thieves will find it is three times and out. I'll take th

eld their peace while the cowboy who had brought the news of the raid busied

task, however, the ranchman ha

s' Pool without watching, so I can take all the boys with me, and the more there are of us the

r hours before. He had expected to find the ranchman at his home, and when he learned Mr. Wilder had g

waited on him, impati

ssible for one man. "All during the day the cattle had been restless and we boys were kept on

t take us long to get after 'em, and in about an hour w

n the herd," inter

but not in the same

asked Bill. "Perhaps they only wandered

ied the cowboy. "Besides, after looking arou

hey drive?" dema

hese mountains, somewhere. Pete thinks so, too. That's why he set the pool as the meeting place. There's an

Still, I can't see the necessity of getting any of the neighbors. It will only take

s because the Half-Moon isn't th

ent the Wilder

he Three Stars there must have been tw

fit are on the trail by this

ll going up to Tolopah to bring down a herd Snider brought from Mont

nted Mr. Wilder. "Who do you thi

e only one with the

ncher the boys looked at one another

is funny business with these two boys, Larry

key of him," interpo

the cowboy, looking at the

e ranchman. "So I reckon we can

ome by train, the sh

, bring up Buster and Blackhawk. Tom, you will have to take Nails' pony. We must

he house by the middle of the afternoon, at the latest. Mind

l with the ponies, an

his instructions the

d the boys to be careful, shook out his reins and rod

cking the saddle bags, and less than an hour

the man-hunt and speculation as to whether the thieves would b

saw on the cliff are part

had a hand in it. It is all of thirty miles from where we saw them to the Long Creek bottoms, and no sizeable herd of cattle could be drive

r the trail much talking was not attempted, an

rear. Their advance was slow, however, as they wished to give the pony To

proceeded, and without mishap f

h eyes and ears ale

e rest, and by the time we have finished he'll be as good as new

ill. "Still I think Whitefoot's good for it, especially as he

as heartily as though they had not

ready to start

race is the lightest, don't you think

shift in mounts was made, after whic

ed the plains they had "cut loose." Both were expert horsemen and the ponies under them were mettlesome. Indeed, Blackhawk had not entirely recovered his temper since his roping and it

strike the outfit from the Three Stars, at hom

day, and Sandy told me they planned to stay at the ranc

to find the who

te and I were bankin

onversation, to the disappointment of his companio

s rowelling they received from the spurs of the men on their backs tol

't, there won't be any but slow ponies in the corral. And that mea

nies from the bunch and brought them up with me. When they told me you were hunting with the kids,

y pleased the ranchman, and

these raids on my herd? This makes the third. It rather seems to m

cowboy. "And that's what makes me so

gget against me?" asked

ottoms, aren't you?" returned Nails, answeri

t what has that

cross the line into old Mex or strike out for the mountains. Maybe you don't know it, but there's a greaser just across the line-they call him Don Vasquez-who makes a fat

bottoms has spoiled t

in El Paso last winter boasting you'd

ll me?" demanded M

ry. Fatty and I fixed him so

n for silencing the Mexican, the ranchman lapsed

f business, Nails. I have the right o

same as other people, though there seem to be a lot of folks who don't think so. And I'm speaking for the other boys of the Half-Moon as well as myself. We talked it a

it was, moved Mr. Wilder deeply, and reaching over, he seized the cowb

engaged in a cattle war which would only end with his ruin or the capture of the entire band of thieves. And bei

were obliged to resort to almost continual use of their spurs. But at last the buildi

e ranchman as he dismounted. "I'll go to the hous

oy, disappointment in his voice at

he raid. Just listen round and see if you can learn anything

d you?" inquired his wife anxiously as he sat down at the

Snider and his outfit. Nails says they are at home." And briefly

ad finished a hasty meal went out, mounted the pony Nails held waiting and g

e cowboy ate leisurely an

st time they could, but before they had covered

nother. But it was slow work, and at last Bill suggested that he ride on ahea

t he quickly reassured her, and with Ned's help caught two ponies, saddled