The Border Boys Across the Frontier

t any sign of th

te-starred forehead, drew rein as he spoke. Shoving back his sombrero, he shielded his eye

fur. Queer, too; we ough

deal browner and sturdier-looking than when we encountered him last in "The Border Boys on the Trail"; Walt Phelps, the ranch boy, whose blazing hair outrivaled the glowing sun; and the bony, grotesque form of Profe

ect in the landscape," put in Professor Wintergreen, referring to a smal

n, "that a landscape meant something with brooks

the dreariest looking gray-green bush imaginable. The scanty specimens of this variety of the vegetable life of the desert were interspersed here and there by groups of scraggly, prickly cacti. Across such country as this, the party had been making

d a compass that was

right direction," he said. "Nothing f

the philosophical cow-puncher of the Agua Caliente, stroking his sun

" put in Walt Phelps; "the last time I hit the little drinking can

grunted Pete, digging his big, blunt-

, bony steed as angular as himself, Ralph on Petticoats-of ex

intensity of the sun's rays in this part of the country, it would have prove

room." For the rest, the boys wore leather "chaps," blue shirts open at the neck, with loosely knotted red handkerchiefs about their throats. The latter were both to keep the sun off the back of their necks and to serve as protection for their mouths and nostrils a

attered leather "chaps," faded blue shirt, and his big sombrero with the silver stars affixed to the stamped leather band. In a holster he carried a rifle, as did the rest of the party, as well a

r Wintergreen had accompanied Jack Merrill and Ralph Stetson from Stonefell College, some weeks before, to spend a vacation on the Agua Caliente Ranch, belonging to Jack's father. The professor, as well as being on a vacation, was in a sense on a mission, for he bore w

ion impossible. The descent of Black Ramon de Barros on the ranch, as we have related, and the subsequent abduction of the boys to the

quest. Coyote Pete, a few days before this story opens, had volunteered to act as guide to the professor and his party to a mesa seldom visited except by wandering Indians and

The Esmeralda-he owned there. Rumors of an insurrection had reached him-an insurrection which meant great peril to American interests. He had, therefore, lost no tim

boys insisted on calling themselves, had likewise started on their quest. With them, at Jack Merrill's invitation, went Walter Phelps, the son of a ranching neighbor of Mr. Merrill. Walt, it will be recalled, had sha

st words had bee

portions, life and property along the border may be in great dan

that plundering insurrectos would have the

rrill

in that barren country. If there is an insurrection, it will doubtless

ving the ranch. As it was, he, in common with his neighbors, deemed the insurrection simply one of those little outbreaks that occur every now and again in Mexico, and which hitherto had been p

eaching their destination that evening. Walt Phelps' fear about the water had been verified. The supply was getting low. Provided they could "pick up" the mesa they were in search of

knew, though he did not tell his young companions so, that they should long since have spied its outlines. Of the real seriousness which their posit

ittle in advance of the rest, gave an e

matter with the s

ose," put in Ralph

ssor; "it has turned quite red, and there

e, too," put in Walt Ph

ust attracted their notice, but he had hesitated to draw their attention to it. Now, how

inter a tantrum," he grunted, "and that we'

nquired Ralph Stetson, a

the back uv a dime, even if you collect all the water that fell

torm?" queried

rm," rejoined the c